COMPARATIVE READING

Cinzia Didonna (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II)


Sometimes we are called to design in similar contexts, carrying out a comparative analysis allows us to "foresee" and learn from the masters architects. It is an operation that allows you to compare possible tools and actions. The essay “Comparative analysis with similar contexts” analyzes contexts with serious housing and social fragility, and analyzes how the architect Alvaro Siza acted in a similar context, the Malagueira district on the outskirts of Evora. It analyzes the way in which Siza has studied the existing, the context, the way of living and building, and what choices he makes for the architectural project, through knowledge and interpretation.

Malagueira districtA view of the Malagueira district, Evora (Portugal). Photo: Quinta da Malagueira. A. Siza. by ekainj - CC BY-NC- ND 2.0

Read the full text “Comparative analysis with similar contexts” to know more about how comparative analysis and the work of Álvaro Siza in the Malagueira district offer insights into designing in challenging urban contexts.