2019 Places of Pause - Lisbon by Poppy Palmer FULL REPORT

PLACES OF PAUSE LISBON

Poppy Palmer Bedford Scholarship 2019 West Yorkshire Society of Architects

Sample

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CONTENTS p4

Acknowledgements Introduction and background:

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Research Question

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Why Public Space?

p5

Why Lisbon?

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Fractal Public Space

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Public space in Lisbon

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Trip Itinerary

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Site Study Process

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About Lisbon

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Chosen Study Sites Site studies:

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Site 1: Cais do sodrĂŠ

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Site 2: Rossio Square (P

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Site 3: Miradouro da Senhora do monte

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Site 4: Martim Moniz

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Conclusions

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thank you to the West Yorkshire Society of Architects who have awarded me with this scholarship. It has been a wonderful experience and I am honoured to have been selected. Good luck to future candidates!

RESEARCH QUESTION How do Lisbon’s public spaces create places of meaning for the cities users?

Key words: Space/place Public space Fractal place Use Memories Experience Place-making

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WHY PUBLIC SPACE? My master’s thesis was based on the Urban Nomad. The urban nomad is a theoretical character within the dynamics of the city who experiences measured spaces (our general surroundings), always as places of meaning where the average user of measured space requires experience and memories to create place from space. The nomad carries their connection to place within themselves and therefore their attachment to place and home is constant and internalised. This is where my interest in the differentiation between space and place began. After completing my thesis, I continued to ask myself the question; ‘What transforms a measured space into a meaningful place?’ I found that one of the biggest factors that stimulated place making was the formation of valuable memories. Memories are formed through experience, particularly unusual experiences. Novelties break life’s routine and help create new memories. It is my opinion that great public spaces help create instances of novelty, therefore become host to meaningful experience.

This generates memories, and as a result, the mathematical spaces are transformed into places of meaning.

WHY LISBON? I first visited Lisbon on an Interail trip when I was 18 but only stayed there for one night and have always wanted to return. Something I strongly remembered of Lisbon, was the way the city seemed to be connected by many open public spaces, on nearly every street corner. As a young traveller on a very tight budget, it was important to find public spaces where I could spend my days seeing interesting city sites and experience cultural events whilst also feeling safe and welcome. It seemed a very suitable city to visit when studying public spaces.

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FRACTAL PUBLIC SPACE This report will also look into how fractal design plays a role in place making. Fractals are mathematical models that can be very complicated. I will not be looking to the maths within this report, only the overarching principles. A simple way to understand fractals is to think about a tree. The tree has a trunk, this trunk is 1. At the top of the trunk it splits into three branches. These branches are marked 2a, 2b, 2c. These three branches then each split into three more branches. 2a leads to 3aa, 3ab, 3ac and 2b leads to 3ba, 3bb, 3bc and so on (see diagram). This is a self-similar fractal. The tree appears as ‘rougher’ the more fractals levels have occurred. Imagine the ‘roughness’ of a forest. People are thought to find satisfaction in fractals which may date back to our ability to hide from predators in a more fractal environment

Some places are rough - more fractal, and some places are soft less fractal. Imagine a very empty concrete car park surrounded by tall walls. This space isn’t very fractal and probably not very appealing to spend any time there. In your mind, start breaking down these car park walls into bars, shops and cafés. Install windows and their detailed architraves, mullions and transoms.

Apply texture and colour to the walls. Install benches and plants and railings. Break up the floor with paving stones and put a fountain in the middle. Imagine people milling around the site, eating in the cafés, passing through on the way to work or lounging in the sun. You have now created a fractal space in the form of a public square where repeats of self-similar items at different scales create texture. Each facet of the edge has the opportunity to create a moment of pause, this pause can develop into an experience which may then become a memory which enforces a bond between person and place. A more fractal place therefore has the potential to create better connection to place.

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2bb 2ba 2ab 2ac

2bc 2ca

2cb

2b

2aa 2a

2c 1

FRACTAL DIAGRAMS

2cc

PUBLIC SPACE IN LISBON I combined my thesis topic with my interest in Lisbon and the idea of studying Lisbon’s public spaces for the Bedford scholarship was born.

