Home-villages as a residence and revitalization system oh the territory

Abstract

Home-villages in Portugal, as a system of residence and revitalization of the territory are the main objective of this work. Based on the case study of the Home-Village of São José de Alcalar, in Mexilhoeira Grande - Portimão, it seeks to identify rules of conception and space, as well as implementation systems that will contribute to establishing a special equity in habitation and also identifying the daily flows of the populations in their territory of action and influence, by examining the use of mobility systems and equipment. The demographic challenge, with the increase in the number of people over 65 years and their higher longevity, adds the challenge of promoting relations of proximity and interaction of populations with their homes, as place of shelter, and the territory in which they move and work. It is necessary to establish a land structure and intergenerational architecture that removes physical and psychological obstacles, minimizing the isolation of the elderly population, where the introduction of the time factor in urban and architectural planning aims to encourage and enhance the social and civic participation of people in the community. Through the development and introduction of a balanced planning system, rural or/and urban land use too, the aim is to establish a qualified supply of housing, equipment, jobs and services to promote the establishment of a population which can fight the abandonment of the territory and its desertification. The relevance of this research relates to the timeliness of the theme and the necessity to create workable answers, contributing to the development of knowledge enhancement of housing problems, permanent or temporary, that despite concerns over accessibility and mobility needs for the aging population, it intended to be intergenerational.