Header: Artur Carvalho & João Guimarães
Along the banks of the Tagus River in Lisbon, a new public space is changing how people interact with the water and the city. The Loures Riverfront project, created by the Lisbon-based firm Topiaris Landscape Architecture, is a carefully considered piece of infrastructure designed to connect communities, nature, and people in a fresh way.
A new connection for communities
The project started with a practical goal: to finish a walking and cycling route that would finally link Lisbon to the nearby city of Vila Franca de Xira. This new connection is a major part of a larger plan to create a continuous path along the entire Tagus Riverfront in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. The designers also wanted to solve a local problem. Roads and railway lines had cut off the urban areas of Loures from the river. This new pedestrian and cycling route serves as a vital transportation link, providing people with a genuine alternative for their daily commutes. By encouraging walking and cycling, the project helps reduce CO2 emissions and has a direct positive effect on local life.
A design inspired by the landscape
When the design team from Topiaris first studied the area, they found a surprising environment. Right next to a busy urban zone was a rich collection of natural systems. Mudflats, salt marshes, and native reed beds created habitats for a wide variety of plants and animals. This discovery changed the direction of the project. The team, together with the landscape ecology consultant Nuno Lecoq, saw an opportunity. The path could serve a purpose beyond just moving people from one place to another.
Instead of a straight, direct route, the final design is a gentle, curving walkway that stretches for 6.2 kilometres. The shape was inspired by the winding patterns of natural drainage lines found in the marsh. This choice encourages a slower experience of the place. The path guides visitors, giving them different viewpoints of the habitats as they walk, inviting them to stop, watch the birds, rest with a view of the river, and take in the sounds of the environment.
A walkway for learning and observation
The Loures Riverfront was imagined as a destination in itself. The design turns a simple circulation route into a platform for research, education, and appreciating nature. It serves as an outdoor classroom, raising public awareness about the importance of these river ecosystems, the need for biodiversity conservation, and the proper management of the ocean. It’s a space that invites curiosity and offers a deeper connection to the local environment.
Project info
Year Completed: 2023
Landscape architecture company: Topiaris
Landscape architecture team: Catarina Viana, Teresa Barão, Luis Ribeiro, Ana Lemos, Elsa Calhau, Rita Salgado, André Godinho, Henrique Mateus, Nuno Lecoq (landscape ecology consultant)
Photography: João Guimarães, Artur Carvalho
Structural Engineer – FTD / JETSJ: Pedro Delgado, Alexandre Pinto, Nuno Silva
Signage – DESENHARIA: Pedro Silva e Sousa
Environmental Impact: Bioinsight
Building Company: ABB Group, CARMO, and GEOCONTROLE
Source: v2com newswire
