What was the reaction of people when you started?
JMZ: Initially when I had idea, one of the problems was to contact the landlords and how they could intervene in the door, was a very slow process because we had to find out who lived there, who owned the buildings, some were abandoned or knew where the current owner lived. So, it was a pretty street work that was supported by João Carlos Abreu, former secretary of culture, which was the first door to be done, in the bar Joana Rabo de Peixe, then the work was walking and talking a lot with the people on the street, because there was also some distrust of what we were doing. Gradually, those living in the area notice that everything changed, there were more people, and you could walk peacefully.
It is an intervention that ultimately involves not only the doors, but also interior of the building.
JMZ: Yes, the project began in the doors, but in reality we want to open to what's inside, create awareness in the people who lived here in such an environment where they are surrounded by buildings that can also have a current activity, that is a dissemination of art and culture and an excuse to go to that will be also recovering the buildings for commerce.
Did you have proposals to make this kind of intervention in other places?
JMZ: Yes, the idea even when presenting the project, is that there are some towns that are saying and why not in this area of the island? This is a brand, open doors, as an indication of the actual and modern way to preserve the heritage.
