Vivido, vivo e contíguo. Sobre a permanência de um espaço arquitetónico que acompanha o corpo e o tempo

Abstract

This dissertation explores the capacity of domestic space to respond to human ageing, considering the home as a territory in continuous transformation. Given the inadequacy of housing structures in the face of the body's frailties, the concept of the contíguous nest is proposed as a projectual thinking tool, whose operationalisation is based on the articulation between the preservation of the identitarian core, spatial flexibility and the versatility of movement flows within the inhabited space. Methodologically, the research is organised into five stages. The first presents the demographic and housing panorama of the elderly in Portugal, identifying the premises that underpin the argument. The second addresses the notion of the architectural nest as a mediator between space and body. To this end, the concept of space is clarified through the theoretical contributions of Adrian Forty, Christian Norberg-Schulz, Fernando Távora and Dom Hans van der Laan, subsequently probing the concept of dwelling based on the thinking of Georges Teyssot. This foundation guides the inquiry into how the ageing body reconfigures the perception and the use of the built environment. The third stage draws from the vision of architecture as a living organism, as mentioned by Santiago de Molina, to explore the theories of metamorphosis in Trillo de Leyva and spatial flexibility in Xavier Monteys. From this theoritical foundation follows the selection of case studies through which concrete des devices that ensure the adaptability and the durability of the proposals are identified. The fourth stage features the Casa dos Avós design essay, testing the contiguity of dwelling. Finally, the fifth stage settles the contribution of the contiguous nest concept to contemporary architectural practice.