Historiography of Wood Construction in Portugal

The present study seeks to understand the decline of wooden construction systems in Portugal, examining their history. Wood, an integral part of European and Portuguese construction methods for centuries, witnessed its decline with the rise of plate buildings and the advance of reinforced concrete. Wood played a crucial role in national construction development, standing out in the Pombaline period after the 1755 earthquake, when the scarcity of materials led to the import of wood from Brazil for the reconstruction of Lisbon. However, associated with the excessive exploitation of forests, this importance was followed by laws and royal decrees aimed at protecting the forests, essential for the reconstruction effort. The subsequent period, marked by real estate speculation and urban expansion, signals the beginning of the decline in the use of wood. In the 30 and 40s of the twentieth century, with the advent of reinforced concrete, this material became central in large state structures, relegating wood to disuse and practically eliminating it from new constructions.