Processes of Ruinisation and Revitalisation

Once a prosperous manufacturing town, Geelong in Victoria, Australia is undergoing a process of deindustrialisation and, in turn, redefining its identity to better retain viability in a globalised world. For instance, the town bid to host a Guggenheim museum on its Eastern Beach shore at the turn of the millennium, and has recently become a UNESCO City of Design (2017). Like so many declining regional industrial towns, Geelong has been undercut by the new economic forces, and has sought a new identity in cultural economies. The ‘Vacant Geelong’ project, which began at Deakin University in 2015 and is ongoing, evolved as a response to vacant industrial architecture in Geelong. Major industries including Ford (vehicles), Alcoa (aluminium), timber sawmills, wool mills, Pilkington Glass, cement works, and the oil refinery once defined the town and its history as an industrial architectural landscape.1 Major industries transformed the architectural and cultural terrain. Despite these cycles of transformation and erasure, and counter to a progressive and chronological approach to change, the ‘Vacant Geelong’ project explored this vacancy of industrial operation, yet presence of industrial architecture. Through inscriptions – artworks, design projects, creative research, installations, texts – it addressed those material realities that did not leave, the industrial structures – silos, ducts, chimneys, warehouses – that give Geelong its continuing industrial architectural character.

This article explores the question of “excavating the future” and utopia’s potential to expand the modalities within which history has been written and thought. Here, utopia is positioned both as a lens through which to understand the growth of modern historical thinking and as a method for historical analysis. The first part of the article investigates the emergence of the temporal utopia in the modern period and its entanglement with history. The second part of the article begins to trace the contours of utopia as a framework for interrogating history. This framework draws from a branch of utopianism, adapted from the work of Ruth Levitas and Fredric Jameson, via reference to Michel Foucault’s writing on genealogical methods. The article ends by highlighting some examples of historical studies in which the future emerges as an analytical category, to signal a way forward for utopia as a method of historical analysis.

 This thesis examines the industrial architecture of Imperial Germany in the context of the wider economic and political power struggles of the Wilhelmine era. Written against the backdrop of a lively and ongoing debate on the relative 'modernity' of the Kaiserreich, the main focus falls on two separate but related movements, which campaigned to improve the character of industrial architecture for political, commercial and environmental, as well as aesthetic reasons: the 'Bund Heimatschutz', founded in 1904, and the 'Werkbund' , established three years later. Both organisations developed in opposition to historicism in late 19th century architecture and design. The reformers, who included laymen as well as architects, sought an architecture more worthy' of the German 'Burgertum' than the hybrid historical styles, applied to buildings regardless of function or location, which had come to characterise the German 'Grunderzeit'. The 'Heimatschutz' movement lobbied successfully for the introduction of legislation to protect the landscape from the worst ravages of urbanisation and industrial development. The thesis suggests that the general view of 'Heimatschutz' activists, as 'cultural pessimists' opposed to modernisation in all its guises, is inaccurate, and highlights the more pragmatic strand of 'Heimatschutz' thought, which influenced the design of many industrial structures in the 1900s, particularly those erected by local authorities. The bulk of the thesis, however, concentrates on the 'Werkbund'; an organisation whose members proved remarkably successful at winning commissions from Germany industry in the years before 1918. Particular stress is placed on the role played in the organisation by the politician Friedrich Naumann and his followers. It is argued that the 'Werkbund's policy of promoting 'quality' in the German workplace was an integral part of Naumann's political reform programme. The thesis describes the adoption of the 'Werkbund's progressive architecture by a number of leading manufacturing firms, and seeks an explanation in the rivalries which divided German industry at the turn of the century. It concludes with a short study of architecture, industry and municipal politics in Delmenhorst, a small town in the throes of modernisation.

