SOCIAL AND ARCHITECTURAL ASPECTS OF REVITALIZATION OF HISTORIC URBAN CENTERS: FOREIGN EXPERIENCE

Abstract

The structure and architecture of many European cities has started their development during the Middle Ages or even earlier. The historic cores gradually had become centers of contemporary cities and are constantly evolving. They are affected by the tendencies of destruction, initiatives and movements of preservation are also taking place there. The comprehensive works of rehabilitation of Lithuanian historic urban centers were carried out during the period of soviet occupation. The insularity of the Soviet empire, ideological reasons and the absence of the private property has determined certain architectural expressions and solutions for the social problems. After the restoration of the country‘s independence the problems and tendencies typical to Western city centers, such as commercialization and gentrification, started to appear in Lithuanian historic urban cores. This justifies the aim of the article which is to analyze the tendencies of revitalization of historic city centers in Western countries with the main attention to the social and architectural aspects.