Under the program A Square in Every NeighborhoodThe Lisbon City Council is going to intervene in Largo do Rio Seco and its surroundings. Located in Ajuda, the project involves creating more comfortable sidewalks and new leisure areas, planting new trees and reorganizing the chaotic parking lot to make it safer for pedestrians.
According to municipal informationThe intervention - which began this month and is due to be completed in September - is now underway. "mainly covers the entire public space of Rua Rui de Pina, together with its vacant slope on the west side, continuing down through the beginning of Largo do Rio Seco to the "largo" area itself, where the public space opens up and widens, establishing connections to four different streets: Rua Diogo Cão, Rua Aliança Operária / Travessa do Giestal, Rua D. João de Castro and Rua Silva Porto"..
In an analysis of the current space, the municipality points to an uncharacterized public space and the "road network anarchy", also highlighting as a threat the "weight of parking in public space planning". Even so, given its proximity to the Rio Seco Urban Park, there is an opportunity for "take advantage of synergy" this green area and "reinforce the continuity of the green structure for the square".
The requalification of the public space could create a new attraction in Ajuda through the subsequent recovery of vacant buildings by private investment, as suggested by the Public. "It's going to be wonderful. People will really enjoy walking around here"commented an investor who rents apartments in the area. Público also reports that the residents of Ajuda (and Alcântara) are satisfied with the redevelopment.
Among the objectives of the intervention are, in terms of urban space:
- the creation of a single sidewalk that allows mixed use of the public space;
- increasing pedestrian areas, boosting terrace areas;
- the creation of an arboreal body that allows it to be the shaping element of the public space and reduces the impact of the heterogeneity of the surrounding buildings;
- the introduction of a floor with a high albedo that improves the light level of the space;
- extending the intervention to Rua do Rio Seco, allowing a transition zone between Rua Eduardo Bairrada and Largo do Rio Seco;
- the creation of a regulated parking space in this area.
The aim is also to study the architecture of the building to improve its coherence, especially at ground levelto implement strategies to support the rehabilitation of these buildings and also to develop initiatives "in order to promote the conversion of some commercial areas to uses that allow the appropriation of public space".
The rehabilitation of Largo do Rio Seco began on March 11, but the process itself began in 2015 and involved stages of public participation. In all, 8,400 square meters will be renovated, representing an investment of 2.7 million euros. You can find out more about what's going to change in Largo do Rio Seco in the documents below:
