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Cities are the result of collective construction over centuries. Living organisms that are constantly changing to adapt to the needs and demands imposed by new ways of living. Our cultural centre is hosting the launch of a book on participatory architecture published by the Rés-do-Chão studio. Focussed on the Portuguese context - and specifically on the parish of Marvila – it presents complementary testimonies in different formats: interviews, case studies and essays.
In conversation, we'll reflect on the opportunities and challenges of citizen participation with experts from sociology to landscape architecture or journalism. Many of the authors will be present: Cristina Santos, a resident of the Allfinetes neighbourhood; Gonçalo Folgado, a member of the Locals Approach transdisciplinary laboratory; Ricardo Santos, an architect and researcher into post-25 April social movements; Roberto Falanga, a lecturer and researcher into democratic innovations in public policies; and Henrique Chaves, a sociologist specialising in urban studies.
Published by Tigre de Papel, it is based on many initiatives, such as: Festival Felizmente há lugar, Loja comunitária 4Crescente, Food from the Block and Festival Co.cidades. All of them sought alternatives to the city-building paradigm and proposed a collective participatory model. By questioning the role of architecture in identifying needs and responding to communities' ways of life, citizen participation can reflect and reinforce democratic values and create more inclusive, just and sustainable cities.