Reseach Proposal

OUTLINE
We want to investigate cortiços as examples of the spatial and social situation in which squatters have to live. We focus on three different types of cortiços with different typologies / spatial dispositions each examplified by one building:

1) Galpão / Armazem (squatted factory hall / warehouse); Example: [name of cortiço, adress]

2) Sobrado (two storey building); Example: [name of cortiço, adress]

3) Edificio (highrise building); Example: [name of cortiço, adress]


SCALE
We will research in two scales:

- Large: Cortiço, meaning the squatted building in its entirety and its relation to the city

- Small: Residencia / Unidade, meaning the individual living units of families and their relation to the semi-public area within the cortiço

- We also consider the scale of time as a fourth dimension for the developpment of the spatial dispositions


CATEGORIES
Within these scales we analyse three categories:

- Object / Product: Our main focus is a spatial analysis of the condition: The density, spatial arrangement, daylight, ventialtion, hygiene and construction / surfaces.
Representation: Plans, Sections, Diagrams, Photography

- Social / Program: Dealing with social structures such as leadership, administration, security, house rules and privacy. Here our main focus is the versatile programming of housing units and the entire cortiço within different times of day.
Representation: Diagrams, Video, Photography, Text

- Process / Context: This third category contextualizes the spatial and social conditions in the indivdual cortiços within the larger urban, historic, economic and political context. Here we want to clarify the terminology. For example the rent compared to other housing forms or the fact that not every cortiço is a squatted building.
Representation: Introductory Text, Diagrams

cortiços

How to give dignity without taking away their identity?

initial proposal