1º Direito e as Ilhas do Porto: Avaliação Crítica da Metodologia Aplicada na Reabilitação Habitacional

Abstract

In urban contexts marked by housing vulnerability, the effectiveness of interventions depends on multiple factors that go beyond the strictly technical dimension. This dissertation departs from the hypothesis that such interventions only become truly effective when supported by consolidated technical foundations, stable institutional structures, and mechanisms of coordination among the various actors involved. The process of preparing applications for the rehabilitation of the "ilhas" of Porto, within the scope of the 1º Direito program and funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), is taken here as the empirical ground through which this hypothesis is explored. The investigation is based on the author's direct involvement in the Gabinete 1º Direito between 2023 and 2024 and is structured around three main axes: the analysis of the theoretical and methodological production anchored in the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto (FAUP); the critical reading of the physical proposals designed for the "ilhas"; and the situated observation of the operational and institutional challenges faced throughout the application process. This experience allowed for a practical understanding of both the potential and the limitations of a previously consolidated design methodology, now applied under new regulatory requirements and funding constraints. The results point to relevant advances in the formulation of solutions consistent with the morphological and social reality of the "ilhas", while also revealing administrative, legal, and operational obstacles that hinder the full implementation of the proposals. The dissertation concludes with recommendations aimed at institutional restructuring and the promotion of intersectoral approaches, understanding architectural practice as a device for mediating between territory, technical knowledge, and public policy.