 This thesis examines the industrial architecture of Imperial Germany in the context of the wider economic and political power struggles of the Wilhelmine era. Written against the backdrop of a lively and ongoing debate on the relative 'modernity' of the Kaiserreich, the main focus falls on two separate but related movements, which campaigned to improve the character of industrial architecture for political, commercial and environmental, as well as aesthetic reasons: the 'Bund Heimatschutz', founded in 1904, and the 'Werkbund' , established three years later. Both organisations developed in opposition to historicism in late 19th century architecture and design. The reformers, who included laymen as well as architects, sought an architecture more worthy' of the German 'Burgertum' than the hybrid historical styles, applied to buildings regardless of function or location, which had come to characterise the German 'Grunderzeit'. The 'Heimatschutz' movement lobbied successfully for the introduction of legislation to protect the landscape from the worst ravages of urbanisation and industrial development. The thesis suggests that the general view of 'Heimatschutz' activists, as 'cultural pessimists' opposed to modernisation in all its guises, is inaccurate, and highlights the more pragmatic strand of 'Heimatschutz' thought, which influenced the design of many industrial structures in the 1900s, particularly those erected by local authorities. The bulk of the thesis, however, concentrates on the 'Werkbund'; an organisation whose members proved remarkably successful at winning commissions from Germany industry in the years before 1918. Particular stress is placed on the role played in the organisation by the politician Friedrich Naumann and his followers. It is argued that the 'Werkbund's policy of promoting 'quality' in the German workplace was an integral part of Naumann's political reform programme. The thesis describes the adoption of the 'Werkbund's progressive architecture by a number of leading manufacturing firms, and seeks an explanation in the rivalries which divided German industry at the turn of the century. It concludes with a short study of architecture, industry and municipal politics in Delmenhorst, a small town in the throes of modernisation.

In this paper, we study the radial neural network algorithm for low‐carbon circular economy in forest area, design a coupled development evaluation model, study its algorithmic ideas operation mode and the update formula obtained by standard algorithm, and finally optimize the RBF neural network by particle swarm algorithm. After an in‐depth analysis of the particle swarm algorithm, an improved particle swarm algorithm is proposed to improve the search accuracy and capability of the algorithm by nonlinearly adjusting the inertia weights and introducing the average extreme value factor, in response to the problems of premature convergence and poor search capability that appear in the particle swarm algorithm. Through the analysis and evaluation of the interaction between industrial ecosystem and carbon emission, the main influencing factors of carbon emission are identified, and the size and magnitude of the influence of economic growth, industrial structure, energy intensity, and energy structure on carbon emission are determined; the current situation of the industrial ecological structure is evaluated, and the direction of optimization and adjustment of industrial economic structure, energy structure, and ecological structure is clarified. We construct a multidimensional multiconstraint multimodel industrial ecological structure optimization prediction model, set the development scenarios of economy and society, and optimize the prediction of low‐carbon industrial ecological structure in forest areas; based on the simulation analysis of the prediction results, we propose the direction of industrial ecological structure adjustment and the path of industrial ecological system construction.

Based on the whole life cycle perspective, the carbon emissions of the provincial construction industry in China from 2011 to 2019 were calculated from the production, construction, operation, and demolition stages of building materials. A spatial correlation network matrix of the carbon emissions in the construction industry was constructed by using the modified gravity model, and the structural characteristics of the correlation network were described by introducing social network analysis. Through the quadratic assignment program, the spatial correlation matrix of carbon emissions in the construction industry and its influencing factors were regressed and analyzed. The conclusions were as follows:① the spatial correlation network of carbon emissions in China's construction industry clearly existed. The network density and network correlation numbers were gradually rising, and the network tightness and stability were gradually improving. ② Shanghai, Tianjin, Beijing, and Jiangsu had a higher degree centrality and closeness centrality, which are the core and dominant positions of the spatial correlation network of carbon emissions in the construction industry. Zhejiang replaced Shanghai in the top four from 2013 to 2018, and the betweenness centrality of each province had unbalanced characteristics. ③ Beijing, Tianjin, Jiangsu, Inner Mongolia, Shanghai, and Shandong were "net beneficiaries" blocks, receiving the carbon emissions from other regions. Four provinces, Guangdong, Chongqing, Fujian, and Shandong, belonged to the "broker" sector, achieving a dynamic balance between the production and consumption sides of building carbon emissions. The remaining 20 provinces played a "net spillovers" role, actively sending carbon emissions from the construction industry to other provinces. The correlation between blocks was much greater than the correlation relationship within the blocks. ④ Industrial structure, urban population, spatial adjacency, consumption level, and construction industry process structure had a significant influence on the spatial correlation of carbon emissions in the construction industry. The greater the inter-provincial differences in industrial structure, urban population, spatial adjacency, and consumption level, the greater the similarity of inter-provincial construction industry process structure, and the stronger the spatial correlation and spatial spillover of the construction industry carbon emissions. Finally, according to the evolution characteristics and influencing factors of the spatial correlation network of building carbon emissions, relevant countermeasures and suggestions were provided for the collaborative carbon reduction development of the construction industry region.