I aimed to put the ideas of place-making to the test by visiting the city as an outsider and observer of the users within these spaces. I decided that the trip would involve me visiting the city for just over two weeks.

The first few days were spent exploring. I explored by foot, by bike, by metro and electric scooter. I was looking to get a true feeling of the city which I knew would only develop over time. I spoke to locals residents, local workers, tourists and tour guides about the city and what they liked to do and where they liked to visit. I developed a good knowledge and feeling of the area. I composed a list of public spaces I thought were interesting to study and rationalised categories that would help me narrow to a select range of spaces. The categories of study are major features of the site, as follows: Riverfront Tourism Transport Historic Views Navigational Events Hilltop Art Political Garden Education Sports/fitness Shopping Dining and drinking 7

TRIP ITINERARY Day 1 Walking tours around Lisbon - focussing on Alfama and Bairro Aalto.

Day 2-7 I spent the time travelling around Lisbon looking for appropriate study sites and getting a general under-standing of the city.

Day 8 Visit Belém and local art galleries.

Day 9 Full day in Cais do Sodré Day 10 Full day in Rossio Square Day 11 Full day in Miradouro da senhora do monte Day 12 Full day in Jardim da Gulbenkian Day 13 Visit Martim Moniz Day 14-16 Explore more of the city and return to sites to check I didn’t miss anything the first time Day 17 Visit Sintra (a world heritage site just outside Lisbon)

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SITE STUDY PROCESS Visit site and record the following information for times: 8-9am, 12-1pm, 4-5pm and 8-9pm Photopgraph site.

Sketch the area in plan.

Sketch design details seen on site.

Note: Design features, monuments, shade/sun, trees, novelties, materials, site orientation, views, sounds, smells.

Note: Human movement, settlement and experiences.

Note: Vehicular movement and parking for both public transport and private vehicles.

Speak to the site users.

Note: all photographs or drawings were done by me unless clearly stated.

RESEARCH SKETCHBOOK

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ABOUT LISBON Lisbon (Lisboa) is the Capital city of Portugal and the most westerly capital on continental Europe. It has around half a million people so is relatively small for a capital city. It is characterised as being very hilly, and often branded as the city of seven hills when in fact it has eight. It is on the estuary of the River Tagus (Rio Tejo), the longest river on the Iberian peninsula, as it connects to the Atlantic ocean.

ATLANTIC OCEAN PORTUGAL LISBON

The historic centre is located to the south-east and contains popular tourist areas including Alfama and Bairro Alto. The north east of the city was developed with the Expo 98’ World Fair when the Vasco Da Gama bridge was built to connect northern Portugal to South Portugal. With LISBON over 10 miles span, it is the second longest bridge in Europe. This area, Park of the nations (Parques das Nações) is the new part of the city. The south west part of Lisbon is home to the cultural centre of Belém where there are many galleries and museums.

SPAIN

FRANCE

MOROCCO PORTUGAL LISBON

SPAIN

ATLANTIC OCEAN MOROCCO

The 25th April Bridge (Ponte 25 de Abril) connects the Alcantara district to the municipality of Almada, south of the river. The bridge was once named Ponte Salazar after the then reigning prime minister and dictator.

It was renamed to the date of the revolution when Salazar lost power.

It is modelled on the Golden Gate Bridge in San-Francisco. Almada is home to the 28m tall Christ the King (Cristo Rei) statue that looks over Lisbon across the river.

The riverfront, that was previously disconnected from the city through heavy and port industries has recently been opened to the public with a river path and sea promenade spanning for most of Lisbon’s waterfront and continues west onto a coastal path.

In 1775 an earthquake with magnitude 8.5-9 in the Atlantic Ocean destroyed most of Lisbon and killed around 1/3rd of its population. The earthquake occurred during a religious festival where the churches were full of candles. The candles caused widespread fires. A tsunami hit the coast where many people found refuge in open space created as the water was drawn out. The city was largely rebuilt by Marquês de Pombal in the style that can be seen throughout Lisbon today.

