This thesis takes the form of an architecture design report, studying the feasibility of the integration of agricultural production spaces, in the form of kitchen gardens (urban hortas), within inherited urban areas. Through the development of a theoretical study and the examination of case studies we aim to address to relevance - with regard to ecological sustainability, social and economic - of the existence of these spaces within the city.
This report stems from the development of a design project in the Chelas Valley in Lisbon, conducted in the final course of the Master in Architecture program at the Technical University of Lisbon (IST). The main premise of the project is the proposed third bridge over the Tagus River. In the context of a project intervention for the large-scale rehabilitation of the Chelas Valley it is necessary to review and reflect on how redevelopment will follow.
The focus area relates directly to what was stated in the assumptions of the Chelas Urbanization Plan, which assumes a formal identity that goes towards the principles of modern urbanism. "Among these, the concept of ecological fitness determined the deployment of the building. That's how it prefers the slopes and ridges, freeing the adjacent water lines "(Telles, 1999, 6). The neighborhoods that have resulted from this way of planning the city set, even today, free spaces that have been occupied on an informal and spontaneous way by residents who settled there, with agricultural activities. This activity is now so much intense that it has become a strong feature of the identity of the Chelas Valley. The practical work carried out pin pointed, in a direct way, the presence of urban hortas associated with proposed new residential areas, but also includes cultural and trade facilities that may work, in whole, in symbiosis with agricultural lands.
Thus, aware of social changes that characterize the formal evolution of the city of Lisbon (and particularly the area of Chelas), we intend to study an integrated proposal within the challenging characteristics of a complex biophysical and social context, bearing in mind the legal instruments for the area defined affect the project area.
The practical work developed is, therefore, a formal proposal that aims to meet the objectives released as questions for the theoretical study:
01
What relevance has the existence of activities engaged in agriculture within urban areas
? How do the urban
hortas contribute to sustainable development in a local and city scope?
02
How can these spaces be materialized within the urban planning (and regeneration) of consolidated realities?
03
How can its design reconcile the public and private realms?
The great growth of built space in the city, which started in the post-Industrial Revolution a bit all over Europe (and in Portugal, especially from the 60s of the last century), has been causing an increase in pollution and destruction of natural resources and, ultimately, a decreasing quality of life. The modern (and contemporary) industrial city has come to occupy and build spaces that were once rural, subverting or ignoring the ecological and cultural values of the places they occupy.
Thus, the development of a sustainable city, in a world of finite resources, highlights the urgent need to think about new ways of living and the need to rethink the occupation of territory, to preserve the natural resources that we still have, in order to promote a smarter future for the beings that inhabit it.
It is an aim of this research study, exemplifying through existing cases and also the project developed, to learn about the feasibility of integration of agricultural production spaces for various uses in the context of a consolidated city, as is the case of Lisbon. To achieve this it’s important to understand how these agricultural areas are integrated and how do they exist in both public and private space. How they articulate with the ecological structure of the city and how they contribute to the welfare of the people who benefit from them.
The interest put in the question under study concerns, then, with the urge to study and discuss how can one of the less densified zones of Lisbon evolve and what is the use to include agricultural areas in this particular zone of the city. Also what kind of meaning will those have in the immediate vicinity where they settle, particularly in the context of buildings predominantly earmarked for collective housing.
The main challenge – and, perhaps, therefore the main interest - provided in the context of urban planning is to integrate the various areas that the discipline proposes. As evidenced by Patsy Healey (2006) falls to agents of the action of planning the integration of dynamics and functions, of perspectives, of policies and responsibilities.
The paper proposes the analysis and reflection on how the redevelopment can happen and this presents a proposal for rehabilitation in the context of Chelas Valley, incorporating the parishes of Beato, Marvila, in Lisbon.
The report consists of five chapters:
1. Introduction, in which it is presented and justified the subject of study, and described the scope of work and the methods used to achieve the goals presented;
2. Sustainable Urban Development, the second chapter, presents a review of the revised literature in order to explore the concept of sustainable urban development. In this context, after an exhibition of abstract concepts about how and why the need to rethink the urban settlement, the issues addressed are: the green structure and the role it plays in the organization and design of the city, urban agriculture understand how
and
why it
has
emerged in
cities -
and
its relevance in
the
quality
of urban
life,
understanding
how
to maximize land use and natural and human resources available.
