CSJ CPD Trip to Porto
CSJ Planning Consultants, as part of their on-going Continuing Professional Development (CPD) initiatives, visited the city of Porto in North West Portugal between 12th and 14th April in order to have a better understanding of conservation and regeneration issues within the city and specific initiatives to regenerate parts of the old city. Peter Evens from the Porto/Bristol Association very kindly organised a study tour with the Câmara Municipal do Porto and an organisation named Porto Vivo, Society for the Regeneration of Downtown Porto. Francisco Machado Sousa Rio, a Conservation Architect for the Câmara Municipal do Porto provided the staff of CSJ with a very interesting walking tour of the old city showing the work that has been done over the last 10-15 years in terms of regeneration and investment within this area which suffered from depopulation and dereliction up until the early 2000’s. Francisco was also accompanied for part of the tour by Ricardo Silva an employee of Porto Vivo which acts as a regeneration company within the old city providing investment to regenerate areas that have fallen into disrepair.
Not only was it a very interesting insight into how a city can take initiatives to regenerate and conserve its historic core but it was also a delight to meet these professionals who obviously were passionate about the conservation and regeneration of their city.
