Arquitetura de mudança: o potencial da madeira para projetos adaptáveis

Abstract

The capacity for transformation is an essential characteristic of architecture as a living practice, in constant dialogue with time, use and context. This dissertation starts from the premise that the permanence of a building does not lie in its rigidity, but in its ability to adapt. It therefore aims to reflect on the role of adaptability in contemporary architecture, advocating it as a conscious and necessary strategy in response to current challenges. The work is developed through the articulation between theory and practice, seeking to understand how architecture can integrate, from the design stage, principles that enable flexibility, reversibility, and the evolution of space over time. The study of timber as an adaptable material occupies a central place in this investigation, not only for its constructive qualities, but also for its affinity with design strategies focused on disassembly, modulation and circularity. This investigation is supported by a critical analysis of the history of adaptability in architecture, from vernacular traditions to more technological and industrialised approaches, and culminates in the development of a housing project where the defined principles are applied and tested. Conceived in timber, this project functions as an experimental laboratory to explore, both spatially and constructively, the feasibility of an architecture capable of changing without losing its essence. More than offering a closed solution, this project stands as a contribution to a more responsive architectural practice, where adaptability is understood as a condition for permanence.