Contributo para uma Nova Máquina de Habitar para o Século XXI Projeto de Habitação de Renda Acessível para o Bairro do Monte da Bela, Porto

Abstract

The main objective of this dissertation is to contribute to the creation of a "new machine for living" that provides affordable housing to most of the population, meets the needs of citizens and the multiple typologies of the 21st century family, houses new forms of remote work, contributes to social cohesion and integration in an increasingly multicultural society, reduces energy poverty, and contributes positively to the mitigation of environmental problems, namely the climate emergency. This contribution starts by identifying good practices that foster economic, social and ecological sustainability at multiple levels: housing, neighborhood, city, and planet. The good practices identified, described, and illustrated with examples of built architectures were arranged into 3 groups: space flexibilization; social condensers; and passive solar architecture. Some of the recommended practices recover ideas introduced by the Modern Movement Architecture, such as the open floor plan, the flat roof, and communal areas. Others draw inspiration from traditional architecture to bring energy and ecological efficiency to the building through passive solar solutions such as orientation, ventilation, or the use of vegetation. The good practices identified are applied in the elaboration of a proposal for an affordable neighborhood in Monte da Bela, located in the parish of Campanhã, in Porto. The proposal presented is based on the premises of the public tender, launched in 2021 by the Porto City Council, for the construction of a multifamily affordable housing in this location, which was not implemented. The proposal presented in this dissertation aims to meet the needs, listed above, of the "new machine for living". Thus, 6 buildings and 144 dwellings of different typologies are proposed. The dwellings design allows the reorganization of their interior whenever adaptations to new work circumstances or household size are required (spatial flexibility). Several social condensation spaces were designed on the flat roofs of the buildings (community use spaces) and on the mostly open floor plan (stores, green spaces, shaded living spaces). Environmental performance was enhanced by the creation of green spaces, shading of façades with deciduous trees, green roofs, lighting control devices, cross ventilation, and thermal insulation. The result of this research is a proposal integrated in the surroundings and adjusted to a rugged topography, enhancing the proximity city, social justice and equity, and environmental balance.