Structural and architectural characterisation of old building stocks: case study of the old city centre of Seixal, Portugal, rebuilt after the Great 1755 Lisbon earthquake

Abstract

This paper addresses the issue of historical urban centres from the perspective of the analysis and inventory of building features. The cataloguing process of the building typologies is presented herein as a synthesis of the main construction forms, using as a case study the old city centre of Seixal, Portugal, rebuilt in its present form after the great 1755 Lisbon earthquake. As marks of an historical and architectural heritage, old urban centres should be protected, safeguarded and potentialised. Therefore, it is essential to have a complete understanding of the diachronic process of both buildings and urban mesh, in order to support qualified, conscientious and sustainable interventions.