3. Lisbon. Chelas. 2011, the third chapter, focuses on the location to which the present design was developed to. This chapter contains an historical, biophysical, social, economic and legal framework to better understand how this piece of the Lisbon puzzle has evolved as the
occupation of Lisbon and, more specifically, the site focused. The aim is to understand where it fits on topics of interest to the integrated planning of the city. An integral section of this chapter is devoted to a survey of gardeners in charge at the study site. This section is focused on aspects of the present situation of each gardener with regard to their own crop, and, above all, presents the perspectives and expectations of gardeners in exercise on the future of this area of cultivation. Having the active population in the agricultural spaces of the study area as the targeted audience, the survey also focuses on how the respondents live in the Chelas Valley and on the type of relationship they have with the (urban, environmental and human) environment that surrounds them.
4. (re) Occupation of the Valley of Chelas, the fourth chapter, describes and justifies the work presented in the course of the Masters Final Project, developed within the context of the urban regeneration of the Valley of Chelas, presented on the subject of the proposal for a third crossing over
the Tagus
river. This
chapter includes the
presentation of
a
reformulation of
the
project,
to review
the less
achieved aspects and bringing it closer to a practical formulation of the result of the theoretical study done in the present report, particularly with regard to the design of urban spaces integrating agricultural production areas.
5. Concluding Remarks, the final chapter of the dissertation, we discuss some final thoughts on the theoretical work developed and how it took shape in the same learning intervention proposal.
For the realization of this work was adopted a methodological approach that involved the theoretical research on the topic and focused area, so that the later project intervention was made consistent with the theoretical work developed in the meantime and with the understanding of the place of design.
Many factors drove and shaped the urban development of Lisbon, such as political options, urban, social and economic needs or topographic characteristics. From this set of conditions resulted that the inclusion of Chelas in the city’s urban structure was only achieved on the 20th century (Figure 1).
Meanwhile, Chelas remained for many years a landscape dominated by industry mostly along the Chelas Creek and by small Quintas, where some of the city’s agricultural production took place. For this much contributed the topographic structure of very steep slopes of the Chelas Valley located in one of the three main watersheds of city of Lisbon, which raised difficulties of urban development, contributing to the delayed integration of this site into the urban context.
The first studies aiming at integrating Chelas in the urban area started in 1960. The objective being to create a multifunctional and integrated urban structure, a rationalistic approach was adopted leading to the development of a proposal based on a cellular and hierarchic structure that included multiple high-density habitation nucleus with linear centres of equipment and mixed activities. These intentions did not succeed, as it was only partially put in place in a scattered way, resulting in a highly fragmented and degraded urban landscape.
The cosmopolitan nature of Lisbon goes back to the times of discoveries. Thus also Chelas is an area where many different cultures mix, as many foreigners have been settling. From the economic point of view, the competitive potential of this population is one of the lowest in the Lisbon area. This comes as a result of the high percentage of elders, a low percentage of youngsters, that together with poor qualification leads to low income levels and high unemployment rates.
Chelas is, thus, one of the most problematic areas of Lisbon due to this misfitting puzzle of human and material realities. The low quality of the public space and the island shaped residential areas have definitively condemned Chelas to poor quality of life.
As previous planning instruments have failed to provide Chelas with a unified and qualified structure, much is expected of the guidelines of the new Lisbon Municipal Master Plan. Due to the constrains of the terrain, the forthcoming plan includes the valley in the Urban Ecological Structure, to be occupied with public green spaces, connecting Chelas to the river Tejo and to the rest of the city. For the first time in a Lisbon Master Plan the value urban agriculture of the Hortas is not only recognized for its ecological, economic and social potential, but actually proposals are put forward to transform the illegal occupation movement of land into well organized areas. A regulation document, which addresses the conditions for the implementation of Hortas in the city of Lisbon, is currently under development.
Agriculture has been an ongoing activity in the valley of Chelas. Previously in Quintas located in a rural landscape and from the 60ties onwards in form of Hortas in midst of the urban voids (Figure 2). Today the production area covers a considerable portion of the subsection of the valley under study.
