Industrial Spaces in Transition

the Ex-Delphi Project in Ponte de Sor

Abstract

This article examines the process of adaptative reuse of the former Delphi factory, owned by the General Motors Group, in Ponte de Sor, situating it within the international principles of industrial heritage conservation. From the history of this manufacturing site, which between 1969 and 2010 significantly shaped the local economy and identity, the study places its adaptation within the broader context of deindustrialisation and present-day policies for the reuse of industrial infrastructures. Using documentary sources, testimonies from former workers, and interviews with political decision-makers, the article assesses the municipal project proposing a business and training centre, as well as a space dedicated to industrial memory and history. This project shows strong alignment with the Nizhny Tagil Charter for the Industrial Heritage, by integrating functional continuity, economic sustainability, and the preservation of identity. However, challenges such as dependence on European funding, the risk of under-occupation, and the proper safeguarding of the site's industrial memory and history may constrain the full realisation of the project, whose impact will ultimately depend on its future implementation.