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RIVER TAGUS

LISBON

ATLANTIC OCEAN

LOCATION OF LISBON

All information collected on a walking tour in Lisbon.

PONTE VASCO DA GAMA

SANTA CLARA

EXPO 98 PARQUE DAS NACOES

OLIVAIS

LUMIAR CAMIDE SANTA CLARA

SANTA CLARA

SAO DOMINGOS DE BENFICA

BENFICA

SANTA CLARA BEATO

SANTA CLARA ARRIOIOS ALCANTARA SANTA CLARA

PENHA DE FRANCA

SANTO CAMPO DE ANTONIO OURIQUE MISERICORDIA

ESTRELA

RIVER TAGUS

SAO VINCENTE DE FLORA SANTA MARIA MAIOR

ALFAMA

BELEM BAIRRO ALTO

BELEM MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES

PONTE 25 DE ABRIL MUSEUMS ART GALLERIES AND LX FACTORY

REGIONS AND PARISHES OF LISBON

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STUDY SITES - LONG LIST PUBLIC SPACES OF INTEREST

MIRADOURO PARQUE EDUARDO VII

PRACA INTENDENTE

JARDIM GARCIA DE ORTA

JARDINS DA AGUA

PRACA DOM PEDRO IV

JARDIM DA GULBENKIAN MIRADOURO DA SENHORA DO MONTE

LX FACTORY

MARTIM MONIZ

CAIS DO SODRE

MAAT

TORRE DE BELEM PRACA DO COMERCIO

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JARDIM DO CASTELO DE S. JORGE

CHOSEN STUDY SITES

CAIS DO SODRÉ

ROSSIO SQUARE

MIRADOURO DA SENHORA DO MONTE

MARTIM MONIZ 13

SITE 1 - CAIS DO SODRÉ

RIVERFR

KEY FEATURES: Riverfront Transport Historic Views Navigational Sports/fitness

TOURI

CAIS DO SODRE

VIEW

The site is located to the southern part of Bairro Alto, a popular area for both tourists and locals with a many bars, cafes and restaurants. Its located on the new riverfront pathway, a route for bikes, pedestrians and electric scooters that connects Belém in south west Lisbon, famous for its Monk made Pastel de Nata (Portuguese custard tarts,) Monastery and museums and gallery’s, to Parques das Nações, the newest part of the city in north east Lisbon.

This site is a transport centre, in a busy area for commuters and tourists.

It is leafy, green and open with portuguese paving underfoot and lots of places to sit and relax.

The Cais do Sodré area was redeveloped between 2015 and 2017 for around 3 million euros by Bruno Soares Ar-quitetos, Architect Bruno Soares and Architect Pedro Trindade.

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Monuments: The main site area is highlighted in a red outline on the site plan. The site has two major historic monuments, two kiosks, one used for public information and the other as a cafĂŠ. A scattering of trees provide shade in the main square and create a boundary between road and pedestrian zones.

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Cais do Sodre station

Statue Seating

Seating

Ferry Terminal

Seating: The yellow indicates the main seating areas on site. The seating on the water front is designed for a variation of social activities, allowing people to recline in the sun or sit up and watch the buskers. The chairs appear to be designed in a way to encourage both social interaction and independence with their differing designs.

The sea wall provides casual seating whilst preventing flooding as the ferries dock at their terminals. The site is de-signed with blow holes installed in the ground that whistle as the water flows in and out of the shore.

You will walk past one and feel a sharp gust of air blow up next to you. This is an example of designed novelty that can instil a memory of place.

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Cais do Sodre station

Crossing

th estrian pa

Main ped

Seating

Ferry Terminal

Views over river Tagus

People: Pedestrian moment through the site is mainly along the coastal promenade where people cycle and jog along the water’s edge. There is also a lot of movement across the main seating area as people access their various forms of public transport, particularly Cais do SodrÊ railway station. The site becomes navigational as southerly point that defines the movement between the main historic centre and movement to the west using the river vista for orientation.