Aiming a better understanding of the current practices and expectations of the Hortas farmers, a survey was developed and applied during Spring 2011 to a group of 32 farmers from this specific Chelas site. The questionnaire was structured in three parts: personal Information; information on present agricultural activity; and information on future expectations. The results show that the population inquired is mainly composed by people with rural backgrounds (nearly 90 percent). On the reasons described by the farmers as their main motivation we can highlight the production as a hobby or as a supplement income (both referred by 40 percent of the respondents) and the high quality of the goods produced (13 percent). Main conclusions from this survey reveal that the main problems identified by the farmers are: the access to water (referred as the main issue by 61 percent of the farmers inquired) and the availability of facilities to store the agriculture tools (56 percent). Despite these problems, 81 percent of the farmers inquired showed no intention to move to other Hortas location even if better conditions are offered there, as for instance those under construction by the municipality nearby, because they recognize special value in the topographic characteristics of the slope, and specially in the proximity of their current Hortas to their homes and in the already existing social network.
The location for the proposed design has been ignored by the many plans and urban projects during the 20th century (as previously referred). From that fact results a so-called expectant ground. The intervention shall be focused on a location occupied by hortas, on one of the slopes of the Chelas valley, in an area where the Chelas Monastery (currently used as an Army archive) is the main historical and constructed reference.
Our proposal was developed aiming at the integration of a subsection of the Valley of Chelas in the city of Lisbon. Regarding this, special attention was given to workout the different structures that contribute to the identity of the area: land use, public space and ecological structure. The macrostructure developed should provide solutions to the requirements identified previously - such as continuity to the existing relations and the promotion of progressive dialogue among the Chelas neighbourhoods, and towards the consolidated city.
The core idea of the proposal is, thus, to structure the area accommodating residential uses, agricultural production and recreational areas, and to integrate it into the urban context and into the broader urban ecological network (Figure 3). An important aim is to preserve the current social and economic balance of the Hortas, maintaining the positive impact of this activity on the community.
The design (Figure 7) intends to bring dynamics to a currently expectant place through the intersection of the different programmatic contents, by actively reducing the boundaries between public and private realms.
One central aspect of our proposal is water management: collection or capture, storage and re-usage system. As one could describe the structure of the Quinta we can also describe our proposal through the water features (Figure 4). As in the Quintas the intervention takes advantage of the slope, using gravity to collect and distribute water downhill.
Beginning uphill, the primary water collection takes place on the impervious surfaces as the roofs of the proposed residential buildings. Here, articulated with the residential program, the design proposes a circular rainwater retention systems. This will firstly serve the housing and commercial facilities. The water is stored in a pool. The purification of the captured water is done in a constructed wetland that provides such treatment based on the activity of bacteria attached to the gravel, plant roots, soil and other particles. Afterwards the purified water is stored in a service water tank. This water can then be used for domestic use and to irrigate the formal gardens. The grey waters resulting from the domestic facilities may also be included in this purification/reuse cycle, after being filtered in a specific filtering device. This recycled water can then be used for sanitary purposes, contributing to reduce one of the most important sources of water consumption.
In this proposal the slope is structured in terraces, where the agricultural production takes place. The water used to irrigate the hortas will be drained and collected in underground reservoirs located in every terrace. Each reservoir will serve the next (lower) terrace, through the superficial pools located between the tool storage facilities and the horta plots (Figure 5). Transversal connections provide the access and the link among the neighbourhoods (located on the top on the hill), and the Chelas street and the Monastery area at the bottom of the valley.
At the most downhill terrace are located services, commercial and street market activities were the Hortas farmer can sell their products – associated with the transportation system along the Chelas street. Inclined impervious surfaces drain rainwater into a subterranean reservoir, to be used for downstream irrigation.
Finally, on the bottom of the valley, is where the proposal meets the monastery – adjusted to be a supporting infrastructure for the agriculture activities. A public equipment is assigned to this last location aiming to promote the centrality of the proposed public space – together with the above mentioned service area. Here, the public spaces, namely the proposed square by the monastery, are also punctuated by water elements as a linear pool, reconnecting symbolically to the image of a previously exiting stream.
Thus, in this design proposal water features are displayed in a way that goes beyond utilitarian purposes providing also cultural, aesthetic and recreational uses. Due to this implementation, the proposed water elements end up not just having an active role in the economic and ecological sustainability of the design, but also to contribute to the reconnection of Chelas and its people with natural processes.
