Lisboa, Amoreiras
Since the mid 1980s, Lisbon's northwestern skyline has been characterized by a high rise building complex designed by the architect Tómas Taveira. The building style of the twelve story block is striking and has been designated by the architect himself as "Neo Modern". The whole building project was hotly disputed as soon as it was unveiled - namely because the unusual style and coloring of the architecture clashes with the predominantly older constructions of the city. The Amoreiras quarter owes its name to the mulberry trees which Minister Pombal had planted in the 18th C. at the Praça das Amoreiras next to the Mae d'Água, a castle surrounded by water. Silkworms were then released here and a silk factory established.
The three tower blocks and the neighboring lower building complex accommodate offices, luxury flats and cinemas. Today the name Amoreiras signifies first of all the spacious, fully air conditioned shopping center located on the two bottom floors. With about 350 shops covering 86,000sq.m/102,856sq.yd and parking spaces for 1,200 cars, it constitutes Europe's sixth largest center of this type. When it opened in 1985, it covered almost twelve times the area of the Centro Comercial Alvalade, until then the largest center.
