LAGOA DAS
FURNAS

Location: Azores, Portugal
Program: Stream reclamation
Category: Academic, Harvard GSD
Instructors: Joao Nunes, Joao Gomes da Silva
Year: 2015

The stream is an opportunity for linking more adequately the town and the lagoon by foot.

The caldera of Furnas and its famous lagoon sits 70m above the town of Furnas. An overflow stream connects one to another through forested areas, plantations of Igname, and the horticultural park of Terra Nostra. The stream is an opportunity for linking more adequately the town and the lagoon by foot. The project seeks to bring forth the stream in people’s imagination by proposing a path with specific moments that allow for an increased interaction with the stream and surroundings. Infrastructure and public space is retrofitted and designed to create a more memorable experience. Stormwater management is integrated into the design features through adapting existing infrastructure. 

A lookout, a stream crossing, and a meandering walk create new places to meet, reflect, and appreciate the landscape of the Azores.