Abstract:

The water fronts are sensitive areas, not only in environmental terms but also considering the continuity requirements with cities. Usually the spatial planning rules for the places of contact in between the urban fabric and water are focused on building issues and urban development questions rather than of ecological approaches. In this sense, this article aims to present solutions of rethinking the territories of contact in between cities and water fronts, having as pivotal concern ecological solutions, friendly to the environment. The presented urban projects are requalification solutions in order to promote the urban continuity from the buildings to the water, focused on river activities, sports and the preservation of architectural heritage.

The urban project solutions have as case study, a small town in the central region of Portugal, which is very well known by its thermal baths, with roman roots. The city of São Pedro do Sul is a very pleasant place for holidays, being visited for those who are looking for improving their health condition going to the thermal baths or the contact with nature going to the river Vouga water front. This is a low density place, where the majority of the dwellings are single houses and the old train station from the 19th century is the main architectural landmark. Nowadays there are no more trains arriving to São Pedro do Sul and the train track line is working as an ecological corridor for pedestrians and bicycles. However, besides this effort of improving the local environment, the contact of the city with the river is yet badly considered. There are still lots of urban voids, buildings in bad status of conservation or a lack of diversity in functional terms. The presented urban projects were designed in an academic background comprising several teams of international students coming from Portugal, Greece, Brazil, Slovakia, Lithuania and Poland. A pioneer teaching methodology was tested at the Urban Planning Unit of the Master Degree in Architecture at University of Beira Interior, as a result of an agreement with the local authority. The students were organized in groups in order to propose the urban design projects to the Train Station surroundings, ensuring the continuity of the urban fabric with the Vouga river water front. The four best projects won prizes sponsored by the city hall. This fact was a stimulus for students along to the design process. The conclusions show that all solutions were concerned with strategies to preserve and to enhance the ecological identity of the place. This article will present the contents, options and solutions of the best urban project, designed by a team of students from Brazil and Portugal considered by the jury as the most ecological and friendly of the nature features.

Keywords:

Planning cities, Water fronts, Urban projects, International team, São Pedro do Sul, Vouga river.