Planning at the edge: urbanism and socio-political transition in Chelas, Lisbon

Throughout the twentieth century, many European countries developed public housing policies where planners and architects pursued creative, even radical design. This optimism collapsed within a few decades, re-emerging today as a hope in face of impending urban crisis, housing-access shortages and environmental decline. Here, we observe the urban process of Chelas, the largest social housing area ever planned by the Portuguese State, located in Lisbon. Its ambitious and progressive plan started during a dictatorial regime yet completed during a democratic one. Specific original plan features allowed Chelas to evolve over time, demonstrating the resilience of the territory and of its residents, and testifying to complex political and social changes. To understand this process, we disclose: (i) What territorial conditions existed prior to urbanization; (ii) What solutions were originally planned and under what circumstances; (iii) How the built forms of Chelas have accommodated change over time and which urban processes allowed such changes to occur. Focusing on one of Chelas’s sectors, Zone N, we trace its evolution from planning to reality, while also considering its spatial, social and ecological conditions and highlighting its future possibilities as a sustainable suburban neighbourhood.