Eco-Strategies for Urban Space in Historic Cities

Abstract

The paper deals with the devoted to ecological architectural projects undertaken in the areas of historic urban spaces. In many Polish and European cities, historic urban areas have been preserved, including many completed in the 19th century. They create a valuable cultural heritage, which is currently undergoing a process of revitalization, the aim of which is to transform degraded areas in social, architectural and economic terms. The first part of the papers defines the main eco-strategies used during revitalization activities in historic urban areas. A division has been made: a) permanent eco-strategy being an intervention into the historic structure of buildings introducing techniques and technologies using renewable energy sources, energy-saving and environment-friendly installations, and b) temporary eco-strategy involving the introduction of architectural and artistic facilities within public and semi-public spaces using ecological techniques and technologies. The second part presents examples of implemented actions in Polish and European cities, which focused on temporary eco-strategy in public and semi-public spaces. The conducted research suggests that revitalization programs are often long-term and often destroy the original, well-preserved structure of buildings, which should be protected and used as a cumulative “embodied energy” (energy and labour load invested in the construction of the building). The answer to these problems can be ecological project activities consisting of small spatial treatments, with minimal effort, which thanks to their creativity and originality ensure high efficiency. These activities combined with the limitation of a thorough modernization of a historic building substance can be ensured by a successful revitalization and restauration process.