INVI – Infrastructures for an independent living: a participatory research to rethink housing, care and community in times of pandemic

The management of a pandemic and its effects is not something that can only be relegated to the medical field. It is necessary to attend to the intertwining social dimensions and also the deploying situation of “slow disaster”. In this sense, the Covid-19 has highlighted more than ever the need to overcome the residential-institutional model caracterizing much of housing solutions for groups considered as dependents. The focus of this project is on the intersection of frameworks that promote social well-being in relation to housing and basic services, with aging and people in situation of dependency. We propose to face the challenge to articulate and discuss infrastructures for the city of Barcelona -infrastructures as the intersection of housing and care; so that in the present study we will attend to what refers to housing, services and the community- that conform to the principles of Independent Living and Ethics of Care. A project that also poses the added challenge of articulating eminently participatory research in areas where this requires special care and attention.

In order to face these questions, we propose to develop three case studies for three different spaces -both by the type of group they are aimed at, and by the time of execution and development of the projects-: “Can70”, a senior cohousing initiative on its phase of development; a project for people with physical functional diversity called “Guttmann Barcelona Life”, which is at an initial stage; and finally the “Me’n vaig a casa”, an independent living program for people with intellectual disabilities in a moment of consolidation and new challenges, such as the aging of the users. Thus, the proposal is articulated through a research of a participatory nature, with a gender and intersectional perspective, and that intends to put at the center the citizens of Barcelona themselves involved with the object of study through participation in two co-research groups that will intervene in the development of the entire process.