Urban planners in Portugal in the middle of the twentieth century: Étienne de Groër and Antão Almeida Garrett

Abstract

This article describes the planning activity in Portugal in the middle of the twentieth century, notably the work of two exceptional planners, Etienne de Groër and Antão Almeida Garrett. The article moves from a first overview on the national context, to a focus on the two largest cities of Portugal, Lisbon, and Oporto. It was there that these two planners developed their most successful planning proposals. The planning activity of de Groër and Garrett is presented, first taken in isolation and then on a comparative basis. Issues addressed include the urban structure and the organization of the city, the street layout, and the system of zoning. It is argued that de Groër municipal plan for Lisbon and Garrett municipal plan for Oporto were able to leave a profound and lasting impact on these cities, being the most influential planning documents of the twentieth century in Lisbon and in Oporto.