An Architectural playground
| All words + photographs by Jessica Lyons |
Lisbon, oh lovely Lisbon, how you stole my heart in so many ways with your plethora of brightly hued structures, your labyrinthine alleyways and your never-ending parade of Pastel de nata’s!
As the sun shone down on your lattice-like streets, it unveiled a myriad of structural paragons, from old to new, abstract to modern, expressively unique to rather simple - nonetheless, I found myself stunned on each corner of every street, where the sheer aestheticism of your architecture became exceptionally clear to me with every turn.
I was a Portuguese novice before the first Iris’s bloomed in the late spring of 2023, but I carried with me a pocket full of facts about the Spanish and the French, knowing the best hidden spots, restaurants and must-sees, however I lacked comprehension when it came to Portugal. I soon became eager to study and understand the landscape, culture and delicacies of this charming country and its opportunistic cities, therefore I shifted my lack of into an unrepressed incentive, and in the spring of last year I made an impulsive decision to make a three month trip to Portugal - no plan, no idea, just my camera, my notebook and a backpack full of ideas. All I really knew of Portugal was its famously stunning coastline, its ability to turn anyone into a pastry fiend and its historic appreciation for Fado music - however what I discovered within my first few days was in fact that this was all extremely true, and that I was about to become a daily regular of the local Pastelaria!
Late! Tired! ‘Where is my passport?!’ Rushing! ‘Do I have time to go to the toilet?!’ Stressing! ‘What have I forgotten?!’
The familiar stresses of a 3am airport trip, I’m sure it isn’t just me, however on this particular occasion nothing seemed to phase me as much as my usual airport visits, not even my overpacked suitcase and my now much lighter pockets from having to purchase an entirely new bag (don’t even ask!) couldn’t wipe the smile off of my face - yet still I pondered what it was that was making me so optimistic about this trip … but I wasn’t about to question it!
I gathered my bags and all of my excitement, which was ultimately complimented by a typical hold up at check-in, a quick cafe Nero stop off (smoked salmon bagel every time!), a spilled bottle of sparkling water (airport treat), and obviously a plane delay! But finally I made my way to seat 12C … the isle seat.
The moment I stepped off of the plane, something shifted, something felt different. Was it in the air, was it jet lag or was it adrenaline flooding my senses? Whatever happened in that moment fuelled my motivations for the next three months, my determination to document, discover and appreciate every inch of this new city became a challenge in that very instant.
As I let the warm early morning air kiss my cheeks while I lay my head out the window of my airport taxi home, I couldn’t help but just feel such gratitude, an instant appreciation of a city I hadn’t even explored yet, maybe it was the hug of a new place, or that fuzzy feeling you get when you don’t know what’s to come, but ultimately Lisbon made me feel warm inside, it just felt like one of those places that you always see in pink tones, or the sound of soft jazz in the distance - it felt like serenity.
Lisbon is a place full of progression, movement, complexity and openness. A city that offers nature, music, food, and makes one feel alive.