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ute Tram ro

Main road

Bus stops

Cais do Sodre station

Bus stops

Tram stop

Bus Route

Ferry Terminal

Transport: Cais do SodrĂŠ is an important transport intersection, connecting rail, tram, ferry and bus. The site is designed well to incorporate all transport. It is a common place to wait in the shade for your public transport.

Trams run along the road to the north with a tram stop that provides access directly to the public square. Bus stops line the square and the buses run around the main public square. This can be quite noisy but the seating is kept away from the edges and trees act as screens between the users. The ferries set off from the port and make it quite an exciting place to look over the river. Tram lines are detailed into the Portuguese paving.

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8-9am

28°C - Sunny Cleaners remove the debris from the previous day and night.

A group of people are still awake and drinking from the night before. They laugh and sing and move on at about 9.30am.

Commuters pass through the site on their way to catch public transport to work.

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12-1pm

30°C - Sunny People waiting for transport lounge in the sun. Most people sit in the shade on the benches and on the concrete ring around the tree in the central square. Most people don’t go outside at this time.

People stop to take photos but rarely stop to settle. Tour guides advertise novelty car journey tours around Lisbon. They include Tuk Tuks and little yellow racing cars.

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4-5pm

31°C – Sunny with a cool breeze blowing from the west down the river.

The day becomes cooler so more people sit on the water front and in the kiosk bar that blows a light coverage of water vapour onto the guests sitting under the umbrellas.

The benches in the shade become empty as everyone moves to the front for a moment of pause and look out over the river.

Street vendors sell fresh pina coladas within the whole pineapple shell to the people relaxing on the waterfront.

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8-9pm

25°C - Sunny The site becomes busy with people who sit on the coastal wall with friends or alone. All of the benches are taken. A busker performs in the south west point of the site and children dance in the sunset. A lone traveller asks a group of people to take a photo of her in the sunset and they get talking and end up spending a long time together.

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Fractal design The site has the famous Portuguese paving as its floor covering. This adds texture to the area. An otherwise potentially bland open space now has a lot of character all because this simple floor covering has added texture.

The benches along the waterfront have broken the edges of the space up, allowing people to add their own texture to the site.

The multiple activities happening on the site add important human texture. People drink in the bars, cycle past on the bike route and lounge in the sun. The combinations of human activities makes the place feel exciting.

Conclusion I spent a lot of time on this site during my time in Lisbon. I re-visited it multiple times because I enjoyed spending the time there. Every night of the week there was a slightly different feeling in the area. Some nights the buskers played and people danced, other nights it was quiet and tranquil. Sometimes the tide was high and the water was loud and people dodged the waves as they crashed into the flood defences. It is this variation of the site that made me keep returning to it. It never became boring. One issue was that people couldn’t use the open areas throughout the day and the trees were vital in creating refuge from the baking heat.

It seemed as though people in the evenings were spending time here that was full of experience and therefore, would create lasting memories.

This is something that builds a strong connection to place and therefore improves well-being within the city.

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SITE 2 – PRACA DOM PEDRO IV (ROSSIO SQUARE)

SITE 2 - ROSSIO SQUARE (PRACA DOM PEDRO IV)

HISTORIC

KEY FEATURES: Tourism Transport Historic Navigational Political Shopping Dining and drinking

NAVIGATION

PRACA DOM PEDRO IV

Rossio square is located in Baxia within the Santa Maria Maior district of Lisbon. It is very much a central point to Lisbon’s residents and visitors.

The square has a rich history and is close to many attractions including the Dona Maria II National theatre (built in the 1840s) which stands to the north of the square, the San Justa Elevator that’s located south west of the square and the Sao Domingos Church to the west to name a few.

