The Place of Sharing: A House for Play and More...

Read the original version in Portuguese here.

Published on July 05, 2026

“The Place of Sharing” is already taking shape on site. On the third day of work, foundations are being prepared and steel structures installed to support the Casa de Brincar e Não Só – Not Only a Playhouse, which is being built through August 10 at the Guarda Housing Complex (CHG) in Perafita, Matosinhos, Portugal. The initiative is part of the Self-Construction Laboratory organized by Casa da Arquitectura – Portuguese Center for Architecture.

Under the coordination of architect-tutors Roberto Cremascoli, Edison Okumura, Ivo Poças Martins, and Dulcineia dos Santos, 15 students and young architects from different parts of the world (Australia, Mexico, Italy, Brazil, and Portugal) will spend the next two weeks helping to bring to life this community-requested facility.

Following several weeks of work with local residents to define the program, which is now starting to take shape, construction is on its third day... And why “not only”? “Not only because, metaphorically, we have a house with four rooms, one covered and the others open to the sky. In the open rooms, children can play, while the fourth element will be a multipurpose space that can be used for hosting parties, cooking, or bringing neighborhood residents together,” explains Roberto Cremascoli. He adds that the decision to build this specific facility resulted from conversations with residents, especially the children. Reaching a consensus was easy: they needed a playhouse. And more!

But what exactly is a Self-Construction Laboratory, those unfamiliar with architecture might ask? It is a workshop where professionals, students, and the community “co-design something that is then built together. A Place of Sharing where the most important thing is the process itself, being together. Designing and building,” Cremascoli notes, adding that for the young participants, “this is an opportunity to conceptualize, design a prototype, and watch it grow directly on-site.”

The Place of Sharing: A House for Play and More... - Image 8 of 14 — © Roberto Cremascoli

While outside the strong wind mixes with the sound of hammers hitting metal and the sparks of welding, inside the Casa da Cultura de Perafita—the laboratory's temporary headquarters—speakers play a mix of music, from lo-fi to rap. Around the tables, students and young architects are busy building a physical model of the Guarda Housing Complex, which “reproduces reality as it is and will allow us to discuss ideas and communicate with others,” says Ivo Poças Martins, one of the project's four tutors. “Before starting the construction phase, we are planning the build itself, but we are also, at the request of the Matosinhos Municipality, helping to plan paving and future interventions,” he explains, noting that “The Place of Sharing” does not end with its completion on August 10, but rather paves the way for the future.

Casa da Arquitectura's partners for this project include the Matosinhos Municipality, MatosinhosHabit, the Parish Union of Perafita, Lavra, and Santa Cruz do Bispo, and numerous local community groups and associations, as well as the School of Architecture at the University of Minho. The project is also supported by JPinto Leitão, CIN, Hilti, OtiimaArtWorks, Nogueira Fernandes Lda, QT Civil Portugal, To Work For, Zeus Sport, and Fixpaços.