As Cooperativas Habitacionais no início do século XX: uma estratégia de intervenção e reabilitação da Colónia Operária Viterbo de Campos

Abstract

In the 19th century, the rural people exodus to the industrialized coastal cities, seeking for work and better living conditions, originated an increased demand for residential houses in Porto, which has conducted to an overcrowded city. A policy oriented to the bourgeoisie interests, which meant real estate speculation and the systematic price increase of residential costs, associated to the continuous decrease of the salary levels in industry, make the residential offer unaffordable to lower social people classes, who found refuge in what are the so called "housing-islands for workers". In this context were developed the city "colonies" or "workers neighborhoods", included in the concept of "city-garden", which promoted the integration of rural areas in the city, avoiding the growth of unhealthy construction building in order to improve residential quality conditions to this low social class workers. Constructed nearby large factories, in new residential areas that progressively were integrated in the city, these residential workers "colonies" were the principal mark of the transitional period between the 19th century and the new hygienic residential concerns of the 20th century. Its historic character, the architectural typology, the building construction system, an urban implanted localization and the recognition of its architectural importance by Porto's City Hall, in opposition to its current state of degradation, make them fascinating and important analytical elements for the city and its buildings sides studies. What are the principles underlying the design and construction of these workers "colonies"? Are the changes operated by its owner's users in conformity with the main purposes of the project? Is it possible to alert them to its patrimonial value? How can be done its rehabilitation? Looking up to inappropriate interventions already visible, it is important to find solutions to adapt them to the new urban, architectural, technical and social demands. Using Viterbo de Campos "Colónia" as a case-study example, a set of reflections and data were synthesized, in order to answer to questions above. The development of an interventional strategy for this "Colónia", through a practical exercise, also involves the methodology to be applied in the rehabilitation of this residential type, in order to be an answer to the urban, constructive, spatial, social and functional complexity in which it is envolved.