Asprela Central Park

Category: Nature > Park

District: Porto > Porto > Porto > Asprela

Location

The Asprela Central Park is located in the Asprela area, in the heart of the city of Porto. This green space was designed to create a fluid connection between the various university campuses and research centers located there, facilitating pedestrian and cycle circulation for those who live, study, or work in this urban area. Its strategic position offers a natural break from the city's dynamism.

A New Urban Green Lung

With an area of over six hectares, the Asprela Central Park is an important green lung for the city. Its landscape design drew inspiration from a neo-romantic garden concept, integrating existing vegetation, such as poplars and willows, and enriching it with the planting of trees characteristic of Porto, such as cedars, liquidambars, and magnolias. This carefully planned arrangement creates an inviting and diverse natural environment that encourages tranquility and the observation of flora.

Landscape Engineering and Sustainability

This park stands out for its innovative and sustainable approach to natural resource management. The project ingeniously integrates the Asprela and Manga streams, allowing them to flow in the open and using them as central elements of the park's ecosystem. By using nature-based solutions, the park functions as a large rainwater retention basin, with a capacity of thousands of cubic meters, preventing floods. This feature not only benefits the quality of the local microclimate, providing a cooling effect, but also contributes to aquifer recharge and promotes biodiversity, creating new habitats for small reptiles, small mammals, and amphibians.

Paths and Accessibility

The Asprela Central Park offers a vast network of paths, totaling more than two kilometers, designed for pedestrian and bicycle circulation. The design of these routes took into account reduced mobility, ensuring that the space is accessible to all visitors. Along the trails, there are rest areas and large clearings, ideal for outdoor recreational activities and leisure. It is an invitation to explore the space and have direct contact with nature in the heart of the city.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt