Arquitetura que acolhe: o pavilhão da Liga Portuguesa contra o cancro, IPO de Lisboa

Abstract

This dissertation starts from the premise that architecture plays a fundamental role in creating therapeutic environments in oncology settings. Within this framework, the Pavilion of the Liga Portuguesa Contra o Cancro was identified as a case study in which to test the requalification of space, enhancing spatial quality through architectural design. The intervention aims to conceive a qualified therapeutic environment that promotes physical comfort, reinforces users' dignity, and accommodates different modes of inhabiting the space, ranging from social interaction to individual retreat. Architecture is understood as a medium that structures the relationship between body and space, clarifies routes, distinguishes between socialisation and intimacy, and works with light and the relationship with nature. In this sense, the choice of materials either promotes or inhibits the creation of welcoming atmospheres that support a user‑centred therapeutic environment. To underpin this approach, the dissertation combines a historical contextualisation of hospital architecture in Portugal - focusing on the development of the Lisbon IPO and on the role of the Liga Portuguesa Contra o Cancro in providing complementary support - with an in‑depth analysis of the Maggie's Cancer Caring Centres. The philosophy of these centres, synthesised in the expression "Architecture of Hope", is a key reference for defining the design principles, particularly the use of natural light, domestic scale and careful material selection. Building on this framework and on the specific analysis of the context, the dissertation presents concrete design solutions for a new proposal for the Liga Pavilion, based on a user‑centred design approach with the aim of constructing a therapeutic environment.