Uma experiência participativa em arquitetura: laboratórios do ICB UFMG

Abstract

Starting from the desire to share experiences and foster theoretical-practical discussions of designs in architecture, from the perspective of the so-called "architectural research based on practice", we present this description of a real case: the design of LAB-DEPS -Departmental Laboratories of the ICB -Institute of Biological Sciences of UFMG. This is part of a larger plan for the overall requalification of the Institute, which qualifies for a cooperative and non-authorial approach. Methodologically, the present study was based on bibliographic review, documentary research, interviews, analysis of the current design process and participatory observations –since the author is also part of the team of project architects. Initially, we reviewed some criticisms of the modernist practices of the early twentieth century for the universalization of users and attachment to the so-called program, recognizing in the Italian architect for Giancarlo De Carlo an alternative of valuing subjective and social differences, specific needs and democratic practice. Then, we move on to a contextualization of the ICB project since its original conception in the 1970s, so that one can understand the limits and potentialities of the new projects for the current LAB-DEPS. Finally,we describe the participatory design process, in the sense of botton-up practice, for these new laboratory environments and we end up with the critical analysis of the partial project results, which have proved to be quite satisfactory for users and for that higher and public educational institution.