CEACT – Studies Centre on Architecture, City and Territory

The Studies Centre on Architecture, City and Territory [CEACT] promotes research on Architecture theory and practice.

It aims to:

  • Contribute to enhancing the quality of architecture theory and practice in Portugal;
  • Produce and disseminate R&D projects in the fields of Architecture and Territory Planning;
  • Support lecturers and students of the Integrated Master in Architecture;
  • Provide support to advanced training of human resources, namely in the scope of academic career development and supervision of Master dissertations and PhD theses;
  • Conduct seminars, conferences and activities to disseminate research results and other work conducted within the scope of the Master in Architecture;
  • Integrate international research networks, fostering participation of researchers in R&D projects and international conferences;
  • Foster publication of books and papers;
  • Systematic collection of documents in the field of Architecture and Territory Planning.

 

  • Research Strands
  • Urban planning and public monuments (in partnership with CICH)
  • Contemporary Portuguese architecture

This strand is being implemented. We are currently preparing two research projects for 2013/2014: Colonato de Pegões e Arquitetura Portuguesa durante a 2ª Guerra Mundial.

  • Research Projects

 

  • Lisbon Neighborhoods 2012

The project Lisbon Neighbourhoods (Bairros de Lisboa) 2012 started in 2010 and is coordinated by CEACT, which signed three partnerships for its conduction: with e-GEO – Centros de Estudos de Geografia e Planeamento Regional, with SIPA – Sistema de Informação do Património Arquitetónico, which belongs to IHRU – Instituto da Habitação e da Reabilitação Urbana and with the Lisbon Municipality.

 

  • Scope of the project

The city of Lisbon has different and differentiating urban scenarios. The concept of neighbourhood is a constant reference as a historical, architectural and social element, which is mentioned in scientific literature, as well as in planning strategies and policies (e.g. The Strategic Charter presented in 2009).

To study and understand it, the neighbourhood must be analysed as a physical space, from an urban and historical perspective, as well as a space that represents social practices, that is lived and represented by its inhabitants and users.

A set of questions arise, which we aim to answer:

  • What neighbourhoods exist today in Lisbon?
  • How do we include them in the history of the city?
  • Can we establish a typology of existing neighbourhoods, which can somehow be useful to the city’s urban planning?
  • What defines a neighborhood for the city’s residents and users?
  • How is the neighbourhood appropriated and represented?

Though there is some work (especially in the field of sociology and architecture and urban planning) on this matter, there is still much study to be developed, as well as some gaps in terms of research that this project might bridge.

 

  • Objectives
  • Further the knowledge of the city of Lisbon.
  • Understand the current link between the urban shapes and social life.
  • Contribute to the urban planning of the city of Lisbon from a plural, inclusive way, able to meet the needs of contemporary society.

 

  • Methodology
  • Defining / collecting historical and urban data on the neighbourhoods of Lisbon.
  • Selection of case studies (Graça, Campo de Ourique, Telheiras, Ajuda, Alvalade and another neighbourhood to be defined at a later data)
  • Collection of data on the architecture of the case studies.
  • Social and cultural description of the case studies.
  • Research and production of original cartography to support the project.

Our project is based on fieldwork and includes observation, photographic record and mapping, surveys and interviews.

Projecto Fronteiras Urbanas: a dinâmica dos encontros culturais na educação comunitária (projecto FCT PTDC/CPE-CED/119695/2010)

The project was approved and financed by the Foundation for Science and Technology (assessed as excellent in all categories).

The project is coordinated by the Education Institute of the University of Lisbon, CEACT/UAL being the Additional Research Unit.

Projecto Oficina de projecto comunitário — arte no contexto intercultural

The project on art in intercultural context was approved and financed through protocol with Almada Municipality and is being conducted through a partnership between the Lisbon Fine Arts School (coordinator) and CEACT.

The project proposes, using an innovative approach, to implement community street art project through proposals by artists from the area of Almada (which belongs to the Lisbon Metropolitan Region, which expands to the banks of the river Tagus opposite the city of Lisbon). To implement the project, we develop cultural activity strategies close to vulnerable communities of the neighbourhood Bairro do Pica Pau Amarelo.

The project focuses on fieldwork in a multicultural community in an urban area within Almada that evidences the difficulties experienced in social and urban integration and cohesion. The neighbourhoods’ organization is mainly formed by resettlement schemes – a physical space that evidences its inhabitants’ issues at social, economic and cultural levels in the urban decay of its public space.