Porto Briefing: Coffee and Stroll with a Local Expert

With a background in Architecture (University of Porto) and a postgraduate degree in Sociology (MPhil Cities Programme - London School of Economics and Political Science), Ricardo is particularly interested in change and transformation and how they impact cities, and in urban space as the outcome of socio-historical processes. After living several years in Helsinki, London and Milan, Ricardo returned to his hometown where he enjoys acting as mediator between the visitors and the city’s landscape. In the course of the walks he proposes, participants are encouraged to engage with more in-depth readings, and find new meanings, in the built environment. The aim is also to endow each visitor with an enhanced ability to unravel the multiple identities that make up Porto’s singular character through an understanding of how these identities became embedded in the city’s fabric. Ultimately, Ricardo’s explorations of Porto’s city space throughout the different ages provide equally an opportunity for a broader reflection on the aspects that render places unique, and on the ways places can be improved as to become settings for better forms of public, and private, social life.

Maria is a Portuguese native and professional chef. She has studied and worked as a chef in UK and has traveled extensively, giving her a very good sense of the comparisons between ingredients, cuisines and traditions. At the moment, she is doing workshops, catering jobs, baking, food events and restaurant adviser. She loves everything related to food ... shopping, cooking, sharing recipes and of course, eating.

João was born in Oeiras (same home town of Marquis de Pombal), but in 2016 he moved to Porto, a city which he lives. He studied Tourism Management and went on to complete his master's degree in Territorial Management. His dissertation was about territorial cohesion and its relevance for spatial planning: this gives him a special approach in terms of the social, economic and environmental development of the cities. He also has professional experience in guided tours and educational services in museums, expositions and shore excursions both abroad and in Portugal. In his free time he likes to explore the peculiarities that make Porto such a unique place.