Bairro dos Olivais, Lisbon

Designed according to the principles established in the Athens Charter (1933), Bairro dos Olivais emerged in the 1950s.

 

Bairro dos Olivais emerged in the mid-1950s on the outskirts of the city, in an area where industry and agriculture coexisted.

Olivais Norte and Olivais Sul, two parts of the urban plan that had as guiding principles those that the Charter of Athens (1933) consigned. Architects José Rafael Botelho, Carlos Duarte, António Freitas, Celestino da Costa and Mário Bruxelas worked as urban planners.

Olivais Sul. Housing building on C7 street © Estúdio Mário Novais
Olivais Norte. Type IIIA project. Architects Pires Martins (1914-2000) and Palma de Melo (1922-) © Estúdio Mário Novais
Olivais Sul. Housing tower Cidade de Quelimane street © Estúdio Mário Novais
Olivais Sul. Housing tower in cell C © Estúdio Mário Novais

The buildings were designed maily by the architects Sommer Ribeiro, Falcão and Cunha, Nuno Portas, Nuno Teotónio Pereira, Carlos M. Ramos, Manuel Tainha; the green spaces between the housing blocks had the intervention of landscape architects Álvaro Ponce Dentinho and Gonçalo Ribeiro Teles.

Olivais Sul. General view © Estúdio Mário Novais
Municipal Swimming Pool of Olivais © Estúdio Horácio Novais
Olivais Sul. General view © Estúdio Mário Novais

The Municipal Swimming Pool of Olivais was designed by architects Aníbal Barros da Fonseca and Eduardo Paiva Lopes. Built with Olympic measures – 50 meters long – it was the scene of numerous official swimming events. It opened in July 1967.


Photos with history

Many memories can arise when viewing the photographs from the studios of Mário and Horácio Novais who recorded the daily life, the architecture and works for advertising.

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Updated on 19 february 2021

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