Abstract

GUIMARAES, Pedro. The effectiveness of the special projects of commercial urbanism: Evidence from Braga. Finisterra [online]. 2016, n.102, pp.47-64. ISSN 0430-5027.  https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis7320.

The aim of this article is to analyse the process of implementation of the public programmes Procom and Urbcom in the city of Braga. These programmes were implemented in the territory through the special projects of commercial urbanism, peculiar mechanisms for the urban regeneration of commercial areas in Portugal based on integrated funding for the modernization of shops, the rehabilitation of public space and commercial animation. To analyse the effectiveness of both projects we conducted 50 surveys with entrepreneurs and four interviews with relevant stakeholders. Our findings show that the modernization of the outlets was already underway and it was going to be carried out even without adhering to the projects. In a similar process, the physical rehabilitation of the town centre was already under way. Thus, the role of the Procom and Urbcom projects was very limited. The promotional actions carried out by the Chamber of Commerce were ephemeral and concentrated in a limited number of commercial streets, which restricted their ability to produce positive impacts. Overall, due to this and the inability to minimize external threats we conclude that both projects were ineffective in the regeneration of the city centre of Braga

Keywords : Braga; Procom; Urbcom; special projects of commercial urbanism; urban regeneration.

        · abstract in Portuguese | French     · text in Portuguese     · Portuguese ( pdf )