This dissertation aimed to conduct a reflective study on the inclusion of spaces for farming, in the form of urban hortas, within urbanized centers, with the focus on the zone of Chelas, part of Lisbon. This is why we proposed a first theoretical approach on the evolution of Lisbon and on the conceptual foundations of urban agriculture, to which also contributed the site observation and questionnaires made to farmers who cultivate the area studied. The findings of this research exercise provided the basis for practical proposal developed in relation to the reformulation of an urban design project, previously innitiated in an academic context, in the course of this Final Project course.
As referred previously the study was structured and conducted in three main parts: "Sustainable Urban Development", which contains a theoretical review of the underlying themes of urban intervention and the specific subjects dealing with urban agricultural production areas; "Lisbon. Chelas. 2011“, which focuses on the (historical, biophysical, social, economic and legal) background of the intervention
area, containing
a
section dedicated
to a field
survey
made
with
the working
horticulturists at
the
area
in
question; "(re) occupation of the Valley of Chelas – Intervention Proposal”, in which the intervention proposal for the urban restructuring of the site is described and justified.
A first conclusion is that the answers to these questions are not linear or absolute, and therefore it is essential to discuss the possible answers in context with concrete and particular realities. The work is, thus, conceptualized as a contribution, within the reality of a particular area of Lisbon, for the type of reflection necessary towards the planning for integrating productive spaces in inherited urban areas.
Although the benefits of urban agriculture are reasonably proven regarding many areas of sustainability, the second question cannot have a single answer. The experiences made to formalize growing spaces within already consolidated
urban areas can bring distinct
approaches that provide the same social, economic or ecological balance - there are no absolute answers in the field of urban design. There are numerous possibilities that, at a local level, can help to promote the integration of diverse urban places. The inclusion of urban hortas can unite, intersect and complement the public spaces and the private sphere.
Within the reflections that can be done on the theoretical work it’s important to emphasize that there are no 'model solutions', absolute and effective in all contexts, in all cities or in all communities. Yes, there are references and approaches that can be adopted as inspiring models of interventions in different contexts, but no miracle solutions.
Although this is a relatively new concept - considering that this activity of rural origin can be part of the urban fabric of a city – it has been, for a few years now, on the agenda. Thus, we recognize the benefits of urban agriculture from the point of view of ecological, economic, social and institutional as they are regarded as four pillars for sustainable urban development.
In order to maximize these benefits it is critical to develop strategies for local intervention. It is, therefore, ultimately important to stress the need that was identified during the work, to increase the involvement by the disciplines of Architecture and Urbanism in the definition of areas of agricultural production. This multidisciplinary approach will be particularly useful in Lisbon, where urban gardens have sprung up spontaneously in informal situations. There is a long way to go in order to define urban models that can include urban hortas as part of the public space in the city.
From the viewpoint of the planner or architectural discipline, the necessary involvement of the productive spaces in the structured network of public space seems to be the decisive factor in the urban setting that is the ‘urban hortas’. So it is also a key aspect in the real inclusion of these spaces in the urban dynamics experienced by the grower, the resident or by the mere passerby.
Regarding the design proposal of intervention, contributions collected from the theoretical research and field observations made were considered to propose the formulation of the project previously developed for a section of the Valley of Chelas.
The intervention on the issue of urban gardens was made in order to integrate them into the programmatic content initially proposed. Thus, results from this intervention a proposal for a new housing complex and service areas, whose motto is the structuring of the space currently occupied
by illegal productive
spaces cultivated by
residents
of adjacent neighborhoods. The intention of
this
urban
representation turns out to highlight the strength of the production activity in the considered area, becoming the main representative of a multi-functional proposal.
The integration of public footpaths in this area of food production makes it an integral part of the public domain, and its relation to the proposed new housing, an integrated proposal concerning what are the needs of growers - both those already in activity as the potentially new farmers/habitants.
As a final note it is considered important to give some emphasis to the multiple functions that this program can instill in the area where it is applied. The intervention is not only an action for the regeneration of an existing activity. It requires the integration of other activities - such as trade, housing and education - and the fusion of all the entertaining, social and educational features attached to them. The end result will be a productive space that is also entertaining: the visual landscape of large amplitude and the contact with nature and natural cycles, the presence of water, by micro-generated (bioclimatic comfort), aromas, and the availability of spaces for sociability.
In the light of new needs of the contemporary city, the main challenge for urban planning is integration: the integration of policies, perspectives and responsibilities. Integrating the multiple functions that exist in the city. Such integration could take place not only at an urban scale but also happen within our neighborhoods where the promotion of community involvement is particularly important.