THE URBAN TRANSFORMATIONS OF A POST-SOCIALIST CITY CENTRE. THE SOCIALIST RELICTS AND CURRENT IDENTITY OF IAȘI HISTORICAL CITY CENTRE

Abstract

The changes of urban forms inside of post-socialist cities (during the last 25 years) had transformed the life-style of the city and created a more adaptable and resilient city. The core of the city, the historical city centre represent the object of the present study, whereby evidences and assessments of transformations that occurred had been highlighted. Using a GIS analysis, the socialist relicts inside of historical city centre are analysed from the economic, social and built-up area point of view. The historical transformations of the city are presented in order to understand the local context that the city (and historical centre) faced. The analysis concentrates upon the present state of the study area, aiming to reveal patterns of economic, social, demographic and morphologic features of urban transformations. The results emphasis a heterogeneous construction of the city centre, with a lack of cultural and urban identity, where social processes of gentrification, stratification, poverty and social exclusion cannot hide the process of rebranding that the city is trying to achieve.