Sketch for a Portuguese House
2005
The Labyrinth of Saudade is a model for the Portuguese House.
All the spaces necessary for the constitution of the House coexist in a solid parallelepiped, adapted to the limits of the land. The shape and layout of the volume can be changed in order to adapt to the piece of land where they are located, while maintaining their general dimensions.
The construction is made of a mesh whose design repeats the geometric imbrication of an embroidered towel. The type of embroidery used on the structural façade will indicate the social class of its inhabitants: Rendas de Bilros for the upper class, Bordado em Ponto-Cruz for the upper-middle class, and Crochet for the middle class. The remaining classes are not entitled to their own home.
The house is divided into two types of distinct spaces: those that are meant to be seen – the Apparatus Spaces -, and those that should not be seen – the Intimate Spaces. Between one and the other, spaces of ambiguous nature coexist. The Apparatus Spaces are exposed to the outside.
The Intimate Spaces are completely enclosed by the embroidery, allowing them to develop the most reserved activities inside.
Each of the spaces contained in the house can have one or more accesses, depending on the type of Portuguese family present, their affective and sentimental ties – love, indifference, passion, sadness, curiosity, contempt, excitement, hate, envy -, and the way each individual relates to their family.
[with a.s* – atelier de santos]