PUBLIC POLICIES AND URBANISM AT THE EUROPEAN OLD CITY

Abstract

The concept of historical centre is in crisis, as seems to be the case with many other concepts in the rapidly changing field of geography. But the ‘old town’ is back at the centre of urban policy, being indeed the focus of debate in a range of scientific domains, even if tourism-led development targeting architectural heritage is today widely questioned. Important as they are, generalizations lose meaning for complex and highly dynamic spatial realities, even when dealing with apparently coherent urban places, since differences among cities in the type, intensity and scope of the changes taking place are extremely relevant. At present, collaborative planning and culture-led development are focused on a very small part of today’s extended and complex urban areas, the so-called historical zone, and the understanding of a case seems to shed more light on the whole than a generalization on the reading of each case. Thus, the city of Porto is analysed here in an attempt to better understand how the old town, which has lost population and jobs, has remained emotionally central to its residents, neighbouring suburbs and other visitors, embracing specific forms of a new approach to urban policy and urbanism, as well as enhancing spatial integration and civil participation.