Entre os morleiros e a feitoria. Projecto estratégico para as margens e azenhas históricas do Tâmega de Amarante

Abstract

The Morleiros and Feitoria milling structures, situated on Tâmega's river bank, near Amarante's city centre, were built during the 18th century and operated practically until the end of the 20th century, now remaining in a state of degradation and its study still yet to be done. Revealing a functionalist architecture of regional character, these structures were part of a real milling industry, today extinct, that spread through all the country. On the Tâmega, in detriment of preventing the navigability of the river, it had a fundamental roll on the economy of an essentially agricultural society, expanded the urban tissue generating new habitational areas and perpetuated the imaginary of the riverside lifestyle that it testifies. In light of the new Murta's Thermal Complex of Amarante, the desired re encounter of the city with its thermalism past and the proximity of both milling structures to mineral water springs, emerges the necessity of rethinking the remaining milling structures, understanding its functioning and originality and potentiating it's preservation, new use and communication with the surrounding historical environment.