The use of vaults in the Pombaline Construction in the bordering areas of 's downtown

José Pedro Jesus Gouveia

Extended Abstract

Supervisor: Professor Doutor João Vieira Caldas

December 2014

Due to the 1755 earthquake, which destroyed a of vaults as structural elements on the 1st floor of these significant part of the historic center of Lisbon, it was buildings. necessary to proceed with a fast reconstruction and Comparing different types of research, urban revitalization of this area. With the main actors essentially field work, it is intended to analyze the use Manuel da Maia, Eugenio dos Santos and Carlos of vaulted construction in these three areas, based on Mardel, the new way of looking at the city planning was parameters such as: construction processes, date of demonstrated not only by the innovative constructive construction, architectural typology and geographical typologies adopted, based on Enlightenment location within the overall reconstruction plan. principles, as by the envisaged structural solutions to ensure a new security level for the buildings in Lisbon. Given the innovative structural component of the blocks this plan, the pombaline construction has been the subject of thorough studies regarding the solutions used for the stability of buildings in terms of their foundations and upper floors – Pombaline Cage (“Gaiola Pombalina”) and their anti-seismic reaction.

As part of the construction history, this thesis aims to deepen the constructive systems used on the ground floor of the buildings in three borderline areas of Baixa – Cais do Sodré, and and Figueira squares – with the main focus in the perception of the "weight" and the meaning of the use

1 I chose three areas, comprising built sets with of blocks can be clearly distinguished by representing different properties regarding their occupation and the unity of plan, in Chiado, by contrast, there is a adaptation to the type of territory, reflecting, precisely, greater extent of the aggregate of buildings, parallel to these various appropriations in their grid – Rossio and the main streets, similar to what happens in the Figueira squares corresponding to a flat piece of land Madalena street, where the block occupies almost the and with regular and well defined blocks, Cais do whole length of the route in order to control and prevent Sodré, with irregular but still defined blocks being a topological and morphological conflicts in the territory. part of the city where the 1758 plan starts to adapt to Despite the differences of each case study, pre-existences of Lisbon and, finally, Chiado with intrinsically linked with their territorial implementation, irregular and complex blocks corresponding to a hilly because they constitute diverse locations as for the part of the downtown’s mesh. constructive nature of the buildings, they suit very well Although having a similar matrix, some changes for the purposes of the investigation since the objects are noticeable in the tracings of these three locations. become appropriate for a deep study of the constructed Only the Chiado is installed in a considerably hilly realities on ground floors of Baixa Pombalina. portion of Lisbon as opposed to Cais do Sodré and For a better understanding of the processes and Rossio and Figueira squares that are on a flat territory. methods used, I suggest consulting my master's thesis This feature influenced the morphology of the mesh The use of vaults in the Pombaline Construction in the built in all the three cases, notably regarding the design bordering areas of Lisbon's downtown where this work and dimensioning of blocks. While in Cais do Sodré is fully explained. and in Rossio and Figueira squares, the blocks or set

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The first location in analysis, Cais do Sodré, regarding the construction systems used, making the with an area of about 20.300m2 (of which 12.400m2 two sources perfectly complementary to each other. are effectively occupied by buildings), is limited to the Doing a little statistics of the building systems south by the Duque da Terceira square and the avenues used over the occupied area, the study reveals that the 24th July and Ribeira das Naus, to the north by São vaulted system occupies 42% (5150m2) and the arch Paulo street, to the east by Bernardino Costa street and system 46% (5700m2) and there is a lack of 12% to the west by São Paulo lane. (1550m2) of total spaces in analysis. The mesh in observation, constituted by eleven In the search and identification of a pattern of blocks, although suffering some adjustments – for distribution of these systems, I can just point out a being in an area where the Pombaline construction gets bigger condensation of vaulted system in the west, adapted to the terrain morphologies and pre- being this part the farther area from the center of existences, like the São Paulo street – it is still possible downtown. to clearly distinguish the sets of buildings.

With the facades exercise, there were identified some blocks as unique properties and another that, although having only one official number, deserved the right division under the elements in study.

Comparing the exercises of archive and field, although both lack information, there are no conflicts Graf. 1 - Distribuição, percentual, no Cais

3 The second location in analysis, Chiado, with an without conflict, adding one to the other relevant area of about 18.500m2 (of which 10.400m2 are information. effectively occupied by buildings), is defined by the Only with a lack of 13% (1400m2) of the total marginal buildings to the axis formed by Garrett street built area in focus, vaulted and arched systems occupy, and Largo do Chiado. respectively, 37% (3815m2) and 50% (5184m2). The urban grid in observation – Chiado – As the construction systems in research have, excepting the facades that line with the Garrett street, under my analysis, a random arrangement, it is not corresponds to a hilly part of the town with irregular and possible to clearly distinguish a pattern in their complex blocks, making their perception difficult in distribution. many cases.

The facades exercise proves the already acquired information, not offering new information and completely validating the baseline record of the division of properties in this area.

