Lagos – Architecture & More
Lagos is a city where a rich historic heritage meets the architecture of the modern Algarve. Its streets, squares and buildings tell the story of a city shaped by the sea, trade and tourism, but also by the architectural changes of the 20th century.
Alongside its historic fabric, Lagos offers remarkable examples of modern architecture, including the work of architects who helped redefine the Algarve in the post-war period.
And just outside the city, architecture lovers can discover a small but exceptional work by Álvaro Siza – a reminder that Lagos and its surroundings have also attracted some of Portugal's most influential modern architects.
Discover Lagos through its architecture, history and changing urban landscape.
The Urban Development of Lagos
Lagos has always been a city in motion.
From its earliest settlement and its rise as an important maritime centre, the city has continuously adapted to changing times. The devastating 1755 earthquake transformed its historic fabric, while the later growth of the canning industrybrought new prosperity and expansion.
The arrival of the railway opened Lagos to new connections, followed by the creation of the Avenidas, which extended the city beyond its historic core. In more recent decades, the waterfront and harbour have once again become the focus of major urban changes.
This overview follows the transformation of Lagos through the centuries — from its historic origins to the industrial city and, finally, to the modern waterfront of today.
Click here for an overview of the urban development of Lagos through the centuries.
José Veloso
Architecture, Social Commitment & the Right to Housing
Born in Lagos in 1930, José Veloso (1930–2021) returned to his hometown after graduating in Architecture from the Lisbon School of Fine Arts. From his practice in Lagos, he developed an architectural career deeply connected to the social and political changes taking place in Portugal.
Following the April Revolution of 1974 and its principle of the Right to Housing, Veloso became closely involved with the SAAL programme, coordinating housing projects throughout the Algarve. His name is inseparably linked to one of the most remarkable examples: the collective housing project for the “Indians of Meia Praia” in Lagos, created together with the local community.
As a member of the BLOCO cooperative, he continued to work on public facilities and municipal and cooperative housing across the Algarve and Alentejo. His projects received recognition from the Housing Development Fund, were selected by IPPAR, and were included in the national survey of 20th-century Portuguese architecture. In 2021, the Order of Architects awarded him honorary membership.
But Veloso was more than an architect. He wrote extensively for the Algarve press and published books on local history, politics and maritime culture. His architecture was inseparable from his belief in social justice, democracy and the right to a dignified home.
José Veloso left behind an architecture that was not simply about buildings, but about people, communities and the society they wanted to build.
Click here to download the PDF about him, his SAAL projects and other projects
