Canned architecture: Matosinhos and the Atlantic history of canned sardines

Matosinhos e a história atlântica da arquitetura das sardinhas

Abstract

The study of the relationship between fishing and architecture can reveal new perspectives for understanding the dynamics between the coast and the sea and contribute to the formulation of strategies for the organization of coastal territories, directly affected by climate change and the environmental crisis. This article seeks to understand the recent urban history of Matosinhos from fishing, a fundamental vector for the urbanization of this port city in the North of Portugal, mainly through the production of canned sardines. The intensive production of this industrialized food reveals cultural aspects that created myths and traditions, economically and politically explored, but also suggests an Atlantic geography to understand the characteristic flows and circulations of the production and consumption of canned fish. When analyzing the transformations of this activity in an integrated manner between different fields of knowledge, we seek to establish relationships between the ecological aspects of the exploitation of a specific natural resource and its impacts on the built environment.