Habitar (n)o Bonfim: dinâmicas comunitárias e processo de projecto no Porto oriental

Abstract

The present thesis aims to analyze different processes of project redevelopment carried out in selected 'ilhas' of Bonfim, from the standpoint of the current urban housing dynamics taking place in the city of Oporto. At a time when the inequalities in access to housing are becoming more acute, it is questioned whether each project answers to the needs of the population that is currently being excluded by the existing market failure, or serving other interests. In this globalized world where more than half the population lives in cities, the access to housing is defined by capital. Real estate investments and tourism industries add pressure to the housing clusters by the consumption and commercialization of the public space, particularly in places with high cultural and heritage value such as the center of Oporto. Hence, the supply of housing that meets the needs of local residents is reduced, thus overriding the interests of visitors to the needs of local residents. Currently, in the continuous search for greater profitability, the agents involved in these processes are extending their range of action to peripheral areas. Territories such as Bonfim, always associated with industry and the working class, are now subject to speculative interests. The 'ilhas', unbelievably, go from a basic housing resource to a typical commodity product of Porto. Given the eminence of population substitution, this thesis arises the architectural practice as a mean of constructing solutions to protect these populations. Thus, through the analysis of the networks that support the projects, there are sought tools that enhance the contribution of the architect in the construction of the access to quality urban housing for everyone.