PEDESTRIANISATION OF THE CITY CENTER OF BRAGA

By project STEP UP

Published on 06 March 2025

Portugal

Norte

Braga

About this good practice

Being a historic city, whose foundation dates back the Roman Empire, Braga faces important challenges in the matter of the urban design. The ensemble that encompasses the medieval area embodies a very dense and consolidated network of buildings, public spaces and streets of narrow profile, while the outskirts have a very car-orientated urban design. The prioritisation of the car is clear in the oversizing of the roads and the space allocated to parking. As the heart of the city, where many different functions and urban experiences take place, the Historic Centre was recognised as key area for promoting pedestrian mobility and humanising the public space, thus promoting the city and its experience.
In 90s, through the development of strategies of public investment, a commitment was made to the formalisation of comprehensive and humanised spaces, in which pedestrian circulation is assumed to be the first hierarchical level in the multimodal chain, privileging it over other road users.
Taking the issues of pedestrianisation as a central aspect of the interventions, there where concrete measures defined that were incorporated into the intervention areas, but with the potential to function as a network and in an integrated manner on a city-wide scale. This ensures the continuance and consolidation of the city’s transformation into a democratic designed place. There were benefits for the all population considering the general improving of the quality of the urban environment.

Resources needed

The physical transformation of the public space requires human resources to design and involve the population, as well as financial resources to implement the work of relocating the public space.

Evidence of success

The pedestrianization of the city centre have been recognised nationally (National Association of Municipalities with a Historic Centre) for the affirmation of the historic centre as ex-libris. In this context, more than 60 streets and squares have already been rehabilitated, corresponding to more than 150,000m2 of pedestrianised area. This practice has made a decisive contribution inducing the rehabilitation of buildings, enhancing urban living socialisation and economic activities.

Potential for learning or transfer

The centre of Braga experienced a period of several decades of degradation, particularly between the 1950s and 1980s, which led to a context of profound physical, social, economic and heritage degradation.

The strategy based on humanising the public space and improving the quality of life of those who live in and visit the city of Braga called for a qualitative increase in pedestrian circulation. This objective was achieved by strengthening the attractiveness of walking in public spaces, favouring the principles of friendly pedestrian circulation, universal accessibility and also safety in pedestrian circulation throughout the urban environment. As a result, the city centre has been revitalised, with a remarkable increase in commercial activity.