ABSTRACT
The 1930s was a particular decade in the history of architecture in Portugal. In this particular era, a dictatorship ruled and shaped ideals, such as the proclamation of the Portuguese traditions as valid symbols of national importance. These ideals were an imposition on every level of people’s lives, including in the approved designs of public and private buildings. Consequently, the government built and renovated railway stations - and several other public buildings - to efficiently broadcast these ideals, which intentionally resembled private dwellings. National ideals were disseminated by enhancing the differences of each region via contemplating its unique traditions. The railway stations reinforced the image of domesticity, and that image was a tool to instigate local identity and encourage national pride. Therefore, can architecture be used as a tool for shaping minds and hence influencing ideals? Can familiar materials, colors, textures, and proportions create a sense of identity? Or does the displacement of fundamental architectural concepts generate misplaced objects without content? Most of these railway stations in Portugal are left abandoned. To appraise their value, one needs to consider if these uniquely decorated buildings have a meaningful contribution to today’s society. Or, in other words, can traditional pastiches still shape our minds, as originally intended?
