The “Expo” and the Post-“Expo”: The Role of Public Art in Urban Regeneration Processes in the Late 20th Century

Abstract

In 1998, the Lisbon Universal Exhibition—Expo’98—led to an urban regeneration process on Lisbon’s waterfront. Following the example of other cities, this event was a pretext for rethinking and replacing a depressed area and for reconnecting it with the Tagus river through the creation of a set of new spaces for common use along the water. It was promoted as a public art program, which can be considered quite innovative in the Portuguese context. In view of this framework, this article aims to debate the relationships between public art and the dynamics of urban regeneration at the end of the 20th century. For that, it will analyse: (1) Expo’98’s public art program, comparing its initial assumptions with the final results; and (2) the impact of this program, through the identification of the placement of public art before (1974–1998) and after (1999–2009) the event. Although most of the implemented works did not (intentionally) explore aspects of space integration nor issues of public space appropriation, Expo’98’s public art program originated a monumentalisation of Lisbon’s eastern riverfront, later extended to other waterfront areas. At the same time, it played an important role in the way of understanding the city and public space that decisively influenced subsequent policies and projects. It is concluded that public art had a significant role in urban processes in the late 20th century, which is quite evident in a discourse of urban art as space qualifier and as a means of economic and social development.

A Playground and Arts for a Community in Transition: A Circular Model for Built Heritage Regeneration in the Sanità District (Naples, Italy)

“…The stakeholders' engagement enables the experimentation of creative strategies, acting on the reinterpretation of the lost values in the historical and cultural urban context. Culture and creativity in these spaces are potential drivers for reconnecting lost relationships between the built environment and communities [43]. In fact, in the process of regeneration, creative cooperation can play an educational role in the formation of new generations [44].…”

URBAN REGENERATION OF WATERFRONTS: Literature Review

“…The role of the af f ective atmosphere as a relevant aspect f or the realization of specif ic projects is also highlighted (Yu, 2019). Some authors approach culture through cultural corridors (Acri et al, 2021) and also through urban art (Ochoa, 2022). The role of the European Capital of Culture program is highlighted as a catalyst f or waterf ront regeneration (Jones & Ponzini, 2021).…”

Built Heritage Repurposing and Communities Engagement: Symbiosis, Enabling Processes, Key Challenges

“…However, the general public involvement is limited to the knowledge stages, only triggering a management approach based on respect. Despite the quality of the results achieved on an architectural level, this experience shifts reflection on the risks and criticalities of processes in which community engagement fails to activate lasting synergies between places and the people who live there [48]. The initiative projected Lisbon onto the international art scene, promoting the birth of a flood of art galleries.…”