Analysis of the non-equilibrium and evolutionary driving forces of carbon emissions in China's construction industry

The scale of urban land has been expanding because the speed of urban development has increased the population. Thus, certain improvement in planning and construction based on circular economy is required. Industrial resource-based city planning and construction is particularly important based on the aforementioned problems and development background. The development of industrial resource cities in the transformation stage based on the circular economy was considered as the breakthrough point. The development, function, and concept of the new district planning were analyzed in view of the design strategy of the current domestic resource-based urban planning; moreover, the planning principles (integration of regional and harmonious resource constructions and coordinated organization function) that are suitable for resource industrial city were presented. In this study, taking the industrial transformation and resource-based city of Yichun as an example, the infrastructure and the general situation of the new district planning in the future were deeply analyzed. In the light of the functional development and planning structure of the transformation and development planning of resource-based industrial cities, the following planning and development strategies were proposed: the centralized small-scale space should be constructed. Diversion control should be carried out on bicycle lane and motorized lane in new area. The three-dimensional layout of the grid should be applied to the overall planning of the road, and according to the expressway, main roads, secondary roads and ordinary sections, there must be four kinds of traffic system, so as to construct a diversified traffic diversion system. The original industrial land should be extended into a continuous space, and the allocation of new district resources after transformation must be suitable for the development plan of brand strategy, so as to perfect the forestry land of Sun Yue gorge street and transform it into RBD recreational and entertainment community, and build a friendly eco city.

Global dynamics such as economic transformations and reorganizations of production led to the crisis of many former industrial cities in Europe and the U.S in the last decades of the 20th century. Most of them have suffered or are still suffering from urban decay and shrinkage. The severity and persistence of some of these processes have called into question both the future of these cities and the ability of urban planning to deal with decline. The trajectory of some industrial cities, whose crisis has persisted despite local efforts to confront it, could lead to regard decline as an irreversible process and to accept the impossibility of urban planning to intervene in it. Nevertheless, the gradual restructuring of some European industrial cities in recent years, seem to point toward the relevance of local response to global dynamics. Different paths of development may only be explained from the distinctiveness of each territory, specific local decisions and successive strategies to tackle decay. These processes of revitalization seem to reveal the importance of local action and the possibility of guiding and easing decline. Even more, they point out to the crucial role of planning.These experiences show different ways to tackle decay. This paper aims to explore the role of certain planning strategies on guiding the futures of industrial regions.

In the last few years, industrial architecture has started to attract more attention than probably ever before. In order to pursue the issue of growing aesthetic interest in the industrial landscape I analyze contemporary visual and related discoursive representations of industrial architecture and industrial landscape in the Czech Republic. Discussing the case of a vast industrial brownfield adjacent to the town center of Kladno, a former industrial city in Central Bohemia, I try to show how the industrial architecture is in fact aestheticized. By questioning what lies behind such aestheticization I want to show how industrial landscape and the past it embodies have been negotiated within the urban space. I perceive the visual as well as discoursive representations of industrial architecture as predominantly melancholic and nostalgic. My argument is, however, that nostalgia does not have to present a weakness since it originates in the image we hold of our past and it embodies our fears about our future. It can thus serve as a position from which we could critically question our present-day existence and our potential futures. Our aesthetic perception has been changing. The discussion of the reasons why it has been happening and what lies behind such changes is needed since it relates to the wider discussion about our relationship with the past and thus also about the image we have of ourselves.

Based on the theory of industry city people and the perspective of configuration, an analytical framework of "industry support city function human orientation" was constructed. Under this framework, five conditional variables were selected: industrial structure, economic function, social function, population quality, and population structure. The top ten cities with good development momentum in China's e-sports industry were selected as the analysis samples, and the fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis method was used to explore the combined factors that affect the development of the e-sports industry in cities. The results showed that "industrial structure" is an indispensable condition for the development of the electronic sports industry in cities, while "economic function," "social function," "population quality," and "population structure" are not necessary conditions for constituting outcome variables. This indicates that the development of the e-sports industry in a city is the result of multiple intertwined factors, rather than a single factor playing a significant role. Research has found that there are three paths that can positively affect the development of the e-sports industry in cities, condensed into a dual wheel drive of industrial structure and economic function, a tripartite drive of industrial structure, social function, and population quality, and a co drive of industrial support and humanistic orientation. From the perspective of configuration, industrial structure, economic composition, and population quality are key conditions that affect the development of the e-sports industry in cities. The research conclusion indicates that to enhance the development of urban e-sports cities, it is necessary to reasonably layout the industrial structure, improve the level of urban economic development, and strengthen the comprehensive level of human capital.

