Portugal's award winning Barrocal Park
Barrocal Park, the 40-hectare destination by Topiaris in Castelo Branco, Portugal, has won a range of awards including Best Ecological Structure 2021 from the International Ecotourism Society, and first prize in the 2020 Wan Awards Urban Landscape Category.
Formally inaugurated last year, the transitional landscape between city and countryside is integrated into UNESCO’s Naturtejo Geopark and the Tejo/Tajo International Biosphere Reserve, and has significant geological, archaeological and natural value.
Barrocal Park in Portugal has won a range of awards.
The municipality of Castelo Branco, where the park is located only a two-hour drive from Lisbon, decided that the creation of a park was essential for the promotion, study and preservation of Barrocal.
Topiaris say that, “the roughness of this landscape protected it from urban development, allowed for the preservation of its natural character. Over time, it became a sanctuary for wild fauna and flora.”
Formally inaugurated last year, the transitional landscape between city and countryside is integrated into UNESCO’s Naturtejo Geopark and the Tejo/Tajo International Biosphere Reserve.
“The design concept and design aim at achieving a balance between recreation and nature conservation, demonstrating that it is possible to have a genuine park within the city.”
Barrocal has been influenced by Castelo Branco’s urban expansion, and because Barrocal is part of the city’s identity, minimal and subtle interventions were necessary. These original design interventions aim to strike a balance between recreation and conservation, and demonstrate the possibility of having an authentic natural park in an urban context.
The design team wanted to show it was possible to have a ‘genuine’ park in a city.
A network of suspended paths and viewpoints allow the public spectacular views of the vast and varied landscape. They also control the flow of visitors, safeguarding the environment with minimal maintenance cost.
Defined trails are punctuated by reference points such as a demo circle bench, a shaded tunnel in the shape of a reptile (‘Tunel de Lagarto’), and a cone-shaped birdwatching shelter (Observatorio dos abelharucos’).
“The creation of a park was crucial for the preservation, study, and promotion of the Barrocal natural values,” says Topiaris.
“Its landscape and associated values, as well as its proximity to the city, represented an opportunity to provide outstanding spaces for Castelo Branco’s urban population, while creating a scientific, geological and archaeological interpretation site, a nature conservation site, and a nature tourism destination.”
The designers set out to achieve a balance between recreation and nature conservation.
Creating an island of nature surrounded by an urban area posed a challenge for the Topiaris design team.
They had to adapt their design solutions to the site’s specifics, functional needs, budget, and requirement for low-level maintenance.
A network of suspended paths and viewpoints allow the public spectacular views of the vast and varied landscape.
Construction will be completed in two phases- the recently built 11-hectare first phase will be added to the 29-hectare second phase began last year.
The park’s opening has been postponed due to the global pandemic, but it is already being sporadically used by locals.
