Neighborhoods in Lisbon 2012

The Bairros de Lisboa 2012 project began in 2010 and is coordinated by CEACT, with three partnerships having been established: with e-GEO - Centers for Studies in Geography and Regional Planning, with SIPA - Heritage Information System Architectural Institute, from IHRU – Institute for Housing and Urban Rehabilitation and with the Lisbon City Council.

Project framework

The city of Lisbon is made up of differentiated and differentiating urban realities. The concept of neighborhood is one of the constant references, as a historical, architectural and social reality, present in scientific literature, but also in strategies and planning policies (for example, the Strategic Charter, presented in 2009).

For its study and understanding, it is essential to approach the neighborhood as a physical space, in its historical and urban component, but also as a space that configures social practices, used, experienced and represented by its inhabitants and users.

Thus, a set of questions arise to which we will seek to answer:

  • What neighborhoods exist in the city of Lisbon today?
  • How do we place them in the city's history?
  • Can we establish a typology of the existing neighborhoods, which, in some way, can be useful for the planning of the city?
  • What characterizes a neighborhood, for residents and users of the city?
  • How is the appropriation and representation of the neighborhood space made?

Although there are some works (especially in the area of sociology and architecture and urbanism) that focus on this topic, there is still a lot of work to be done, as well as some research gaps that this project could fill.

Goals
  • Deepen knowledge about the city of Lisbon.
  • Understand the current relationship between urban forms and social life.
  • Contribute to the planning of the city of Lisbon, done in a plural, inclusive way and capable of responding to the needs of contemporary society.
Methodology
  • Characterization / historical and urban survey of Lisbon's neighborhoods.
  • Selection of case studies (Graça, Campo de Ourique, Telheiras, Ajuda, Alvalade and one to be defined)
  • Architectural survey of case studies.
  • Socio-cultural characterization of the case studies.
  • Research and production of original historical cartography to support the project.

The work is always carried out based on fieldwork, consisting of observation, photographic and cartographic records, surveys and interviews.