A GRAMMAR BASED METHODOLOGY TO SUPPORT THE ADAPTIVE REUSE OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS: THE CASE STUDY OF THE SOBRADO BUILDING TYPE

Abstract. The historical center of São Luís is host to a diverse historic and urban ensemble, reminiscent of the 18th and 19th centuries. The architectural typology which can be found there illustrates the strong influence drawn from the Portuguese style known as Pombalino, developed during the reconstruction process of Lisbon after the 1755 earthquake. Due to the historical relevance of these buildings which encapsulate this period in time, it is important to preserve and maintain the buildings located in this region. Adaptive reuse projects have an important role to play in preserving architectural ensembles like this. The first part of the adaptive process is to document and understand the original configuration of the building with the aim of maintaining the elements with historical relevance. Therefore, this project proposes the use of a shape grammar approach to analyze floor plans, aiming to further contribute to adaptive reuse projects for ‘Sobrado’ buildings. The process focuses specifically on a case study building and aims to document and identify the specific placement of elements in the floor plan in an effort to provide a deeper understanding of future adaptive reuse.