Loures Riverfront: a green corridor in Lisbon, designed by Topiaris, that invites us to inhabit the threshold between city and nature

The Loures Riverfront project, designed by the landscape architecture studio Topiaris, unfolds across 85 hectares of the Tagus wetland ecosystem, consolidating a linear park that integrates mobility, leisure, and environmental conservation. At its heart lies a 6.2-kilometer wooden walkway, conceived for pedestrians and cyclists, connecting Lisbon with Vila Franca de Xira and strengthening the continuity of the great metropolitan route of the Tagus.

The intervention addresses a dual objective: to complete the intermunicipal network of soft mobility routes while reconnecting the city of Loures with its riverbank, long fragmented by road and rail infrastructures. The result is not only a recreational space but also a mobility infrastructure with a direct impact on reducing emissions and improving the quality of life of nearby communities.

The preliminary analysis of the site revealed a surprising landscape: a mosaic of marshes, mudflats, and reed beds which, just minutes from densely urbanized areas, host an unexpected biodiversity. Inspired by the land’s natural drainage lines, the layout avoids rigid straight lines and instead proposes a curving path that follows the topography, opening shifting perspectives onto the habitats.

The walkway itself, elevated on piles, protects the wetlands by allowing the free circulation of water and ensures safety in the face of flooding, while also offering a diverse experience of contact with the landscape.

Along the route, observation and resting areas are equipped with benches, birdwatching platforms, and wooden shade structures. Small shaded tunnels slow the journey on hot summer days, while two concrete piers, remnants of the industrial past, have been restored to provide river access and accommodate local fishermen. Beyond its recreational role, Loures Riverfront is conceived as a platform for research and environmental education, designed to raise awareness about the importance of estuarine ecosystems and the sustainable management of biodiversity.

An immersion in the Tagus landscape

Walking along the Loures Riverfront means surrendering to a path that winds between water, salt, and vegetation, where the call of birds mingles with the gentle creak of wood beneath each step. Here, the river reveals itself as a living organism, a mosaic of estuaries breathing to the rhythm of the tides, while visitors move at a different pace—slower, more attentive.

The Tagus Circle becomes an immersive experience: a circular ritual that allows the marshes to be contemplated in their changing diversity, unveiling their delicate vulnerability and the beauty of their balance. The elevated walkway seems to float above the landscape, offering multiple views—from the vastness of the horizon to the small details of flora sprouting among the reeds.

The resting points invite pause: benches oriented toward the water, shadows tracing the light, lookouts opening like discreet balconies to listen to the life of the estuary. The recovered piers return the river to its vocation as a place of encounter, welcoming fishermen and strollers alike.

Loures Riverfront is a green corridor that invites us to inhabit the threshold between city and nature, to reconcile daily mobility with serene contemplation. Along its 6.2 kilometers, it unfolds a silent lesson on the importance of preserving ecosystems, reminding us that true luxury lies in walking slowly, in feeling the Tagus breeze, and in recognizing ourselves as part of a larger, living, and shared landscape.

Project: Loures Riverfront.

Client: Municipality of Loures.
Landscape architecture: Topiaris.
Project team: Catarina Viana, Teresa Barão, Luis Ribeiro, Ana Lemos, Elsa Calhau, Rita Salgado , André Godinho, Henrique Mateus, Rita Lopes, Miguel Brito, Nuno Lecoq (Landscape Ecology consultant)
Photography: João Guimarães. Artur Carvalho.
Structural engineering: FTD / JETSJ. Pedro Delgado. Alexandre Pinto. Nuno Silva

Signage: Desenharia. Pedro Silva e Sousa
.
Environmental impact: Bioinsight.

Topiaris

Founded in Lisbon in 1988, Topiaris has established itself as one of the most relevant landscape architecture studios in Portugal. With more than three decades of experience, its work spans multiple scales and contexts: from territorial planning and the restoration of historic landscapes to the contemporary design of urban parks, public spaces, tourism facilities and private gardens. Its philosophy is holistic and deeply committed to sustainability: each project seeks to integrate local communities, preserve biodiversity and, above all, create harmonious relationships between people and their environment.

Topiaris’ work is recognized for its ability to create authentic places where nature and culture intertwine, and where time becomes another material in the design process. Their projects are not conceived as static scenarios but as living processes, where vegetation, water resources and habitats evolve, shaping mature and sustainable landscapes imbued with a sense of belonging and collective memory. This approach has earned them numerous international awards, but more importantly, it has transformed their projects into meaningful spaces for those who inhabit them.

The studio is led by three founding partners who, with complementary backgrounds, have given Topiaris a strong and distinctive identity.
Read full biography.

Project by Topiaris