The square is paved with black and white Portuguese paving in a wave pattern. The white stone is limestone and the black stone is basalt. In the centre of the square is a 27m high column with Dom Pedro IV at the top and four figures of justice, wisdom, strength and moderation (attributes associated with the king) around its pedestal. At both the north and south ends of the square are ornate baroque fountains. Jacaranda trees that bloom purple flowers in late May line the square and provide much needed shade to its users in summer. The square is surrounded by shops, bars and cafés.

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TOURIST

EVENTS

One of the features I noticed most about the square was its ability to aid navigation around the city. Its situated low in a valley with hills of nearing equal height to the west and east faces. A selection of historic monuments like the Sao Domingos Church to the west and the Castelo de S. Jorge to the east. The south of the square points directly to the river. Wide streets facing south make it possible to see the location of the river even though it is around 1km away. This navigational strength of the square makes it an ideal location to meet people and this can be seen throughout the day, but especially in the mornings as tourists meet their tour guides for city walking tours.

The shops surrounding the square vary in their target market. In discussion with some locals there is concern over the square becoming too commercialised and focussed to the tourists. The locals are concerned that they will be priced out of their own city. A prime example of this is the Fantastic World Of Portuguese Sardines, a tourist shop where the Portuguese staple that can be purchased in a supermarket for around 2.50 Euros is sold here for about 7 Euros with the exception that it has your birth year on the can.

A small amount of hostility to tourists can be felt throughout the city. As I walked down the street one day I heard a man shout out his window at a singing girl walking ahead ‘shut-up you stupid tourist.’ Graffiti also shows some evidence of this (see image). Lisbon is rapidly developing its tourism industry but some locals worry they won’t be able to keep up and enjoy their cities without paying for its services. This is one of the crucial benefits of good public spaces.

Left and above: The fantastic world of sardines shop Right: Graffiti showing tension to tourism and the cities own economical issues.

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Theatre Dona Maria II

Fountain

es

a tre

rand Jaca Dom Pedro IV column

Fountain

The square is rectangular, slightly off the north-south axis as it points directly to the River Tagus to the south east.

The column with Dom Pedro IV is located in the centre with two ornate fountains to each side. The Dona Maria II National Theatre is located to the north. Jacaranda trees line the edges of the park.

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Bus stop

Bus stop

Rossio Metro To Rossio Station Bus stop Bus stop

The square acts as a round-about with one way traffic circling it anti-clockwise. There are various bus stops around the square and many taxi drop off points. Rossio metro station is located on the east side of the square.

People can sit on public benches on both sides of the square within the road and on the outside of the road in front of the shops and restaurants. The site is a major city centre transport interchange and connects metro to train to bus to taxi. This means it has a lot of pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

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CafĂŠs with outdoor seating

ches

ches

Ben

ches

Ben

Ben

CafĂŠs with outdoor seating

Pedestrians move around the site mainly on the outside paths in front of the shops but many cross over the site using the pedestrian crossings pointing east/west. This links the square to Rossio Train Station to the west so is a frequently used thoroughfare. Tourists often use the area for photo opportunities.

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8-9am

20°C - Sunny The square is criss-crossed by people commuting to work. Big groups of tourists meet their tour guides here for city walking tours. People wash their hands in the water of the fountains.

There is an indication of homelessness in the square as some people sit with blankets and bags of possessions in the shade. Pigeons sit on the pedestal at the base of Dom Pedro IVs column which adds novelty to the square.

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12-1pm

30°C – Sunny Due to the intense midday heat, the square is nearly empty with the exception of a group of people sitting on the shaded benches under the trees. Most people are using the surrounding tree lined streets that have better shade coverage. Tourists continue to get photos of themselves in front of the fountains and the column.

The water is turned on at this time, I can assume this is to help cool the users. Many people stop here to check their phones or maps for directions, perhaps deciding which tourist spot to visit next.

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4-5pm

31°C - Sunny The park becomes a lot busier at this time as the temperature cools and people can come outside. The benches are nearly completely full of people resting after a hot afternoon in the city. Huge quantities of pigeons cluster around two men who feed them. One man videos the other and they both laugh at the birds. They appear to be quite drunk. Children run through the clusters of birds, making them fly away frantically and surrounding people dodge their wings. A woman poses on the fountain as a man takes her picture. The paths of the users cling less to the outsides in the shelter of the trees and people spend more time in the open square.

