We believe that architectural responses influence individuals, in the sense that space plays an important role in community behaviour. In this sense, it is proposed that the building be designed with a typological, programmatic and morphological organisation that privileges the integration of the living space into the social context and local culture, seeking a balance between the necessary autonomy of the building and its relationship with the urban context. The building’s location allows it to finish off the existing housing estate to the north and the school building to the east, while to the south/west it forms a set of gardens for public use and which relate to the commercial space. The creation of landscaped and wooded areas for public use, as well as allowing water to seep into the ground, replenishing the water table and helping to create shaded areas, also allows us not to think only of the property boundary, losing the difference between public and private space, returning public space to the condition of public space by creating a less particularised design that makes “moving around” compatible with “being”. A space for sharing with the community.

The building can be crossed from Rua Belo Horizonte and Rua do Antigo Olival to the garden to the south. This permeability makes the experience of that place safer and allows for a more effective relationship with the direct surroundings. The entrances to the building’s vertical circulations are directly from the gardens, encouraging more frequent use of the garden space and seeking to create different opportunities for socialising at all times. The garden spaces can be used in different ways depending on the season, creating the possibility of spaces with more or less sun exposure.