The stories of the grandmothers’ houses

memories and materialities in the Villas and Catalogue Houses in Pelotas, RS, Brazil

Abstract

The Villas and Catalogue Houses in Pelotas, RS, Brazil, are a type of residential architecture from the early 20th century. The architectural remnants still found in the city are, by the majority, recognized by the local community as important assets of local identity. Even with such recognition, most of these buildings still do not have legal heritage protection against potential destruction or de-characterization. Their peculiar features and their imminent fragility, due to real estate speculation and possible transformations that would de-characterize these buildings, motivated this study and the registration of these assets. Interviews with semi-structured scripts, based on contact with residents, both in person and remotely, made it possible to understand what it was and still is like to inhabit these spaces, highlighting an indissociable aspect between materiality and people's bonds with these properties. Among interviewees, the stories of a special group were especially notable: the grandmothers. They often talk about their homes in connection with their life stories and family journeys. Thus, these women make an irrefutable connection between their memories, their feelings and the materiality of these houses.