The Origin and Architectural and Technological Characteristics and Opportunities for the Reuse of Portugal’s EPAC Silo Network

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The aim of this manuscript is to analyse the technical and architectural characteristics of the Portugal’s EPAC silo network built in the 1970s and to propose ideas for its reuse. The very particular characteristics of these buildings make their study worthwhile and the difficulties to preserve them justifies the search for valid alternatives for their reuse. Authors use a methodology previously applied by themselves in Spain to inventory and classify the 31 silos of the Portuguese EPAC network. Although the manuscript provides information of interest, authors should make some corrections and include additional explanations before the paper may be published.

Specific remarks are quoted below:

1. In accordance with the title of the article, authors aim to analyse the feasibility of repurposing Portugal's network of silos. In section 3.4 they briefly show some examples of projects for the reuse of old abandoned silos both in Portugal and in an international context. However, in my opinion, the proposal of alternative uses for the EPAC silo network must be addressed more thoroughly by analysing technical, economic and legal feasibility.

2. The meaning of the acronym EPAC should be given in the title or abstract, since it is the first time that appears in the manuscript.

3. In section 1, authors refer to protectionist measures aimed at increasing cereal production and ensuring a fixed price in Portugal. In this context, some figures on the evolution of cereal productions and prices for the period 1900-1990 would be of interest.

4. Ln 90: It is not entirely clear from the manuscript whether Mayer's plan was partially or completely implemented in the 1930s and if not, the reasons why the project was parked until the 1970s. Please try to clarify it.

5. Ln. 124-127 “National silo networks can become important again, since they are strategic elements of infrastructure...”: This topic deserves further discussion in section 3.4.

6. The following reference may also be of interest: Giuliani, F. et al. (2018) Reusing grain silos from the 1930s in Italy. A multi-criteria decision analysis for the case of Arezzo. Journal of Cultural Heritage, 29: 145-159.

7. Table 1 duplicates the information included in lines 163 to 211.

8. Ln. 215 “All data were subjected to basic statistical analyses”. Please, specify in more detail.

9. Ln 235-242 repeat information. Please delete them. Lines 243-246 add some information to that previously given in lines 71-72. Consider including it there and deleting these lines.

10. The existence of two lists is some confusing in my opinion. Consider leaving only the one corresponding to the EPAC network that is the subject of this work.

11. ln. 257-258: Can you explain the reasons why the silo network in Portugal was not majorly developed until the 1970s?

12. Please, specify the scale of the drawing and the capacity of that silo.

13. Ln. 514: The following reference could also be of interest: Fuentes, J.M. et al. (2011) The development of the flour-milling industry in Spain: analysis of its historical evolution and architectural legacy. Journal of Historical Geography, 37(2): 232-241.

14. Ln. 512-530: Some insights into the challenges and opportunities in the mentioned projects and how they were solved would be of interest

15. Ln. 577-578; 587: Please, use the journal's citation style.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Although the text is understandable in its current form, a correction of style and use of English would be advisable and would improve its quality.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The paper presents an important overview on the EPAC silo network in Portugal, adapting a methodology already applied by a Spanish research group to inventory and analyze this complex and vast industrial heritage, with the aims of its reuse. History, construction characteristics, and technological development of the 31 silos were describe by the authors, providing the necessary knowledge framework for setting a correct reuse strategy, in view of their expected decommissioning.

Content of the paper:

Although the reviewer shares the authors' approach to select critical classes and parameters to cataloguing and then analyze the industrial typology of silos in Portugal, it is equally important to contextualize this methodological process (e.g., in the Introduction) in the industrial heritage field of research.

-          Criteria to compose a critical cataloging form for the silos should be introduced and discussed, comparing them to the already developed industrial heritage cataloging initiatives.

-          Moreover, the reviewer strongly suggests adding a discussion about the cultural values of the silos as industrial heritage (e.g., in the Conclusion section or in the Results and Discussion one).

For this reasons, specific literature should be used to build the discussion and then cited, e.g.:

-          The Nizhny Tagil Charter For The Industrial Heritage (July, 2003);

-          TICCIH Principles for the Conservation of Industrial Heritage Sites, Structures, Areas and Landscapes (ICOMOS: Paris, France, 2011);

-          The Declaration of Amsterdam. Adopted at the Congress on the European Architectural Heritage; The Declaration of Amsterdam (Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 1975);

-          Studies, research, and activities of specific associations and initiatives in the context of industrial heritage: TICCIH, DOCOMOMO, ERIH.

The methodology paragraph is very essential. The reviewer suggests that the authors better explain the adaptation of the Spanish methodology to the Portuguese case studies in terms of how and why. Moreover, the selecting variables seem to set a preliminary cataloging form for this specific industrial heritage. It could be considered as a first step towards industrial heritage mapping in Portugal. It could be interesting to look into it.

Finally, line 177: judging from the content of section 2, the authors should consider changing the name of the category from just “Construction features” in “Morpho-typology and construction features”;

The four sub-sections of the results are well-structured and documented. Figure 4: the reviewer suggests adding the name of the specific silo represented, although it is “typical”.

Although the conclusions are properly structured and clear, the reviewer encourages the authors to add some critical considerations about the adaptation and application of the methodology already set by the Spanish research group for the specific case studies (i.e., adding some comment on the outcome, with specifications on how the methodology was adapted for the needs of Portugal's industrial heritage and way).

Form of the paper (structure, writing, and images):

The article is properly organized and easy to follow; it is well-written and easy to understand.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

The Quality of English Language in high.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Authors have modified the manuscript according to the suggestions of this reviewer. Particularly, they provide data on the evolution of cereal production in Portugal over the last century to explain the capacity of the silo network; Some adittional information on the reuse projects mentioned in section 3.4 was also included. Several minor issues are quoted below:

- I suggest changing the title of the manuscript to "Origin, architectural and technological characteristics and opportunities for reuse of Portugal’s EPAC silo network", as the paper does not actually include a full feasibility study on the repurposing of the EPAC silo network, apart from the presentation of a few specific examples of reuse.

- Ln. 89-91: A more detailed discussion of the causes that impeded the implementation of the Mayer's plan until the 1970s would be of great interest and should be included in the manuscript.

- Ln. 200 to 251 must be deleted, as the information provided is duplicated in Table 1.

- Table 2 remains confusing, as the silo on the left (Mayer's Plan) do not always correspond to the one on the right (EPAC network). Consider including only the EPAC network list or presenting the information in two different tables.

- Ln. 545-552: An assessment of the technical, economic and legal implications of this proposal must be included in the paper. Would its implementation be feasible and what would be the approximate cost?

Comments on the Quality of English Language

The article is correctly written. However, a careful reading to simplify redundancies and correct certain expressions and typos would be of interest.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf