“Caminhos do Romantico” no Porto e os Impactos na Percepção Ambiental com a Implantação da Ponte Ferreirinha: Um Olhar da Neurociência Aplicada ao Urbanismo

Abstract

The "Romantic Paths" are a series of picturesque routes in the city of Porto, Portugal, known for their natural beauty and historical significance. However, the urban mobility demands of contemporary times, as outlined in the Recovery and Resilience Plan, bring a new reality to this route with the planned construction of a new bridge over the Douro River. The implementation of the Ferreirinha Bridge has sparked significant controversy in the city, as it directly impacts part of the route, drastically affecting the site and, consequently, the
environmental perception of residents and passersby. This article employs approaches rooted in Environmental Perception and Neuroscience applied to urbanism to discuss the issue from a renewed perspective, in this preliminary phase before the bridge’s construction. The natural landscape, known and cherished for centuries, has become vital for the mental and emotional well-being of individuals who now experience the loss of collective memorial references that cannot be recovered. The rhetorical question remains, in the current global scenario: should the modernization of historic urban sites consider only the technical aspects described in public tenders as the ultimate design premise, at the expense of the expected aging and essence preservation of these urban fragments?