An empirical approach to quality assurance of materials, products and structures in industrial safety

This research paper identifies construction undergraduate and graduate education as the only solution to the problem of craftsperson shortage in the construction industry. The paper first identifies the craftsperson shortage problem and easily identifiable problems of low pay, no career incentives, and minimized training. It then analyzes the construction industry structure. Using Information Measurement Theory, it identifies the environment required to increase the number of skilled craftspeople. The analysis identifies the real source of the craftsperson skill shortage in the construction industry as the industry structure, the low-bid procurement system, and the lack of performance information. The current industry structure and procurement systems identify craftsperson skill as a need and not a requirement. It identifies the construction education system as the only way to change the craftsperson skill shortage problem. It proposes that certain topics (industry structure, change mechanisms, performance information, business processes, organizational optimization) must be introduced in construction education and given to facility owner representatives, designers, and construction management to change the industry structure from within and without.

The article is dedicated to the study of the fate of defensive sacred architecture, fortress temples, chapels, fortified monasteries of monastic orders located on the lands of Khmelnytskyi. It is noted that fortress temples have become symbols of the preservation and protection of statehood, bearers of spiritual and cultural value, characteristic features of the outlook, mental and material foundations of the Ukrainian people. In the period of growth of the national self-identity of Ukrainians, against the background of open Russian aggression, the appeal to the consideration of the domestic improvement, which serves to protect the inhabitants of Ukrainian lands, becomes the subject of research in the article. There was an awareness of the cultural and artistic value of defensive temple architecture, which undoubtedly caused considerable interest in the problem of preserving the national multicultural heritage for future generations, a desire for changes in the attitude towards the pearls of architecture of various denominations in Ukraine.
 The authors consider specific temples-fortresses located within the territory of Khmelnytskyi region, state the characteristic features of the buildings, analyze the architecture and signs of belonging to these lands. The article provides information on the state of preservation of some monuments and states insufficient attention of state structures responsible for the state of existence of the architectural heritage of Ukraine. Attention is drawn to the fact that in most cases there are claims to the preservation of the historical appearance of buildings, to the introduction of adapted building materials into the process of revitalization. These problems require immediate changes. Society also needs changes, first, in the minds of citizens, in particular officials, on whom the respectful attitude towards authentic architectural works in the territory of Khmelnytskyi depends. Otherwise, we will get not changes, but ruins. The next steps in the research will be the expansion of the area of the analyzed fortress temples and the introduction of this information into scientific circulation.

The article addresses the viability of industrial cities in the PrydniprovskRegion in the context of the necessity for urban transformations. It examines the current public demands and technological challenges faced by the region's cities as monofunctional economic centers with entrenched and unresolved urban planning conflicts. Using the example of the city of Dnipro, the article analyzes the role of a modern industrial city, emphasizing the need for reorganization of its industrial zones to create a more sustainable and attractive environment for residents' living, work, and leisure. Upon analyzing the recreational aspect at the regional level, it was identified that the main issue of optimizing the recreation and tourism system of the PrydniprovskRegion lies in resolving the conflict between the economic impact of heavy industry and the region's residents' demand for quality and ecological recreation. The work relies on urban scientists' contributions in defining methods and scientific approaches to optimize stagnant industrial territories within the city structure. In the context of developing alternative sectors as new economic opportunities, the study extensively examines the Mixed-Use Development method, which stands out for its effectiveness in integrating various functions into the urban environment, including residential, commercial, office, public spaces, and recreation. Through this method, appropriate strategies were formulated for the development of recreational elements on former industrial territories. The article presents basic principles for organizing the recreation system, and based on them, rational architectural-planning approaches were developed for tourist-recreational formations according to functional types and urban planning levels – from local zones to regional tourism and recreation systems.