Social housing

Housing is a field of research within the disciplinary scope of architecture but one which goes beyond it: interdisciplinary has in this issue, unquestionable application.

In Portugal, the pioneering experience of SAAL which, in the hot times of the revolution extended throughout the country, involving the population and the architects alike in a unique dialogue, constituted an excellent lab for disciplinary debate.

It was the SAAL experience that gave international notoriety to Siza Vieira, and the present generation of architects are inheritors of such wealth and experience.

It is still possible to witness some living documents of those experiences and of experiences developed therein. Some extremely beautiful examples are the Bouça’s Housing complex, recently concluded and designed by Siza or the projects for social housing built in the last decades in the municipalities surrounding Porto; such as Maia and Matosinhos.