The "Housing Think Tank: Knowledge Integration on multi-family Residential Buildings" [HoTT] gathers, analyses, synthesises and disseminates key topics related to contemporary housing structures and design principles. Through a collaborative data repository, it consolidates currently scattered scientific information on built experiences across multiple countries, spanning from the early 20th century to the present. This project scientifically categorises this information and provides updated operational syntheses.

HoTT seeks to aggregate a broad range of built experiences (and related scientific data) in a data repository prototype, shedding light on both past and recent resilient and adaptable design practices. These insights will contribute to developing long-lasting, health-promoting housing solutions that ensure residential buildings remain viable long- term assets. Functioning as both a data repository prototype and a "think tank" of researchers focused on housing challenges, HoTT will provide a scientifically validated categorisation of Core Subjects/ CS and Key Design Principles/ KDP (the two key proposed layers of analysis) to create the basis for comparative and quantitative studies on multi-family housing models.

HoTT’s ultimate goal is to develop a prototype for a cooperative, multi-level data repository available online through different layers of access (academic, professional and public). This groundbreaking tool differs from the most widely used repositories in the field of Architecture (such as Archdaily, Divisare - atlas of architecture, Arquitectura Viva - obras) in two key ways: on the one hand, through its scientific validation, and, on the other, through its integrative approach to data analysis. In this regard, HoTT seeks to fill an existing gap in information and dissemination (within both scientific and professional domains).

HoTT is founded on two main principles: i)  a holistic approach to housing design, interconnecting societal challenges such as the ageing population, climate change, energy efficiency, adaptation to change, digital transition, and participatory processes, positioning architecture and research by design at the centre of this debate; and  ii) the design of affordable and adequate housing solutions that meet contemporary challenges, informed by  in-depth knowledge of the built environment and grounded in passive and adaptable design strategies which respond not only to the immediate needs of residents but also to cultural considerations.

The team members, representing several institutions (FAUP/Portugal, UMA/Sweden, POLIMI/Italy, UDP/Chile, UPCatalunya/Spain) will bring together pilot case studies from Portugal, Sweden, Italy, Chile and Italy, each contributing distinct perspectives on housing experiences, building typologies, and conceptual and contextual frameworks. The project is further supported by experts in communication sciences (FLUP/Portugal) and information technology (INESC TEC/Portugal) who are also members of the team.

Representatives from non-profit institutions and civil society organisations (Associação Portuguesa de Neuromusculares (APN) /Portugal), the health education sector (Escola Superior de Saúde Santa Maria (ESSSM)/Portugal) and the architectural profession (Ordem dos Arquitectos/Portugal), also team members, will act as a test bed for assessing the usability and outreach of the platform beyond the academic domain. Their involvement will foster co-participation between stakeholders and researchers (consultation, co-creation), thereby enhancing the social and economic impact of the proposed prototype in the near future.

Bearing in mind current challenges to "Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages" (SGD3) and "Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe and sustainable" (SGD11) from the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, this innovative tool seeks to:

i) create a solid, theoretically-informed and scientifically validated foundation for comparative, quantitative and interpretative studies on multi-family housing models; ii) intertwine heterogeneous and culturally diverse information (data, documents, terminology) through a unified, flexible, and continuously updated tool available to the scientific community and general public; iii) promote shared knowledge and multidisciplinary interactions among potential users across different fields of practice (architects, healthcare teaching programmes, social support services, etc.)

In future phases, aggregated and interconnected scientific data will promote further comparative analysis and a mutual understanding of the current challenges and opportunities in multi-family housing design, supporting scientific research, education and social support.