Ninth International Conference on The Constructed Environment

Abstract

The district of Braga has experienced rapid population growth in the last thirty years, well above the rates of the country in general.This change was brought forth due to the amendments made to the land uses, that were once predominantly agricultural and forests, which, in turn, led to a significant increase of urban building since the early nineties. Today we still find fragments of the old rurality in the expansion areas, as is the case of the Valley of Lamaçães.The main objective of this research is the creation of a strategy for intervening in the area in a way that would regulate the construction of new buildings to salvage the aforementioned fragments, while proposing new uses that would increase the quality and quantity of public/open spaces in the valley. To accomplish this task it is necessary to draw both the natural and urban features that shape the valley, topography, hydrography, street network, parcel structure and use, as well as identifying points of interest. Through the use of archival images (since1948), we can see how these elements change over time. This allows us to better understand the current interstices, parcels, and empty lots that were once large farms, and plan the construction of new roads and parks that bond with the existing ones. This way it may still be possible to avoid the total loss of heritage and identity through the implementation of an urbanization plan that compliments both the need for housing and commerce as well as recreation and nature.