A Casa dos Avós: projeto de reconversão e ampliação para Centro de Apoio à Terceira Idade

Abstract

This dissertation is motivated by the possibility of giving a new life to the grandparents' house, which is abandoned and in continuous deterioration since 2017. The dwelling is located in the small village of Dornelas, once a rural area that has gone through rapid changes which drastically transformed the landscape in recent decades. In the process of searching for a new purpose for the building, we start by presenting the house and its construction and programme characteristics. Then we explore the cultural and geographic context surrounding it, trying to understand the gains and losses in such short period of time, through research on the rural way of living of the people and the place, as well as through the analysis of the evolution of the place. We observe that, like other small villages, people are fewer and older, so the conversion of the house should adopt a programme that is intended for senior citizens, to serve the community. The ageing process of population is happening quickly and all over the world, occurring at a faster pace in developed countries. Consequently, there is lack of accommodation in Residential Structures for Elderly People, and greater demand is expected to occur in years to come. The investment in this sector is still insufficient and only recently programmes have been implemented to promote active and healthy ageing on a larger territorial scale. Ageing is inevitable and we can mitigate its progression at an early stage by adopting adequate eating and physical behaviours. Nevertheless, there will be a stage in life where decadence is more significant and these supporting models to the elderly are essential to provide support and services. The search for solutions has diversified and, nowadays, we can find a myriad of institutions offering different services, organization, and addressing different targets. However, as far as Residential Structures are concerned, we notice the development of a programme organization model that is repeated with small changes and that mainly consists of separating collective spaces from private spaces, and wasting the potential of circulation areas. Residential structures are still the most common supporting model. There are usually other valences associated, such as Day Care Centre, nevertheless the stigma associated to institutionalisation prevails. Therefore, it was imperative to question the programme organization of residential structures and consider ways to improve space to reduce the stigma. A search for solutions that promote interaction, sharing, and a sense of belonging that diminish the elderly's sense of isolation and the loss of their space and their community. The solution for this house programme was a combination of Day Care Centre with Independent Residence for Elderly People, funded by the conversion of part of the house into Local Accommodation, thus forming a Senior Citizen's Support Center. It is not about delivering the correct answer by implementing this project, rather providing an experiment that adds to the discussion on social facilities for senior citizens.