Lisbon’s buildings reveal the history of the city’s development, composing an urban landscape that includes different architectural styles and significant examples of heritages. In the neighborhood of Marvila, located in the eastern part of the capital, several buildings announce the memory of a period recognized for its profound social and urban changes: Portuguese industrialization and its consolidation in the 19th century.
Society and its way of life became more accelerated, mechanical and architecture turned to functionality, recognized by factories and their sober volumes built with resistant materials. Today, the heritage of this period can be witnessed through the remanence of the industrial heritage in the old industrial areas of the city, such as Marvila.
Recognizing the importance of studies about the preservation of this cultural heritage, the present investigation intends to investigate what remains of the memory of the factory labor in Marvila, through an analysis of both historical records and current data of industrial buildings located on Rua do Açúcar, the street which the first factories were installed in this area and which are currently being reused for new uses.
As a way of complementing this analysis and promoting discussions on industrial heritage and its conservation, the research also presents the historical framework of the development of the area, testimonies from those who lived during its industrialization and proposals for initiatives to preserve the industrial heritage that remains there.
