The project will be developed sequentially in six tasks. Cross-disciplinary perspectives are at the core of the research plan, as is knowledge cross-fertilization between academic, institutional and urban development stakeholders.

Task 1 – Methodological refinement and data gathering, will provide a consolidation of common ground between team and partners, an update on state-of-the-art knowledge regarding the topic and the territory, a final outlining of study territories in Lisbon Metropolitan Area and the project’s administrative and procedural inception.

Task 2 – Development of conceptual model: changing territory and policies will address the identification of fundamental concepts to frame change in metropolitan territories and, specifically, open spaces in fragmented fabrics, the consolidation of cross-sectoral / trans-disciplinary perspectives on the topic by the team, and ap reliminary approach to potential areas of innovation in territorial policy regarding open spaces in fragmented fabrics.

Task 3 – Characterization of study-site, will provide focused insight on the spatial, functional and ecological structure of the site, in relation to the wider metropolitan scale, its morphological and land-use evolution, in order to explain processes of change and its current statusm, the actors (owners, public authorities, users) with relevant roles in processes of change and the varied expectations regarding potential uses, as well as the physical, procedural or contextual obstacles to those expectations.

Task 4 – Comparative approaches with reference cases, provides benchmarking and systematized knowledge regarding innovative solutions in urban and territorial management, a broader insight of concomitant processes of change at metropolitan, national and international level, the development of research synergies with ongoing PhD/Post-Doc research and other projects.

Task 5 – Prospective exercise: design and validation of potential innovation in spatial planning policy develops innovative responses in three steps: 1) Focus group meetings for the study area, combining academic and stakeholders, for prospective diagnostic, territorial model formulation; scenario discussion and proposals/design responses; 2) two workshops for design/policy inception, engaging universities & public administration bodies in study area; and 3) pilot action plan to be outlined with partner institutions and local municipalities.

Task 6 – Contributions for metropolitan level policy, planning and management tools will be developed with the organization of an International Conference with publishing of selected papers and keynotes, the drafting of a final report with project’s roadmap: 1) conceptual framework; 2) reference cases; 3) critical areas in LMA; prospective ideas for spatial policy adjustment.