PORTO 1969-1974. The 1969 Barredo’s Urban Renewal Study

Abstract

The 1969 Barredo’s urban renewal study established a turning point in the planning philosophy of the historic centre of Porto, cutting with the usual practice used in Portuguese historic areas. The previous plans had promoted extensive demolitions of the urban fabric, which were mixed with a strategy of historic buildings renewal for touristic activities. The study was coordinated by the architect Fernando Távora (1923-2005) who introduced the social dimension in these operations, not only by the introduction of the social sciences in the interdisciplinary working team, but also because the local inhabitants were considered for the first time as being crucial on defining the character and significance of the historic places. Concurrently, the traditional buildings shaping the urban historic environment were considered as important as the monuments. Moreover, this new approach of Távora towards the urban planning of Portuguese historic centres also embodied a defiant attitude to the policy established by the authoritarian regime that ruled the country at the time. This can both explain the reason why the study was not implemented in the epoch and why it established the basis for the new operations which started in Porto immediately after the 1974’s revolution, influencing the Portuguese praxis since then.