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8-9pm

25°C – Sunny People spread out over the square as the evening draws in and the heat dissipates. There is nearly always a person getting their photo taken in this square at all times of the day. Others try to dodge the camera as they walk past the posers. A group of people read religious passages in Portuguese. They sing along to songs playing on a large speaker. The surrounding restaurants are now full of people eating their evening meals.

The roads around the site are quieter than in the day even though the traffic noise is still very noticeable.

People lean against the fountains. Two Portuguese men sit on the benches at the side and sing together whilst drinking a bottle of alcoholic beverage. A child runs as fast as she can across the square, shrieking with joy and closely chased by her father. The parents laugh and one says, ‘Have you ever seen her run that fast?’.

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Fractal design Two of the most critical design features of this square are the trees around the edges of the space, and the benches beneath them. The benches and trees have added texture to the edge of the square that allow people moments of pause. The water fountains also add importance by providing photo opportunities and allowing seating/leaning on the edges.

The shops surrounding the square, although designed in the relatively plain Pombaline style, have subtle features to ‘rough’ the edges of the square. These features include shallow arches over windows with deep architraves, often painted or tiled onto the walls, tiles wall coverings, terracotta tiled roofs, ornate metal Juliette balconies and ornate metal lighting details. A lot of the texture around the square is applied in a way that would be affordable by the city after the earthquake. Tiles add texture to the walls without the requirement for complex construction and the repeating elements with various patterns between buildings can be associated with the idea of fractal design.

The limestone and basalt Portuguese paving in a wave pattern reinforces the texture of the square. The limestone is also used for other elements on the site including the fountains, the column and the theatre. These repeating elements at different scales may a reason why the square deemed as beautiful.

Conclusion I thought this site had an interesting purpose in terms of helping people navigate the city however people didn’t use the square for much more than taking a moment to sit in the shade. It is a place of movement rather than settlement. People pose for photos here, making their holiday memories, but I couldn’t see that much meaningful experience was taking place in the square for it to become a place of meaning to the users. People often pass through this site but very few settle for longer than 5 minutes and if they find a bench in the shade they tend to spend around 30 minutes there watching the other users. In the evening it was apparent that more attachment to place was forming as people came into the centre of the square and expressed themselves. The heat had lifted and people could now enjoy their time outdoors better.

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SITE 3 - MIRADOURO DA SENHORA DO MONTE KEY FEATURES:

VIEWPOINT

Tourism Views Hilltop Garden

TOURIST

HILLTOP

Miradouro da Senhora do Monte (Our Lady of the Hill Viewpoint) is located at the top of Lisbon’s tallest hill in the Graca neighbourhood. It is situated just north of the Castelo de S. Jorge. The site is a small garden with a mesmerising 250 degree vista over Lisbon to the south west and north. It is a fairly popular destination for tourists but also has a frequent local footfall. I observed that people spent either a very short amount of time here, around five minutes, or stayed for 30minutes plus. This space is tagged as one of the best locations to see the sunset over Lisbon.

Getting to the site involves a difficult climb up a classic Lisbon flight of stairs, or by a steep road. Although tuk tuks bring tourists to this site throughout the day, it is often missed by tourists and so is classed as a ‘hidden gem’.

Hundreds of couples have attached padlocks onto the front fence of the viewpoint supposedly in gestures of romance.

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MIRADOURO DA SENHORA DO MONTE

Steep hill

Nossa Senhora Monte Chapel

Steep hill

Steep hill

Monument to the Virgin Elevated viewpoint

Steep hill

Steep hill

The site is shown outlined in red. There are two main monuments on the site. One is a small statue of the Virgin and the other monument is the Nossa Senhora Monte Chapel. Although built in 1147, this chapel was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake and was re-built in the late 1700s. The site is covered in pine trees which allows this areas to stay cool even in the midday Lisbon heat.