In comparing the two exercises – archive and field – except for two cases, numbered 29728 and Graf. 2 - Distribuição, percentual, no Chiado, dos tipos de sistemas 27319, in which the corresponding information is construtivos considerados uneven, the overlap of the two sources was made

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The last location in analysis, formed by Rossio In this third area, it is recorded an occupancy of and Figueira squares, with an area of about 49.800m2 40% (6050m2) of vaulted construction system, 46% (of which 15.000m2 are effectively occupied by (6850m2) in arc and 14% (2100m2) are unknown or in buildings), corresponds to the set of buildings that a technique not covered by the study. generate those squares. Except in buildings to the south of the squares, Rossio and Figueira squares, of the three case where it is necessary to know the adjacent buildings studies, represent the area of more faithful application (not included in this research), it can be distinguished of the type-morphological of the Pombal plan, with an accumulation of system type by block. regular blocks (typically rectangular) and well defined, transmitting uniformity with the mesh of the downtown.

The facades survey proves most of the acquired information, except for the cases numbered 5940, 30178, 14515 and 14679, where I had to adjust the division of property. Graf. 3 - Distribuição, percentual, The complementarity of the archive and field nas praças do Rossio e Figueira, dos tipos de sistemas construtivos records offered no conflict, being easy the union of considerados these two sources of information.

5 Going trought the analysis of the thirth case Cidade. With similar results, observing the gaps 1762- study, using the work developed by Ana Reis, Maria 1777 and 1778-1807, it is simple to identify Simões and Susana Rodrigues – A Décima da Cidade: supremacy of the vaulted constructive system in the contributo para a datação do edificado da Baixa – it is second moment over the first one, where that possible to establish direct conection between the numerical superiority belongs to the arch system. construction system and its application time. Being an Therefore, as observed, the two different studies reveal annual tax, the Décima is an important record, almost uniformity in the conclusions. exclusive, in the dating of the buildins in Lisboa.

Putting the information aquired in the Rossio and Figueira squares in scope, it is possible to distinguish two constructive peaks in the timeline from 1762 until 1834. In the fist gap from 1770 to 1779 there is a win for the arch system. Clearly, from 1790 to 1799, the most used system is vaulted. Could this be an indication that, after the 1755 earthquake, in two different building moments there have been changed some constructive principles? If so, this research shows a succession of vaulted system to arch system.

Graf. 4 - Distribuição, nas praças do It is still possible to perform a similar Rossio e Figueira, por ritmos construtivos, do número de comparison but this time comparing to those identified propriedades edificadas, agrupadas por sistema construtivo as "constructive rhythms" by the work A Décima da

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I can conclude that the presence of the building been followed as real guiding line for the rebuilding of systems considered – vaulted, arched and other – from Lower? the urban point of view, is similar in the analysed areas. Assuming the reconstruction of Lisbon began Since I didn’t consider the structure of the from the center to the outside, may the distribution ground floors in wooden beams, as I only found one found in Cais do Sodré indicate a temporal succession example in the total visited spaces, in the group “not of the constructive principles of the buildings? specified / other” there are only left the buildings where Since, in Rossio and Figueira squares, there is I could not be ascertain of their original realities. With not an obvious distribution of building systems yet only an average presence of 13%, it represents a good there is the perception that these are not randomly reliability of conclusions. arranged – by block – may the constructive methods In general, it is a fact that the arch system has a be related to the degree of importance and greater presence over the vaulted system, in an average categorization of uses present in each set built? relation of 47% to 40%, respectively. Having, once more, closer attention to the In Cais do Sodré, I identified a higher chronology of the matter under study, by comparing the concentration of arch system to the east and of vault results with the Décima da Cidade (with the only place system to the west, being this the direction of that this study covers: the Rossio and Figueira remoteness from the city center. In Chiado, there is not squares), in the investigated sample there is an hint a distinguishable pattern in the location of the systems. that the vaulted system was most used at a later time Finally, in Rossio and Figueira squares, I recognized a over a fist time when arch prevailed. It is interesting to generic agglomeration of building system by block. compare this thought with the conclusions of Rita Lisboa on her master's thesis in architecture O sistema The only note about the employment of vaulted construtivo do piso térreo dos prédios de rendimento constructing says that they would be used in the cross pombalinos where, in an similar method, identifies an streets where stables were. Has this principle really increasing use of the arch system facing an initial moment when there was a supremacy of the wooden

7 system. Thus, possibility for the evolution of the systems by geographic area and its timing, is not only construction systems is supported by both studies. related to the interpretation and study of the major assumptions of the plan for the structure of the ground Although the two essays - mine and the one of floors in the bordering territories as it represents an Rita Lisboa - reveal a constructive evolution (wooden important information for possible interventions in beams → arches → vaults), may these variations be these areas. Since, in many cases, the original building related to the choices of builders or investors? It is system has been mischaracterized by new methods of normal to assume that these actors are not the same construction, through this research, there can be an due to the long duration of the reconstruction of extended knowledge of an object, as its source options. Lisbon’s downtown.

Probably if an identical work is done on the pombaline cage, we may also find minor changes and developments over time.

May the identified constructive variants be result of pressure inculcated for a fast reconstruction of the city? It is possible that at an early stage, when there was more urgency in rebuilding, they opted for simpler and faster building systems? May we assume that in a more advanced stage of reconstruction, those who could not or did not have the financial capacity to build their property, sold it to capitalists with the ability to demand better and more solid constructions?

Besides all this, the buildings of Lisbon’s downtown have always been treated as a combination of a ground floor with a masonry system and the called pombaline cage. But nevertheless, there are some cases with vaulted systems in the first two floors of the building. May this fact also be justified by the theories raised in this work?

I can only ask: Are these assumptions true for all neighbouring areas of Baixa?

Overall, the most relevant conclusions of this work, which are based on the distribution of building

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