Avenida 25 de Abril

"This land is undoubtedly the masterpiece of a great landscaper who is in heaven" Eça de Queiroz in a letter to Eduardo Prado.

This man’s presence in this territory transformed the region into an area rich in traditions, gastronomy and beautiful landscapes, consequently increasing tourism possibilities. Although the proximity to the Douro Region (UNESCO) is great, it is here that green wines are produced and the sub-region of Baião is defined. Wine has a fundamental role here to support all regional and local synergies. We wanted the center of Baião to stop being a stop and go place and to become a long term experience. We planned to increase the active/passive recreation areas that are currently at very low levels, to ensure a better quality of life for the population and to provide access to resources that they do not currently have. We reorganized mobility, keeping easy access to buildings and we created more pedestrian spaces to keep green areas close to each other, thus promoting ecological and visual connectivity. The characteristics and potential of the place gave us the fundamental basis to define the identity of this avenue. We designed resting places, green areas, playgrounds and we defined the center of Baião. We created active/resting places with sun/shade and open/closed areas. We converted road traffic into pedestrian traffic, and substantially increased the open space area for population.