O Desenvolvimento Urbano do Funchal - entre os anos de 1970 e 2007

Abstract

The history of almost six centuries of Funchal is divided into three great epochs, covering, the XV-XVI, XVII, XVIII, XIX-XX, which correspond to economic cycles that characterized the city: the sugar, the wine and tourism, respectively. Until the nineteenth century, the city is closed on its walls, in a densely built core, with small pockets in rural areas. During the twentieth century, relying on the "General Plan of Improvements of Funchal", by the architect Ventura Terra (1915), the " Urbanization Plan of 1931-33" was prepared by Fernão de Ornelas, marking the city's residential development (an attempt to solve the housing problem then existing) to building economic neighborhoods and two broad avenues, the Infante and the Sea, which served as the axis of expansion to the west of the county. In the second half of the twentieth century, with the construction of the airport, the increased of the harbor and the construction of roads (connecting all counties), Madeira opens to the world, developing new support to the economy of the region, Industrial Tourism. From the 70's, there is the city's expansion to the periphery, mainly west and north, a result of large migratory movements of populations and the decrease in mortality, the population has increased dramatically accentuating the pressure building. I talk about the rampant emergence of numerous buildings, housing types single family, often in installments or in a clandestine way (without any control or rules, in situations of poor hygiene and without access and basic infrastructure). It was from this point that Funchal began to transforme, feeling the need to widen the highway (elevation 200 which drastically reduced long-distances between the city and elsewhere in the county (more remote villages) and the region), and create a series of new services and public and private facilities (universities, hospitals, factories, supermarkets, hotels, sports complexes and especially housing) necessary for their development and improvement of living conditions of its inhabitants. All these factors gave rise to other types of land occupation (not always supported by a prior plan), with a strong impact. Currently the county has problems with the planning; development and consequence of that delay in preparing a Municipal Master Plan of Funchal (essential in order to monitor, frame and control such development) that only appeared in 1997. Going from general to particular, I aboard the Plan of Madeira Tecnopolo, being a developing area in the county, important both economically and socially, in the future development of Funchal.