Representação e Realidade na procura de habitação no centro do Porto

Abstract

Nowadays we can see an exponential rise of the cultural industry, a hyper appreciation of History, culture and patrimony, in an attempt to increase the city competitiveness and its centre and, as well, in a reaction towards the sense of loss. The historic centres, in the polycentric cities, live, now, as the city image, its symbolism, its picturesque nature, where mental representations are generated that overcome, largely, its meaning, going to a more abstract baseline, idealized, states of mind. It's in this point that this work is focused, in the translation of representations in the composing elements of Porto's city centre, that was used as a experimental laboratory. Through the formulation of a questionnaire on the Porto city centre, conversations with people that shared theirs experiences as residents, investors, users, to try to realize the various images of Porto downtown, the different speeches, contradictions and findings, for a better perception of reality.