Enlightenment practice and city design

Architecture and city design have been the object of significant changes since the second half of the 18^th century, under Enlightenment influence, showing a shift in the perception of the relationships between time and space. Such changes foresee, in part, a nostalgia for the medieval city, or even for ancient times, that will later stress the progress of the industrial revolution.This chapter, which encompasses our work, requires a methodical approach supported by case studies that further evaluate the sense of ongoing mutations. After the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, the urbanization processes are particularly significant in this scope, as they reflect a catastrophic circumstance that spread beyond the Baixa Pombalina zone.On the western side of the city, in Lapa’s neighborhood, we highlight the analysis of a block of buildings that grew parallel to the reconstruction process of Baixa Pombalina, being evidence of Enlightenment practice, which has been secondary to the restoration of the city’s downtown area. This sample block reveals a tendency to standardize architectural elements, contributing to the urban image integration as an essential factor of its identity when considering ongoing renovations.