Traditional neighborhood design as a new urbanist principle for the revival of post-industrial city centers: a comparative study of Lyon and Lodz

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to evaluate the role of a Traditional Neighborhood Design (TND), one of New Urbanist principles, in the regeneration of post-industrial city centers. Its structure is the following. First, the contemporary elements of the TND are identified. Then, their actual versus declared use in strategies aimed at the renewal of major post-industrial sites is analyzed. Finally, the elements’ ability to improve the spatial quality of an urban area is assessed. The above purpose is achieved by analyzing the application of the New Urbanist planning tools by two urban regeneration projects at different levels of completion. The sites of the projects are the central areas of the French metropolis of Lyon and of the Polish city of Lodz.