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Reconstruction of Lisbon 
Architecture
[after the earthquake of 1755]
Architecture[after the earthquake of 1755]
On a single apocalyptic day in 1755, Lisbon, Portugal, was hit with an earthquake, a tsunami, and destructive fires.
Man with the vision for a “modern city” . . . . Marquis of Pombal the Count of Oeiras a Portuguese title of nobility created by a royal decree, dated from July 15, 1759, by King Joseph I of Portugal & granted to Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, head of the Portuguese government
The Pombaline was a Portuguese architectural style of the 18th century named after the first Marques de Pombal which became prominent after the earthquake of 1755. Pombal supervised plans drawn up by military engineers Manuel de Maia, Eugenio dos Santos & Elias Sebastian Pope.
The new city, mostly the Baixa area, was out on a grid plan with roads & pavements fixed at 40ft wide. Maia & Santos outlined the form of the facades that were to line the streets, conceived on a hierarchical scheme whereby detail/size were delineated by importance of the street.
The Pombaline style is famous for being one of the first, if not the first anti-seismic designs in architecture. It was the first large scale pre-fabrication ever attempted in Europe!
THE POMBALINE BUILDING IS A STRUCTURE WITH UP TO FOUR FLOORS, INCLUDING ARCADES ON THE GROUND FLOOR TO ALLOW FOR SHOPS AND BALCONIES ON THE FIRST FLOOR AND ATTIC.
The Pombaline building is a structure with up to four floors, including arcades on the ground floor to allow for shops and balconies on the first floor and attic. All buildings follow the same typology.
The small decorative details on the façade depend on the significance of the pace. Isolated by walls, to stop possible fires from spreading, and respect the maximum dimensions imposed. This is why the designers considered four floors the ideal size to prevent further disaster.
The construction of the palace was also regulated & forced to be unostentatious, an unpopular situation among the aristocracy. This allowed for decoration only at the windows of the building which are a little more elegant than those of other buildings.
What is the functional spirit of the Pombaline style? It is one that eliminated the extraneous decoration and posed a rational soberness throughout. It is not completely Rococo, but close to it.
The Pombaline style reflects an illuminist spirit and strong neoclassical character, even without the shapes of the classical architectural style. Another clever element of the anti-seismic design was implemented underground.
Wooden poles were driven into the riverbed to reinforce the city.
The buildings were restricted in height. This posed less risk in the event of a tumble. This allows light to penetrate the city.
The buildings were restricted in height. This posed less risk in the event of a tumble. This allows light to penetrate the city.
Pombal intended for buildings to multi-function as private dwellings on the upper floors with retail space on the ground level. This is similar to what we see today. The design prioritized public space, and facades were created in a simple neoclassical style.
You will notice many azulejo tiles like other cities, for example, Porto. Manufactured completely outside of the city, transported in pieces, and then assembled on site.
The construction lasted into the 19th century, lodged the city’s residents in safe new structures unheard-of-before the earthquake of Lisbon.
The medieval streets gave place to an orthogonal city, organizing the area between the city old squares.
Pombal devised a cityscape that become one of Europe’s first masterplaned cities. Lisbon is also one of the first cities to implement earthquake-proof building design. Following the disaster, Lisbon was all but leveled.
Lisbon is now a masterpiece of urban planning & a pioneer in anti-seismic architecture, fire safety & hygiene. These streets firstly facilitated movement & trade but they also had a practical purpose. If buildings were to collapse again they wouldn’t topple on top of one another.
The 1755 Lisbon Earthquake Strikes on All Saints Day
The Great Lisbon earthquake struck Lisbon, the Kingdom of Portugal, around 10:24 on the morning of November 1, 1755, the day Catholics commemorated as All Saints Day.
The Great Lisbon earthquake struck Lisbon, the Kingdom of Portugal, around 10:24 on the morning of November 1, 1755, the day Catholics commemorated as All Saints Day.
For nearly ten minutes the earth heaved and convulsed. The seismic waves ripped apart soil and buildings and swallowed people. Huge fires crackled and devoured everything in their paths and burned for days.
Many people felt that the destruction of Lisbon, and other regions of Portugal was an act of God, a divine revenge for the way that Portugal had conquered other countries like South America.
Sebastiao de Carvalho e Melo, Marquis of Pombal and minister to King Joseph I of Portugal had a more pragmatic attitude. According to legend, he said, “We bury the dead and heal the living,” and got to work.
1755 copper engraving showing Lisbon in flames and a tsunami overwhelming the ships in the harbor
Calculated travel times (in hours) for the tsunami waves of 1 November 1755
The ruins of the Carmo Convent, which was destroyed in the Lisbon earthquake.
Model of the seismically protective wooden structure called "gaiola pombalina" (pombaline cage), developed for the reconstruction of Pombaline Lower Town
Earthquake resistant construction #design #architecture #engineering #earthquake #europe #construction #building
Earthquake resistant construction #architecture #engineering #earthquake #europe #construction #building #design
Earthquake resistant construction #engineering #earthquake #europe #construction #building #design #architecture
Earthquake resistant construction #engineering #earthquake #europe #construction #building #design #architecture
Earthquake resistant construction #earthquake #europe #construction #building #design #architecture #engineering
Earthquake resistant construction #europe #construction #building #design #architecture #engineering #earthquake
Earthquake resistant construction #construction #building #design #architecture #engineering #europe #earthquake
Earthquake resistant construction #construction #building #design #architecture #engineering #europe #earthquake
Earthquake resistant construction #architecture #engineering #europe #earthquake #construction #building #design
Lisbon main square (Praça do Comércio)
The Project for the Royal Palace in Campo de Ourique was an ambitious 18th century proposal for a monumental royal palace to be built in the Campo de Ourique neighborhood of Lisbon.
Portuguese architect Dionizio de S. Dionizio planned the palace for King Joseph I of Portugal as part of the reconstruction efforts following the destruction of the 1755 Lisbon Earthquake.
Palácio Campo de Ourique, c.1760
Palácio Campo de Ourique, c.1760
Palácio Campo de Ourique, c.1760
Palácio Campo de Ourique, c.1760
