A narrativa do construir no sertão pernambucano: aspectos culturais na habitação popular em Itapetim – PE

Abstract

This research investigates vernacular architecture in the Pernambuco hinterland, focusing on rural housing in the municipality of Itapetim – PE, a region known as the “Immortal Womb of Poetry.” The overall objective of the research is to understand aspects of vernacular architecture in Itapetim, in the Pernambuco hinterland, to understand how local construction practices reveal the knowledge, values, and identity of the region. The methodology initially comprised a literature review and the socio-spatial contextualization of Itapetim–PE. Following this, a case study was conducted with ten 20th-century rural dwellings, using photographic and graphic surveys to collect primary data. The analysis was structured by adapting Baker's method into architectural analysis sheets attached to the work, combining formal analysis with the perspectives of Weimer and Lemos on culture and sociability. Finally, constructive patterns and adaptive solutions were identified, resulting in the creation of an explanatory booklet as the final product. The theoretical framework establishes a conceptual distinction between vernacular and vernacular architecture. The evolution of definitions of self-construction and their different theoretical approaches was also investigated, intrinsically connecting them to the formation of culture and identity in the northeastern hinterland from the perspectives of Gunter Weimer and Carlos Lemos, where the act of building is inseparable from the environmental and symbolic conditions of the territory. The results reveal a remarkable formal and spatial homogeneity, with 100% of the dwellings presenting rectangular or square floor plans and a rigid internal organization based on the living room-bedroom-kitchen triad. From a general perspective, the data demonstrate that architecture in Itapetim is a living organism, shaped by the scarcity of resources and climatic adaptation to the semi-arid region. Elements such as the "terreiro" (or capoeira) and the "Dutch door" were identified as universal components in the sample, acting as vital mediators of sociability and security in the hinterland. The analysis of the materiality highlighted the techniques of taipa and brick masonry, both with a vernacular character due to the use of locally extracted and processed materials, such as clay and native wood, as well as other results found. In addition to the materiality centered on the use of clay and native wood, the results of the investigation contemplated a series of other morphological and symbolic evidence, demonstrating how self-construction in Itapetim systematizes cultural resistance through space. It is concluded that popular architecture in Itapetim synthesizes cultural heritages and technical adaptations, demonstrating that architectural quality stems from resilience and respect for the environment and local history, regardless of the abundance of financial resources. As a final product, the work proposes the creation of a primer to systematize and return this knowledge to the local community.