Public Housing Renovation in Porto: Typology versus Occupancy Density

摘要

In the 1950s a ten-year municipal plan (and its subsequent five-year extension) set off the construction of many public housing complexes in Porto to solve the need for housing, as industrialization phenomena had caused relevant migration to cities. These housing settlements (near half of the current total public housing in Porto), despite their careful urban design, do not present nowadays satisfactory quality level (constructive, but also architectural and residential), failing to comply with some of the present regulations and living standard expectations (e.g. dwellings reduced area). In the last few years, some of these residential units have been renovated. One reference case is presented, a 1953 municipal housing in Porto presently under renovation, illustrating the urban regeneration that may result if deeper housing refurbishment is contemplated on a municipal strategy, without necessarily a much higher investment. Original dwelling typologies (with very limited area) are merged to. give place to new ones (now in accordance to present regulations), apparently reducing population density of the related area. This paper also addresses the false impression that may occur when municipal housing management policies and distribution are based on dwelling typology.