Saco street

Lisbon, Portugal 2016/2017

The intervention on the square of Pena’s School, on Rua do Saco, aims to give to the neighbourhood a quality public space, solving some of the functional problems, among which the car circulation and parking, the bus stop, the pedestrian accesses to the school, the public Library and Junta de Freguesia de Arroios, as well as the lack of staying areas.

In order to increase the pedestrian capacity of the intervention area, enabling the street crossing and a secure and comfortable use of the whole area, the road is redefined to a minimum width of 4m, allowing the one way circulation. The parking area and the bus stop are pushed away from the central part of the square, creating two small staying areas, one on each side of the road, with trees and green areas. On the school side, it is created a drop off area for the children, which can also be used as load/unload area.

The existing trees, Celtis autralis and Olea europaea, will be kept in tree pits and green areas. New individuals of Cercis siliquastrum will be planted to increase shade areas in the summer and to create a chromatic contrast.