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How Urban Rehabilitation Gave New Life to the City of Porto
7 June 2018
Visitors returning after some time to Porto, cross the river and are hardly able to recognise the old city. The city’s original beauty and charm are there, but the degradation and the ruins have vanished. It is making the city, also known as Invicta, the perfect place to live.
A new city is being reborn after urban rehabilitation works that, in the last years, have reshaped the city of Porto. The reconstruction, together with a vibrant tourism sector that has been a catalyst for change, has transformed the old city. These days, it is a place that more and more people are choosing to live in and to visit.
The city’s recovery is evident, and not only because of the cranes that can be found all over the cityscape. Many of the buildings’ façades in the city’s historic centre have been cleaned, in tune with the climate of revitalisation and dynamism that has taken over the region. According to data from Porto Vivo – the Downtown Porto Urban Rehabilitation Society, in 2016 alone, more than 1,300 applications for rehabilitation works were submitted, and as of yet 308 have been approved, 153 more than in the previous year. In addition, the state of conservation of the buildings in the centre of the city named by UNESCO as a World Heritage Historic Centre of Humanity has been steadily improving. In 2016, 74% of the properties were considered to have a good or medium conservation status. The ratio of buildings in poor condition has fallen to 13% and is expected to decline further, in light of the rehabilitation projects currently underway.
One of the factors that has contributed to Invicta’s resurgence is tourism, which has been growing exponentially here, as it has in Lisbon. Porto is included in guides and itineraries from around the world and was once again voted the best destination in Europe in 2017, receiving the votes of travellers from 174 countries, repeating its previous success in 2012 and 2014.
Hospitality and housing – three examples of change
However, while it is true that some of the renovated buildings are being used in the hospitality industry, they are not a majority. These days, Porto is a city that is undergoing accelerated urban renewal in every sector including residential housing, after years of stagnation. These are some of the most emblematic examples of Invicta’s ongoing transformation:
Aliados 107
The former headquarters of the newspaper O Comércio do Porto, located on Avenida dos Aliados, right in the middle of the city’s historic centre, began its rehabilitation in 2016 for conversion into luxury housing. Originally designed by the architect Rogério de Azevedo, the iconic building was built in 1930 and is one of the first examples of modernist architecture in Portugal. The works are expected to be finished shortly, but the 23 existing homes have all been sold, mainly to Portuguese buyers.
Infante
Located in Porto’s riverside zone, close to the trendiest places in the city, the residential building Infante is also the result of a rehabilitation project. The main façade’s original features, reminiscent of an 18th-century building, were maintained, ensuring the aesthetic continuity of the historic centre. The building consists of 16 apartments, ranging from studios to a three-bedroom duplex (areas from 36 to 133 m2). The property has magnificent river views.
A Brasileira (The Brazilian)
The iconic café in Porto, dating to 1903, was also recently rehabilitated, maintaining the original facade and ground-floor rooms. Located on Rua Sá da Bandeira, the renovated café continues to operate, though it is sharing the property with a prestigious neighbour, a six-floor, 90-room, five-star hotel and a high-concept restaurant.
JLL Doubles Down on Porto
Conscious of the sustained growth in Porto’s real estate sector, the JLL real estate consulting firm recently doubled down on its commitment to the city, opening a store in the downtown area, on the Travessa da Bainharia, close to the Rua das Flores. The new space aims to respond to the real estate market’s potential for growth in the city, principally linked to the residential and tourism sectors. Operating in Invicta since 2002, JLL is responsible for marketing projects such as Infante, Ouro Residence, Primrose City Living, Bessa Residence, Boavista Prime, Marechal 1000 and Flores Plaza.
Original Story: Economia Online / JLL
Translation: Richard Turner