LEARNING FROM VILA VALENTE: REDEFINING THE ROLE OF THE ARCHITECT

Abstract: In response to Loures Municipal Council’s recent proposal for redeveloping the Vila Valente Quarter of Moscavide, an area in urgent need of intervention, by demolishing, starting from scratch and relocating its vulnerable residents, this thesis challenges our responsibilities as architects when it comes to community development, especially with respect to the marginalised in society. We understand that in Henri Lefebvre’s ‘conceived space’ (Lefebvre, 1991) an architect’s work consists of abstract concepts and exclusive codes. Its products are the objects of traditional architecture, reinforcing the very concepts used time and again in planning and development. In contrast, Lefebvre’s ‘lived space’ (Lefebvre, 1991) is about the collective experience of people and is characterised by users’ engagement and experience on site. The lived space can be characterised by the constant changes and evolutions in everyday spaces and creates places that feel alive and have a strong spirit of place. In traditional architectural methods these two spaces are often considered as two separate entities. The manifesto (see Figures 53 and 54), a product of this study, looks at ways in which design, construction and use can consider the conceived and lived spaces simultaneously, to create a dynamic process including the physical and the social realms so that redevelopment can take place while also preserving the spirit of place.