ABSTRACT
The present chapter is a morphological study of the built heritage, with the aim of understanding the (re)adaptive capacity of the Portuguese convent typologies to new functions. The study seeks to establish a reconstructive and morphological analysis of each case study, to build a synthesis of the processes applied in their transformation, especially their resilience to the introduction of different architectural functions and spatial organisation. As a hypothesis, it is attested that it is possible to adapt the convents to different uses, transforming and inserting their parts in the process of building a new reality. In this context, a systemic inventory of the heritage built on adaptive reuse process on a city scale makes perfect sense. The problem of resource efficiency imposes a sustainable integration in the urban and cultural context, and its inventory results in a useful tool first for understanding the reuse process as well as for designing new adaptation programmes.
