The growing interest in resilience and sustainability has highlighted the impact of food production in urban territories. In this post-carbon age, it’s becoming ever more apparent that urban agriculture is a powerful tool to create more sustainable metabolisms. However, analysis of its morphology and implications in urban territories are scarce. This study seeks to contribute to inform future urban projects and planning decisions through the results of an analysis undertaken at Lisbon’s Greater Area, which has focused on the morphological models of urban agriculture, also known as hortas. The research identified the existing shapes and the planning conditions behind them. Specifically, it focused on the Municipal Director Plans, and the social, political, aesthetic and visual issues which impact and are impacted by them. Furthermore, this study identifies which are the municipal strategies behind the urban agriculture shapes currently being used. This study concluded that urban agriculture is not being employed to its full potential in Lisbon’s Greater Area municipalities, as it is mostly recognized as a socially exclusive recreational equipment and a landscaping instrument, subject to market trends. Thus, greater progresses should be undertaken in this subject in order to respond to the current social and ecological sustainability goals.

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Urban agriculture,Shape,Municipalities,PDM,Urban design,Horta

• Other Natural Sciences - Natural Sciences
• Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries - Agriculture Sciences
• Arts (arts, history of arts, performing arts, music) - Humanities
• Other Humanities - Humanities