Um Projeto como Guia

This chapter examines how rural housing policies could be enhanced by an open, participatory architectural design that transcends its material outcomes to become a guide for learning, experimentation, and critical reflection. Framed within the Habitar o Campo initiative, the text details how project-based methodologies foster participatory processes that engage students, local communities, and professionals in rural contexts. Rather than imposing pre-defined solutions, the project operates as an open-ended tool, guiding collective inquiry into spatial, cultural, and social dynamics. It discusses the pedagogical strategies employed, the challenges of translating local knowledge into design, and the importance of embracing uncertainty and dialogue in the creative process. Through concrete examples, the chapter illustrates how a project can simultaneously generate tangible interventions and act as a reflective device, shaping both architectural practice and educational approaches. Ultimately, it argues against rural housing policies using fixed design project, and argues for using guides capable of navigating complex territorial realities and fostering transformative design practices.