Shape Grammars and Historical Town Renovations: A Case Study in Monte Alegre Do Sul

Abstract

Shape grammars have been used in architecture for analysis and synthesis-in the first case, mainly for the characterization of styles and in the later for the generation of novel compositions. The present research proposes the use of shape grammars for establishing guidelines for the requalification of historical areas that have lost their original characteristics due to improper renovations. In order to develop and test the proposed method, a study was carried out in a small Brazilian town called Monte Alegre do Sul. The town was chosen because its original urban morphology, developed in the XIXth century, is still relatively well preserved, although part of the original façades have been transformed. The objective of the research is to develop a shape grammar to set guidelines for the requalification of the already renovated façades in Monte Alegre do Sul.