Projetar no lote estreito portuense: Desafios da habitação plurifamiliar

Abstract

Given the high density of the urban area, the constant presence of the single-family house and the narrow plots have always characterized the domestic scale of Porto. Although the bourgeois home had once served a specific society, that no longer exists, we must still question in what way can we work with Porto's typical plot to meet today's society needs. Focusing on housing needs and progress of the residential programs, the main purpose of this study is to acknowledge architect's biggest challenges when planning new multi-family dwelling right in the heart of the city. We also aim to understand in which way Porto's architecture heritage can be valued and helpful in finding solutions to fill urban gaps. Three recent multi-family residential projects in Porto were chosen to discuss the problems and distinct approaches when designing and building in this kind of plots and then understand the relevance of the architect's attention to the site and its context. This study intends to demonstrate that the typical plot of Porto still has the capability and possibility of answering the needs of an evolving society.