About
Curatorial Text
“Inner Life” is the curatorial itinerary proposed in the Open House Porto 2019 edition.
In a literal reading of the event, the house (or the city) is shown from the other side of the threshold.
The halfway open door is a place of expectation and suspension.
Within can be a warm and familiar place or, on the contrary, isolated and rough.
Interior means what is closer to the centre, to the heart or the guts. It qualifies the room with no natural light, the territory with no sea, the high seas, our most intimate clothes and our inner self. Immense in scale and meaning, the idea also represents physical and immaterial spaces.
In this edition, we propose a journey through the inner places.
The experience of going through, challenges the senses in the discovery of the reverse of the visible space: the silence of a cloister, the horizon of a terrace with a view, that corner for reading, a sitting room; the messy kitchen, an empty bathtub, or a small bedroom. The transitions subject the body to impacts of scale, of light metamorphosis, of temperature, and of transformation of air.
“Inner Life” will reveal many houses, palaces, neighbourhoods, some monuments; to go in the city, penetrate its secrets, to get to know about its interstices and about people (or their absence) because the essential of architecture only becomes visible in this encounter.
Joana Couceiro and Nuno Valentim
-
Biographies
Joana Couceiro (Coimbra, 1980) is an architect, graduated by the Architecture Department at University of Coimbra (2005) and PhD by the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto (2018). She is an invited assistant professor at FAUP since 2013, on the subject of History of Modern Architecture, and Integrated Researcher at the Study Centre for Architecture and Urbanism of University of Porto. She is a co-founder of the publishing house, bookshop and gallery Circo de Ideias (2008/2018), a space with a regular program of publications, talks and exhibitions, aimed at the promotion of project theory and practice. She is also cofounder of PechaKucha Night Porto and a member of the curating team of the five editions of the event. Author of several texts and articles, like the collection Casas com nome, namely the books A casa do senhor Malaparte (2016) and A casa da doutora Farnsworth (2018), small narratives where these architectures (their bodies and their intimacy) are revealed through a literary and imagery dimension. She has dedicated herself also to the exercise of making projects in collaboration in a studio environment and in co-authorship with several architects.
Nuno Valentim (Porto, 1971) graduated in Architecture by the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto (1995), Masters in Heritage Rehabilitation by the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (2007) and PhD in Architecture by FAUP (2016) with a thesis in Project and Architectural Heritage. He is an active project architect since 1994 and collaborated with José Gigante till 2004. He is a teacher at FAUP since 2005 in the subject of Construction, Project and Rehabilitation. He is a member of the Scientific Council of the Council of Representatives, and to the Scientific Commission of the PhD in Architecture Program at FAUL.
Currently he is part of the technical-scientific commission for the Resolution of the Council of Ministers “Rehabilitation Project as a Rule”. Amongst other works he is the author of the rehabilitation projects of the botanical Gardens of Porto, the extension of the International Lycée Français of Porto, the Community Centre of São Cirilo, the headquarters of the Portuguese Episcopal Conference, and the Project of Urban Rehabilitation and Modernization of the Bolhão Market. Amongst the awards and honourable mentions, we can highlight: in 2017 the IHRU/Nuno Teotónio Pereira Award and the Urban Rehabilitation National Award given to the rehabilitation work “Albergues Noturnos do Porto”; and in 2014 the João de Almada Award given to the Rehabilitation Project of the 1928 Building at Alexandre Braga Street, by architect José Marques da Silva (in co-authorship with Francisco Barata and José Luís Gomes at CEFA-UP).
The Event
In this 5th edition of Open House Porto sixty five spaces will have their doors open on the weekend of 29th and 30th June of 2019.
The visitors will have access to a wide program of visits, which will give them the opportunity to see and to know spaces that are not always accessible.
Besides the itinerary, and as an added extra, there are also two programs of parallel events that enable other ways to see and enjoy the spaces: the Caleidoscópio and Plus program.
The fifth edition of OPEN HOUSE PORTO is organised and produced exclusively by Casa da Arquitectura in partnership with the Municipalities of Porto, Gaia and Matosinhos.
Many other partners are connected to this event, without whom it would be impossible to offer this program of free guided tours to the public.
How It Works
During the weekend everyone is invited to get to know totally free of charge, a program with diverse spaces in their typology and from different times. Each participant can create his own itinerary to their liking, exploring the architecture and the city through new eyes.
Visit Formats
Open Visit — visit the space without being accompanied, within the opening hours
Regular Visit — visit the space with the commentary of our Open House Porto team of volunteers
Tour — visit the space accompanied by the authors of the project or by an invited specialist.
Ways of Accessing the Visits
The access to most locations will REQUIRE NO BOOKING, ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS
Caleidoscópio Program
Group of free activities produced in partnership with CASA DA ARQUITECTURA during Open House Porto, occurring in some of the spaces of the itinerary and that are intended to all types of audiences. It is the result of wanting to show other perspectives in the exploring and occupying spaces.
Detailed information on all activities of the Caleidoscópio Program, spaces where it takes place and timetables, available for consultation HERE.
Plus Program
Parallel program of free activities promoted by other entities not related to CASA DA ARQUITECTURA, whose profile and site fit into the Open House Porto spirit. Detailed information on all activities of the Plus Program, spaces where it takes place and timetables, available for consultation HERE
Other Info
-
In each space, a team of volunteers will offer an Open House Porto guide and map. Subject to availability.
-
The number of people per visit in each space is merely indicative. Due to high demand, and the conditions of certain spaces, the organisation cannot be responsible for any possible noncompliance.
-
There will be a free Open House Porto bus available for the visitors of the Vila Nova de Gaia’s spaces. This bus will make a circular route between every designated spot of the V. N. Gaia itinerary.
Architecture will have its doors open: so come in and be a part of this experience!