PRODAC Sul | Participatory Lab | ateliermob

Facility | Public Space | Participation

Bairro Prodac Norte, Marvila, Lisboa, Portugal

Complete

The maintenance of the public space in the Prodac Sul neighbourhood has been delegated to the residents, who organise themselves so that the neighbourhood is not taken over by carelessness and abandonment. However, several problems persist and worsen in terms of health and safety in public spaces, whose resolution this project intended to initiate.

An application for municipal funding was prepared to work on improving the common and outdoor spaces of the neighbourhood, defined from a participatory process and collective involvement carried out over several residents' meetings, of which the construction of an amphitheatre, and the repair of walls and floors.

The project for the Amphitheatre, its accesses and integration into the public garden is developed, working on all its technical aspects. The amphitheatre takes advantage of the natural slope of the land, with the stage area in the lower part of the garden. Its location also resolves the absence of a direct connection between the highest and lowest levels of the garden, with a new staircase running parallel to the auditorium.

Taking advantage of the contacts with companies in the construction sector, which were associated with the project, it was possible to use the different materials and the training, on-site, of residents/workers by specialised technicians.

In neighbourhoods such as Prodac Sul, a large part of the unemployed population results from the decrease in work in the areas of civil construction. The remunerated execution of these works complemented and an important contribution to the financial condition of several families.

The construction of the amphitheatre allowed the creation of public space, for meetings and celebrations, in a neighbourhood where the residents association strongly participate, and there was only one room, distinctly small, provided by a local sports association.

This amphitheatre is not only the central public space of the neighbourhood, it is also a symbol of the capacity, initiative and achievement of its residents. On the other hand, the new staircase and the implantation of the set in the garden, allowed the creation of necessary access, and more efficient and diversified use of the garden space that was, previously, merely contemplative.

Repairs to walls and stairs inside the neighbourhood were also carried out. The repair and painting of the walls made it possible to significantly improve the neighbourhood's image, visibly increasing the light reflected inside the dwellings. The repaving of the stairs has come to offer safety and comfort to an ageing population.