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Issue 10, Volume 3, October 2007
Print ISSN: 1790-5079
E-ISSN: 2224-3496

Title of the Paper: Urban Parks and Sustainable City Planning - The Case of Portimão, Portugal

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Authors: Luis Loures, Raúl Santos & Thomas Panagopoulos

Abstract: Urban growth creates challenges recognized by the global community. Sustainable development is a widely accepted strategic framework in city planning and urban parks play an important role in it. Nonetheless, it is argued, that urban parks and other open green spaces are important for the quality of life of an increasingly urbanized society. Following the industrial revolution with its massive urbanisation in the 19th century and the explosive growth of urban areas and nature degradation throughout the 20th century, the alienation between people and nature was increased. The urban park movement had objective to increase life quality in the modern city. Sustainability and city regeneration strategies focus mainly on man-made and built components of the urban environment, although, in the last years is noticed an increasing interest for development of nature in cities. In order to exemplify the importance of urban parks for sustainability and the future of the city this paper analyses some emblematic projects that marked the urban park movement in their construction period - the Central Park, the Park Amsterdamse Bos, the Park André-Citröen and the City Park of Porto. The role that urban green space play in ecological, social and economic sustainability will be discussed and the case study of the new City Park of Portimão will address the importance of urban green spaces for life quality and sustainable city development.

Keywords: Industrial revolution, Urban park movement, Sustainability, City planning.

Title of the Paper: From Derelict Industrial Areas towards Multifunctional Landscapes and Urban Renaissance

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Authors: Luis Loures & Thomas Panagopoulos

Abstract: The emergence of knowledge-based economy and knowledge intensive business service has transformed the urban landscape during the past decades. As a response to this processes several industrial landscapes becoming obsolete, threatening to end their original productive, social and economic roles and facing the communities of which they are an integral part, with serious environmental and socio-economic problems. The need for greater environmental protection, the appearance of several derelict areas, the decreased availability of new lands for development and the increasing public awareness for derelict land reclamation provide great challenges not only for landscape professionals but also for urban planners, natural resource mangers and policy makers. It is widely recognized that the reclamation of post-industrial landscapes plays an important role in city’s development, not only economically but also environmentally. In Portugal those projects has been developed in association with major events like Expo 98 and Euro Cup 2004 – using state and European Community funds to carry out the urban regeneration programs. To exemplify the importance of the reclamation of derelict industrial areas, this paper presents two projects realized in Portugal during the last decade (Park-Expo 98 and Braga Stadium-Euro 2004) and compares with the Brownfield reclamation project of the river Arade valley. The relevance of this reclamation project both culturally and environmentally is discussed and demonstrated by the realization of a strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis. The significance of Brownfield reclamation projects and sustainable urban planning is examined. Furthermore, the present work demonstrates that industrial landscapes should be viewed as a resource and its recovery as an opportunity to develop new multi-functional landscapes.

Keywords: Brownfield recycling, multifunctional landscapes, sustainable development, urban renaissance, Portugal.