The intervention lies within a territory that has been re-qualified, in accordance to several Detail plans. These plans promote a system of urban river parks and pedestrian pathways on and between both sides of the Mondego River.
There are two main objectives to achieve with this intervention, to protect the convent area from river flooding, building an embankment/dike, and to create a public green area that will lead people from the left bank of the city to the Mondego’s Green Park, through a tunnel underneath an existing barrier, a road with a rather intense traffic.
In this new public space there are three types of pathways: one that allows the access to the Mondego’s Green Park, another that crosses through the lower area of the intervention, near the new built embankment/dike that protects Sta. Clara’s Convent; and the latter, one, that stretches on top of the embankment/dike, and therefore enables a beautiful view of the referred Convent. This latter pathway connects the new bus parking area with the entrance of the monument.
As a result of the different spot height levels between the Convent area and the pedestrian pathways, several slopes with different degrees of steepness and solar orientations are generated. The vegetation cover of these slopes is mainly grassed, eventually with trees and shrubs where crossing over prevention is needed. Trees are also used to protect this new public space from the adjacent traffic circulation.
A large, flagstone paved, area enables the access to the several pathways and may also be used as a seating area. The flagstones are used in some pathways and in the areas that connect them. Besides the flagstone pavement, there are wooden pathways and concrete grass pavers.
Joana Barreto
| Tipologia | Espai fluvial |
| Promotor | Coimbra Polis, Sociedade para o Desenvolvimento do Programa Polis em Coimbra, S.A |
| Localització | Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal |
| Àrea | 16000 m² |
| Cost | 58 €/m² |
| Any inici | 2004 |
| Any finalització | 2006 |
