Arquitetos de Família: Metodologias para Viabilizar o Acesso à Arquitetura

Abstract

This dissertation analyses the practice(s) of Family Architects as dispersed and heterogeneous groups that seek to enable access to professional architecture in vulnerable contexts. Starting from the recognition that regulated production of space tends to remain inaccessible to populations with lower economic, political, and cultural capital, the study aims to contribute to the dissemination of tools capable of guiding future practices that seek to democratise access to architecture. The research is based on two case studies - the Arquitectes de Capçalera (AC) methodology and the Arquitectos de Família (AF) methodology - chosen for their methodological relevance and the author's direct contact with both processes, through the Taller Temátic Arquitectes de Capçalera 2021 (TTAC21) and the 5th edition of the Arquitectos de Família Workshop (WAF#05). The work develops a theoretical framework that situates these practices within the context of technical assistance, emphasizing the impact of Rodolfo Livingston's "Método Arquitectos de Família" and its dissemination and reinterpretation within Latin American Community Architecture. The dissertation combines bibliographic analysis, critical observation of the tools and processes adopted by the studied groups, and a comparative reading supported by the SWOT02 model. This approach allows for the assessment of strategies for territorial engagement, team organization, institutional coordination, and both active (concrete interventions) and passive (training and research) outcomes. The intersection of these dimensions highlights the challenges and opportunities within intervention contexts, as well as the strategies to overcome and expand them. The results demonstrate that there is no universal model for facilitating access to architecture in contexts of deprivation, but rather strategies and tools adapted to the specific conditions of each territory. It is concluded that socially committed architectural practice requires a repositioning of the discipline based on active listening, mediation, and collaborative action among professionals, institutions, and communities.