IN-PERSON Lisbon Livable Cities. Section B

Abstract

Over the last three decades, Lisbon’s historic city centre has undergone countless transformations. The loss of residents and traditional shops has emptied the city centre, contributing to the deterioration of the buildings. These factors have been compounded by others, such as the instability of the global financial sector, migratory flows and the relocation of the social interaction of residents from the public space to other places such as digital platforms, local associations and community centres. This situation has been a determining factor in the creation of new configurations and appropriations of urban spaces, as well as the emergence of territorial dynamics such as touristification, privatisation and commodification, among others. In this context, based on a case study, praça de São Paulo and its surroundings in Lisbon, the aim of this presentation is to identify the most important territorial dynamics present in this public urban space, as well as to identify the new forms of occupation that emerge from these territorial transformations. Since praça de São Paulo is a central place in the city of Lisbon, it reflects the result of some of the dynamics that have taken hold throughout Lisbon’s historic city centre, such as mass tourism and growing real estate speculation.