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250 degree views over Lisbon Tuk tuks Cocktail stand

Seating on this site is kept to the front to maximise the spectacular views over the city. The benches are always positioned between two trees in a radial arrangement against the curve of the hillside. The trees provide privacy between benches and ensure shade from the sun. The benches are simple blocks of heavy stone and are cooling to sit on. The paved areas to the front are lined with the same stone. The garden is left as rough dirt ground and people avoid walking over or sitting on it.

The rear (east of the site) has been claimed by a series of tourist tuk tuks that can be seen parked here for most of the day. A cocktail van sells refreshing drinks to people visiting the viewpoint.

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Steep access stairs

Mosaic of landscape 250 degree views over Lisbon

Mosaic of landscape

The main pedestrian access to the site is via a steep hill or steep steps.

The steep access steps can be seen to the north on the site plan and in the photo. Most people congregate at the southern part of the site then filter around the radius of the hilltop looking at the impressive views and taking photos of themselves and their friends.

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8-9am

The site is nearly completely empty with the exception of a handful of people early morning tours and a cleaner who sweeps the rough dirt garden with his little dog following. The buildings below look most beautiful now as the sun shines directly onto their pastel coloured façades and elongated shadows create dramatic definition between one another. Lisbon below is pastel blue and pink, yellow, orange and terracotta. The blue river is visible to the south with the Ponte 25 de Abril bridge stretching over it leading to the Cristo Rei statue.

I smell the air an pine needles in combination with last night’s stale beer and cigarettes.

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12-1pm

Many more tourists visit the space and it becomes quite difficult to move around as people try to get photos before the view and fail because the sun is in the wrong place. Most people here are tourists, enjoying the moment of cool shade with a breeze as they’re on their walking or tuk tuk tours of the city. Some locals come here to walk their dogs. A busker plays guitar and sings in a melancholy tone which makes the space feel quite emotional. I notice couples holding each other lovingly. This isn’t something I have observed on the other sites very much, but there is something romantic about this site in particular when the tourists are relaxed and cooler. I notice that some people still seem to be in a hurry to move on to the next thing to see. Instead of making memories here, these people seem to be focussing on recording memories.

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4-5pm

A strong breeze blows onto the site and people with long hair struggle to get their photos from the viewpoint.

The pine needles from the trees drop onto the heads of the visitors. People look to be enjoying the cooler air but are slightly beaten by the wind. They try to decipher the mosaic illustration of the city for a few minutes, then move on.

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8-9pm

The sun is setting to the west. Surprisingly the site, although branded as the best place for a sunset is nearly empty and quiet. The people here are tourists and locals, watching the last of that says sun descend in the sky. Everything turns a shade of orange and pink. The tuk tuks and their tours have all left. A secret garden bar plays music just over the lip of the viewpoint where friends drink caipirinhas together.

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Fractal design The whole point of the site is to look outwards to the amazing view below. The city’s textures, patterns and shapes are all self-similar repetitions that create a beautiful scene worth the journey up a steep hill to see. The space is designed with all focus outwards as the direction of the benches and the front path draw you to the edge with the trees providing shade in the summer heat.

The design of the space has similar fractal design as has been previously discussed in relation to the portuguese paving and the benches.

Conclusion Although the design intervention in this garden is minimal, the principle is to draw all attention to the view whilst providing a shaded resting point for both locals and tourists. The midday rush of tourists create a conveyor belt of selfies, and it seemed to me that these people weren’t really enjoying the space like the ones who spent more time there.

The time spent in the place seemed reduce as the quantities of people increased, almost as if people needed their privacy and the feeling of discovering this beauty spot to feel a strong connection to it.

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SITE 4 - MARTIM MONIZ NAVIGATIONAL

KEY FEATURES: Drinking and dining Navigational Shopping UNDER Under re-development THREAT

Martim Moniz square is located in the Low part of Lisbon, just north of Rossio square. It is located on the edge of the main tourist area in EVENTS/ the historic centre and isn’t often MARKET frequented by large numbers of tourists. It is a square with more of a local feeling.

