Sofia Sá Mineiro

           The study area - a small nucleus of Santa Cruz do Bispo, Matosinhos, Portugal - lies between two diferent areas: in one hand, a consolidated zone and, at the other hand a more diffuse urban area of construction. Therefore its urban fabric is characterized by large discrepancies or the level of land use, both in terms of built space .

           Through the analysis of the evolution of land use becomes apparent that this is an area that has undergone major changes over the past thirty years. Essentially the business strategy is based on three distinct points :

. 1 Environmental Valuation - Green Zones

         We intend to do environmental enhancement of the parish through the creation of new green areas - Urban park - and remodeling the existing ones. 

. 2 Revitalizing Public Space - Multi - Functionality 

    The aim is to create a mechanism for preventing the development of new mono functional spaces associated with industrial / storage which now lies elsewhere in the metropolitan area a more appropriate option, validated with new axes for rapid transit between them and the infrastructure international communication (Port of and Airport). Similarly, we propose a new restructuring of public spaces that we found abandoned and totally disqualified. At the proposed buildings level's, we suggested the construction of "key" buildings, with specific programs services, such as commerce and leisure, which are an engine of urban development.

. 3 Shares Rehabilitation - Redefining the "Diffuse"

          We identified some problems in the urban fabric system, which are mainly the lack of qualified public space and residence, the fragile road network interconnection, the lack of a clear and qualified relationship with the river ecosystem, and finally, the "diffuse" urban fabric with disorderly character. We propose new distinctive links between points and also new developments and occupations of vacant land that is "asking" for a planned construction.

           So, the project we produced for the area outside the consolidated city is intended to respond to a new metropolitan scale .