Contemporary architecture is currently a reflection of economic disparity, aggravating existing social differences. Architecture can modify this perception through the architectural appropriation of spaces and make it less noxious to cities' public spaces. This study develops a guideline to assess projects based on architectural appropriation of spaces using Henri Lefebvre´s theory of the social production of spaces and its concepts through the lens of the following iconic experts: Bruno Taut (Germany) and Christian Norberg-Schulz (Norway) on landscape; Yi-Fu Tuan (China) on social appropriation; and Peter Zumthor (Switzerland) on materiality. As a result, the study identifies social appropriation parameters and the physical material parameters. The final guideline represents a tool to assess the ability of architectural projects to reduce economic disparity by fostering dynamic appropriation and empowerment in built spaces. The guideline focuses on landscape, social appropriation, and the use of local materials that reflect local identity, thereby mitigating perceived economic inequalities.
Villacis et al. (Sun,) studied this question.