The research work is organized in 3 main actions:

 

- Documental: database construction and data gathering.

- Interpretative: systematization, categorization and interrelation of documents and data.

- Communicative: Spreading and dissemination of knowledge.

 

For the first action, we will rely on a documental corpus anchored on residential settlements' projects archived in various Portuguese Institutions (IHRU, SIPA, LNEC, Municipalities, etc) as well as on the related documents (memoirs, reports and assessment procedures, etc.). These data will then be compiled in a database that relates each operation/estate/building to bibliographic and photographic references, as well as to its legal frame.

 

In the second action, the interpretation and interrelation of the materials gathered and organized are the basis to substantiate a contemporary vision of the residential settlements, endorsing their present intervention actions, as well as a review of the political, economical and social 20th century history integrating alternative readings established from social housing.

 

The mentioned housing sets will serve as anchor point to compile and relate further data and other pertinent cases. The database is organized in two levels: the first level is constituted by the elements refereeing to the architectural design: plans, sections, elevations, photographs, location, urban insertion, authorship, relevant dates or facts, promoting public entity or department, and bibliographical references. In a second level we find a registry of the categories that relate each building or estate with an interpretative reasoning.

 

In the third action we foresee:
 

- International Conference

- Exhibition

- Books: glossary, booklets, catalogue, edited book

- Project Website incorporating database open access