Pedro Calado, Mayor of Funchal, was today at the opening session of the seminar ‘Architecture of the Islands.’
“Talking about architecture today is a challenge”, acknowledged the mayor, who, although praised work done over the recent decades, said it was time to look at the challenge from a fresher more enlightened perspective.
“Not everything that was done was positive,” he noted, stressing, however, that the future, although challenging is promising.
However, the mayor warns that from now on, “a different vision” will be needed, capable of responding to the new challenges, namely taking into account the environmental dimension and climate change.
“We are under a lot of urban, economic and technological pressure,” he said, adding that in the city of Funchal fundamentalisms will not be applied, but decisions and projects will be made to measure, and respect the singularities of Funchal.
“To this end, singular, academic or economic interests will not be considered. We have to look at it in a balanced and responsible way,” stressed Pedro Calado.
The Funchal leader, however, praises the state of architecture in the Region, notably highlighting what is happening in the real estate sector, where the values of the square meter have risen to surprising values, also thanks to the attractiveness of Madeira to investors.
“Today we are living in a positive time,” he underlined, referring to the economic growth that has boosted the archipelago, in which public and private investments he considers “have given positive results.”
Pedro Calado further said that the municipality he directs has an open dialogue policy, affirming the municipality’s commitment to reducing bureaucracy, bringing architects closer, attracting more investment, developing tourism and promoting the economic development of the city and the region.
He also advanced that the CMF wants to relaunch the architecture award, in order to value this profession and the works developed in the Madeiran capital, as well as the urban rehabilitation award.
The mayor also announced that a digital platform is being developed to facilitate the licensing and monitoring of processes.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