The public square is currently boarded off from the public and has fallen into relative disrepair.

The site once had kiosks to provide shade that have since been demolished.

The square was proposed for redevelopment in November 2018. The proposal was for 30-50 new commercial units in ‘shipping container’ style accommodation that would provide restaurants and bars to both tourists and locals.

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MARTIM MONIZ

Proposed scheme to redevelop Martim Moniz square from 2018.

The scheme was strongly objected to by the local residents and the council have since decided to cancel the re-development. The reason for the protests to this development are in fears of the touristification and gentrification of this part of Lisbon and it was agreed that Martim Moniz square should not follow this trend and instead, remain a square for the local population.

Suggestions by local residents have been to turn the square into a garden or put back to how it previously was. One person stated ‘People need a clear space, a place to breathe’. There were also concerns of this public space becoming private.

This example shows the conflict between locals and tourists and the desire for locals to keep their much used public spaces public and avoid setting to private companies.

Image overleaf and information from: https://ocorvo.pt/bombardeado-por-criticas-ao-projecto-domartim-moniz-manuel-salgado-diz-que-vai-analisar-alteracoes/

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CONCLUSIONS This report has been written to provide a personal experience of the sites I chose to research in Lisbon. The descriptions of my personal experiences at intervals throughout the day are intended to draw the user into that place at that time in attempt to bring the reader onto that site.

Throughout this trip I found that it is very hard to judge whether people are forming legitimate connections to place. It is an immeasurable factor that cannot be proven. I did however use the principles of place-making to see whether people could be forming emotional connections to the places they were spending their days. I looked to see whether personal experiences would manifest into memories that would then create a connection between mind and place. I was looking into the idea that a better connection to place increases the well-being of the city user.

I witnessed the ‘selfie’ trend as many people seemed more interested in getting a good photo of themselves in front of a monument or viewpoint rather than actually experience their time there. It showed me that tourists often move through the city as if it’s a series of tick boxes to accomplish with a photo. I wanted to avoid this, hence the reason for spending long periods of time in each space. It showed the futility of spaces solely designed for photo opportunities, and i found that a great space needs to provide more than that. It needs to be a canvas for experience.

One discovery made what that people aren’t very comfortable being in open spaces and they tend to cling to the edges. The rougher the space, the more edges and the more places for settlement exist. To my definitition in the context of this study, this is a more fractal place. The rough edges allow for pause as people sit on benches or visit shops or cafes or bars which creates opportunity for experience and so connection to place. In the case of Lisbon, the edges tend to be the shaded parts of the public squares studied. In this climate, it has become apparent that a space for shaded seating one of the most valuable attributes of a public 46

space in a hot climate. Having textured design can also impact this as people have more to notice in their environment. Having more things to notice again increases its significance in memories.

Maintenance of these spaces is crucial. They’re often place for drinking and other anti-social behaviours and without the morning clean-up they would be full of empty beer bottles and cigarettes. Noise is a potential issue where residents live close to these spaces, especially as a late night in Lisbon seemed to finish close to 10am. I never witnessed any hostility between residents and late night public space users because I chose not to visit the sites at that time but I can only assume it exists. It comes down to the question of whether these issues are the fault of having the public spaces, or would they exist anyway? And does this process allow for a safer space for these activities to take place.

A problem with this study was that I went on the trip in early September when the city was hot. I did not see the city at other times of the year which would provide a more thorough study. I was also forming my opinions to prove one set of principles in place-making is most likely not the full story.

I learnt that Lisbon is brilliant at providing public space to its users and I believe the cities I use could be made better if they followed this principle of providing a free space for people to share experiences and spend time outdoors with the rest of the city users. After spending so much time in these public spaces, I felt a strong connection to those spaces, and to the city as a whole.

It has been an insightful trip to a culturally rich city where I met some brilliant people and enjoyed the time spent in the cities welcoming public spaces.

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