Originally part of Portugal’s thriving leather industry, the site was established as a tannery in 1920. At the heart of the development’s regeneration story the original tannery building will be brought back to life as the new ‘mercado’ creating an artisan restaurants and leisure area. Recognising the 21st-century transition from labour-based industries to a knowledge-based society, the development addresses the significant demand/supply imbalance for student housing in Porto and is set to become a unique diversified destination focused on student accommodation and residential apartments, all integrated into the local community. The key theme linking the various functions on the site is the coherent landscaping, providing a wealth of external spaces that enhance the quality of the external environment that interlinks with the surrounding area and communities. With a land area of 78,060 sqm, the project has an above ground construction area of 56,145 sqm, and is scheduled to be operational by 2020, exactly 100 years after the creation of the original tannery.