Bairro do Carvalhido no Porto. Projeto, Reabilitação e Valorização

Abstract

The present dissertation expands the analysis on the Bairro do Carvalhido, in the city of Porto, analyzing its entire life cycle in time: i) original project, ii) rehabilitation and iii) prospects for a future assessment in a primordial sense, including contributions for its requalification, maintenance and usage. The theme of the work is part of a broader question of contemporary management and rehabilitation of affordable dwellings, of which some examples will be presented and analyzed both in the national and international context. The methodology of this work blends indirect sources (such as written, graphic, cartographic, photographic information) with direct sources (in situ analysis and interviews). With this methodological backing, the analysis of Bairro do Carvalhido is developed under three aspects: i) urban (its surroundings and public space), ii) constructive (its constructive system, materials and infrastructure) and iii) typological (its common spaces and housing). The original proposal for Bairro do Carvalhido (1958) was part of the Improvement Plan of the City of Porto (1956-1977) which this present work succinctly contextualizes, as well as its antecedents. Subsequently, the rehabilitation of Bairro do Carvalhido (2007-2018) promoted by Domus Social is analyzed, which essentially focuses on the exterior aspects of the buildings (namely its roofs, façades and window frames) as well as, on the infrastructure (among them water, electricity and gas networks). Finally, despite the recent intervention (which, due to the limited funding available, it was not comprehensive and exhaustive enough), there are still some problems in Bairro do Carvalhido, among which the state of preservation and appropriation of the building and its public space. In this sense, the present work intends to showcase some contributions for a future appreciation of Bairro do Carvalhido in a broader sense, integrating such as guidelines for the requalification of the surrounding public spaces, as well as points of view for future maintenance and practice of good usage. Consequently, there is an intent to contribute in prolonging the life of the building over time through better and more sustainable management of resources and, at the same time, increasing the self-esteem and satisfaction of the users, and by that preserving the integrity and architectural value for future generations.