Self-constructed progressive housing: Morphological characterization using Shape Grammar

Abstract

This paper concerns the spontaneous habitation and focuses on the progressive processes of housing production. It considers the relative scarcity of studies on that subject as problematic, particularly in relation to the emergent typologies of self-construction processes. Therefore, a case study was developed in the Planalto Pici, a Special Zone of Social Interest (ZEIS) in Fortaleza, capital of the state of Ceará, Brazil. It was applied on the basis of a methodological arrangement involving the physical measurement and recording of progressivity in the construction of 94 houses. This information was examined and described by adopting Shape Grammar, an instrument of representation of logic that involves the formation of units. Based on the data collected, we looked for recurrences of forms in order to understand the morphological characteristics of dwellings in line with research on type. The results indicate a multiplicity of factors involved in the production of autonomous housing and point to the need for further research focusing on these specific fragments of the city, since understanding the morphology requires an understanding of the urban context. Based on the knowledge obtained, the research offers an overview of knowledge about the user, which may indicate a path for the development of housing design projects best suited to the needs of that public, as well as a resource in technical assistance programs applied to the environment studied.

Keywords: progressive housing, self-construction, Shape Grammar, typologies.