Historical City, Metropolis, Continuity of Space: The Writings on the City by Fernando Távora (1952–1962)

The decade between 1950 and 1960 is decisive in many aspects of Fernando Távora's design and cultural career: his entry as a lecturer at the Escolas de Belas-Artes in Porto (ESBAP), his participation in the CIAM, a series of trips that were decisive for his education, among which the "journey around the world" financed by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon stands out, the realisation of founding works such as the Quinta da Conceição in Matosinhos, the Municipal Market in Vila da Feira, the Holiday House in Ofir as well as an intense activity as an urban planner, independently or in collaboration with the Municipality of Porto. The text intends to retrace the writings about the city elaborated during that period, showing their evolution - from the approach to the historical European city to the encounter with the great non-European metropolises - emphasising the methodological aspects that later became central to his idea of the architectural and urban project.