The tunnel of the Alcântara Valley Green Corridor, which is still under construction, received an urban artwork signed by José Carvalho, better known as Ozearv.
The Vale de Alcântara Green Corridor, which was announced in 2016 and scheduled for completion in 2018, starts at the Campolide train station but still does not go beyond the underpass under the train line. The part of the Green Corridor that includes the Avenida de Ceuta is still to be done; after the second call for tenders has been closed, it is now time to wait for the contract to start. While this process does not tie and untie, a new color has been given to the tunnel that will one day continue.
The tunnel of the still incomplete Alcântara Valley Green Corridor now has an urban art intervention signed by José Carvalho, better known as Ozearv. The work was carried out in the framework of the Urban Art Gallery of the Lisbon City Council, by invitation. Ozearv has a vast artistic career and presents other works in Lisbon, always addressing themes associated with natural elements, with the presence of vegetation and animals, and with a recognized profusion of broad stroke drawing.
The work you have done on this underpass elects the elements of Earth and Water, emphasizing the vegetation slope (green) to the inside of the new cycle tunnel and, the reference to the old Alcântara stream, which now runs underground in the so-called Caneiro de Alcântara, along with rainwater. The artwork extends from the outside to the inside of the tunnel, integrating and enhancing the surrounding natural landscape.
In order to enable the facing of the entrance walls to be read, in the painting of the tunnel and its accesses the faces were accentuated, as the introduction of drawings would attenuate the original effect of the architectural design and take away the strength of the sculptural character of the project. Color was introduced only in the tunnel, to reinforce the contrast with the black-and-white faceted walls of the entrance.
The tunnel under the train line has been completed in May 2021 and the call for tenders to continue the Green Corridor was launched - for the second time - two months later; the work will already be consigned and the launch of the contract on the ground is now expected. In the meantime, and not being an impediment to the start of the works, at the meeting of the municipal executive on the 14th, a proposal was on the agenda with a view to technical changes in the contract - this proposal, the details of which are unknown, has not yet been rescheduled.
When completed, the Vale de Alcântara Green Corridor will provide a pedestrian and cycling link between Monsanto Forest Park and the top of Eduardo VII Park and the Tagus River, passing by Campolide train station. As part of this Corridor, a tunnel has been created allowing passage under the railway line, crossing over to Avenida de Ceuta. The requalification of this Avenue, with the creation of a reused surface watercourse and a cycle-pedestrian walkway on one side, is the last part of the Corridor.
This intervention covers about 13 hectares, over more than three km, harmonizing cycle paths, new green spaces, more and better lighting, use of recycled water for irrigation, urban equipment and more than 700 new trees.
