Para além da permanência. A efemeridade como prática arquitetónica

Abstract

This dissertation aims to explore the relationship between ephemeral architecture and permanent architecture, challenging the traditional opposition between the two. Under the title "Beyond Permanence: Ephemerality as an Architectural Practice" ,the dissertation investigates ephemeral architecture as a practice capable of transcending its traditional association with short-term existence. Thus, although it begins with an understanding of ephemerality as a condition primarily associated with a nomadic lifestyle, the research proposes a broader interpretation, in which ephemerality is also understood as the capacity to accommodate adaptation, transformation, and flexibility through various design constraints and strategies. Through the analysis of different parameters-namely time, construction, use, image, and design intent-the study seeks to understand how these principles permeate contemporary architectural practice, manifesting themselves in both temporary structures and permanent buildings. The work thus brings together various historical architectural references, a theoretical framework, and an interview with architect Diogo Aguiar, seeking to demonstrate that ephemerality is not merely a limited temporary condition, but above all an architectural strategy capable of responding to the successive transformations of the contemporary context. The dissertation culminates in a comparative analysis of the Montreal Biosphere and the Wyly Theatre, offering insight into how certain ephemeral architectures can acquire and adapt to unintended permanence, and how certain permanent architectures can also incorporate principles associated with the ephemeral and the unique experience. In this way, the dissertation proposes a broader interpretation of ephemeral architecture, where ephemerality and permanence cease to operate as opposing conditions and instead function in an intermediate and complementary field, converging through their capacity for transformation and adaptation over time.