Linking archives – Researching into Malagueira

Abstract

The author and the co-author have submitted as IR a research project to the 2017 Call for SR&TD Projects in all Scientific Domains (Call No. 02/SAICT/2017, project No. 32111) - Malagueira: Heritage for all. Contributions for its nomination - wich has obtained national support by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. (FCT). The project takes the inscription of Malagueira in the National Tentative List for Unesco for nomination to the World Heritage List (WHL), together with other works by Álvaro Siza Vieira, as an opportunity to identify, recognize and systematize the values of authenticity, integrity, singularity and the outstanding universal value, in close proximity to Évora’s Historic Center (Unesco WHL, 1984). On the one hand, the research aims to collect and consolidate a corpus of documentary and theoretical knowledge to induce Malagueira’s national classification and touristic brand that integrates cultural, architectural, historical, social and scientific values in a Heritage Charter of Malagueira. In addition it is proposed an articulation of augmented reality TICs, graphic design and heritage values. To comply with the first action of the project it is imperative to foster a close relationship with all drawing archives, in particular Drawing Matter (UK), Canadian Centre for Architecture (CA), Serralves and Caloustre Gulbenkian Foundation (PT) and with Câmara Municipal de Évora, local cooperatives and personal files (PT). The documentary framework consists of sketches, rigorous drawings and written texts that relate to both graphical and textual rhetoric (Tostrup, H., 1996), provide relevance and context (Testa, P., 1984). These documents constitute the primary generator (Darke, J., 1979) research knowledge and are primordial to the classification values. Therefore, a network between archives and Álvaro Siza Vieira documentation ought to be accomplished and we must envision new ways of accessing and linking relevant information. In the Architectural Department (Departamento de Arquitetura, Escola das Artes, Universidade de Évora) some links have already been produced that constitute starting points to the project that has been approved. Exhibitions in 2016 (Malagueira : Álvaro Siza's Legacy), 2017 (MALAGUEIRA - 40 ANOS DEPOIS) and 2018 (SIZA: Uma Malagueira Plural) have integrated Drawing Matter material, master thesis research by students (João Galhardo and Miguel Gama) and other research work made in class by students (models, photographs, drawings). Visits to Malagueira provide context to the material in archive and empower the residents. A dialogue between archives and research is envisioned in a proficient and dynamic way, linking praxis (from Álvaro Siza Vieira) to academia, through research “into”, “throught” and “for” architecture (Frayling, C., 1993). The innovative nature of this proposal is demonstrated by the trans-disciplinary research and methodology proposed for its accomplishment by the concept of “research by design and the evidence of an in-depth investigation and inter-winding of research and teaching. Through this article we intend to explore these concepts, former accomplishments and discuss the challenges this project will face and overcome.