Abstract
This article investigates the problem of changing land uses in historical city centers, a problem which often leads to the alteration of their historical, architectural and functional physiognomy, as well as the loss of their inhabitants. It also discusses the importance of land management and proposes a multifunctional reuse model for sustainable development in abandoned or degraded areas in historic cities. This problem is found in historical centers nowadays, especially in the European South, and many theoretical texts and urban studies deal with the issue. Taking under consideration the case of the Historical “Commercial Triangle” of Athens, this article presents the results of an extensive field work, which led to the mapping and analysis of the neighborhood’s special identity. Subsequently, these results lead to the presentation of the problems caused by the dominating uses of recreation and tourism, which suppress the traditional existing commercial uses and the residency. It concludes by proposing preservation strategies for the reuse and development of the area and emphasizes the importance of a management plan aiming towards the preservation of the historical character of the commercial center and its sustainable development. The work presented in this paper is based on an assignment produced in 2020 for the purposes of the post-graduate course “Protection and Preservation of a historical urban center or settlement”, which is part of the post-graduate program “Protection of Monuments” in the School of Architecture, NTUA.
Highlights
Published: 11 January 2022Historical centers nowadays often face problems related to the loss of multifunctionality, a situation that can lead to the alteration of their characteristics and sometimes the loss of their historical value and authenticity
The most dominating land uses are still the commercial ones, despite the fact that many stores have closed and that the touristic and leisure activities are flourishing in recent decades (Figures 11 and 12)
An important feature of the Historical Commercial Triangle is the area’s multifarious architecture, with buildings coming from different architectural movements and historic eras (Figures 13 and 14)
Summary
Historical centers nowadays often face problems related to the loss of multifunctionality, a situation that can lead to the alteration of their characteristics and sometimes the loss of their historical value and authenticity. If the nature of these changes is not recognized, it can lead to the displacement of communities and the disappearance of cultural practices, and subsequent loss of identity and character for these abandoned places It can result in the transformation of historic towns and urban areas into areas with a single function devoted to tourism and leisure and not suitable for day-to-day living. Examples of historical city centers in Greece that have been developed for touristic purposes and face these challenges are those of Athens [20], Rhodes [21], Corfu [22], Nafplio, etc These urban plans propose the revitalization of the historical city in a sustainable way, focusing on the involvement of the local society, and the harmonic coexistence of the different uses [21]. The presented proposals are based on the necessity of choosing the appropriate land uses and the idea of reusing abandoned buildings through employing certain preservation strategies
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