An Incomplete Atlas of Ruin
Battered buildings, unnecessary and inconvenient problem for the urban landscape, are mainly a living monument, a record of traditions and manner. The ruins by the incessant degradation and social dysfunction deviate from the traditional canons of beauty. However, as a work of architecture can also be considered as a unique work of art, created by human hands and processed by nature.
Ghost Town / Cidade Fantasma
A 'ghost town' in our culture is recognized as abandoned city, usually as a result of war or natural disaster. This story however does not represent a classical case of destroyed and empty urban space. It tells about popular European destination, which behind the monuments facades and tourist stalls conceals the old dilapidated buildings, forming peculiar districts of ruins. It is talk about the city of Porto, the pearl of neoclassicism, with outstanding landscapes and historic center inscribed on a list of world heritage of Unesco.
At the first glance, the ruins may not appear for tourist enchanted with beauty of the city, but upon closer examination they emerge like a ghost. The ruins are the space that specifically demolish urban governance, and implement an element of architectural chaos. Abandoned Places are primarily industrial space remains of factories that once formed part of the aesthetics and modern city urban governance.
The rest of ruins constitute a residential buildings, a beautiful mansions belonging formerly to wealthy Portuguese, which in the past has been taken away (during the era of communism), or had to be desolated amid to the economic crisis. Today, however, constitute a post-industrial waste that destroys the aesthetics of urban environments.
The documentation has been made in the period from August to December 2014 in the northern Portugal mainly at Porto (some picture were taken in Braga).
