Historical City Centre Research Articles

Developing the socio-spatial integration of historical city centers with spatial strategies: the case of Gaziantep

Developing the socio-spatial integration of historical city centers with spatial strategies: the case of Gaziantep

Sit Sınırlarının Koruma Bağlamında Değerlendirilmesi: Niğde Kalesi ve Eskisaray Mahallesi Kentsel Sit Alanı

Tarihi, Neolitik ve Kalkolitik çağlara kadar uzanan Niğde İli, geçmiş dönemlerde Kapadokya içerisinde önemli bir konuma sahip olmuş, korunması gerekli tarihi çevreler barındırmaktadır. Niğde İli kent merkezinde bir adet kentsel sit alanı bulunmaktadır. 17.09.1993 tarih ve 1535 karar numarası ile tescillenen, kentin tarihi çekirdeğini oluşturan çalışma alanı Kale, Alaeddin ve Eskisaray Mahallelerini kapsayan sit sınırı ve çevresidir. Bu çalışmanın amacı sit alanı sınırlarının korunmuşluk durumunun araştırılmasıdır. Çalışma alanında yapılan alan analizleri sonucu önerilen sit sınırının dışında kalan tarihi dokunun ne yazık ki sit alanı ile bir bütün olarak korunamadığı ortaya çıkmıştır. Sit sınırı biter bitmez inşa edilen yüksek katlı yapılar sit sınırı ile sınırın dışında kalan tarihi doku arasında bir duvar oluşturmuştur. Sit alanı içinde ise problemler bulunduğu ve tescilli ve tescilsiz geleneksel pek çok konutun yerinde olmadığı tespit edilmiştir. Ayrıca, önerilen sit sınırının, Alaeddin Tepesi ve kısmi çevresini içermesi, devam eden tarihi dokuyu içine almamasının da telafisi olmayan zararların meydana gelmesine neden olduğu belirlenmiştir. Bu araştırmalar neticesinde, alandaki tarihi değerlerin bir bütün olarak korunması için çağdaş korumanın yönetsel boyutu olan alan yönetimine Niğde Tarihi Kent Merkezi’nin ihtiyacı olduğu anlaşılmıştır. Yönetim alanı ve etkileşim alanı sınırlarının doğru belirlenmesi ise alanın bütünleşik korunması için şarttır. Bu bağlamda, Niğde Tarihi Kent Merkezi’nde yapılan alan analizlerinden elde edilen verilerin değerlendirilmesi neticesinde yönetim ve etkileşim alanı sınırları önerilmiştir.

Street name changes as language and identity inscription in the cityscape

AbstractThis article examines the role of language selection in constructing the cityscape of highly multilingual, postcolonial places like Malaysia and Namibia. The relationship between language policy, the construction of a national identity as well as linguistic inscriptions in the cityscape can be seen as part of language planning in relation to what gets represented, by whom, and for what purpose. We focus on street names as a typical target of language policy. In postcolonial societies, these renegotiations of the cityscape can be analysed against the backdrop of different processes, such as the erasure of names commemorating the colonial past, the inscription of important figures of the newly established nations, or the curation of the language regime with respect to the presence and symbolical function of languages. Using contrastive data and methodology, we analyse the renegotiation of postcolonial cityscapes in Kuala Lumpur (historical city centre, map data, large time span) and Windhoek (entire cityscape, newspaper reports, short time span). Our analysis establishes a notion of how the cityscape as a complex sociosymbolic text is being constantly rewritten by its actors. We find different motives attached to such processes of cultural representation, including national identity building and ideological consolidation of the cityscape.

Cultural Heritage, Sustainable Development, and Climate Policy: Comparing the UNESCO World Heritage Cities of Potsdam and Bern

Developing sustainable, carbon-neutral, and climate-resilient districts seems to be particularly challenging with respect to historic city centers. However, barriers posed by legal requirements for historical buildings are counterbalanced by opportunities because historic cities have not undergone urban modernization and did not embrace the concept of functional cities, which nowadays impedes urban sustainability transformations. Thus, this paper focuses on the relationship between cultural heritage, urban sustainable development, and climate policy. We study continuity and change in the mid-sized UNESCO World Heritage cities Potsdam (Germany) and Bern (Switzerland). These matching forerunner cities share many characteristics, which enables them to transfer policies and jointly create new solutions for common problems. We find that national context matters, but we also identify functional equivalents like referenda and active citizen participation. Despite many similarities, Potsdam is ahead of Bern with respect to the institutionalization and integration of climate mitigation and adaptation. The comparative analysis (interviews and document analysis) identifies innovations that can be transferred between the two cities (e.g., Potsdam’s integrative climate policy or Bern’s efforts to become a role model for stakeholders and citizens). Moreover, the challenge to coordinate heritage management and climate governance offers chances for cooperation between matching cities like Bern and Potsdam.

Further investigation on pockets of quiet within historical city centres: the case of widenings

Making available quiet zones for the urban population is a key factor to offer them the possibility to have restorative experiences and relief from stressful city life. Although these zones are often associated with vast green parks, the latter are usually located outside or far from cities' centres. Moreover, if we consider the case of historical city centres, they are almost absent. In previous research, we have focused on searching for alternative quiet spaces that inhabitants and tourists could use as a temporary refuge from urban noise and chaos. In these studies, we have shown that thanks to their acoustics peculiarities and several other non-acoustic characteristics, the cloisters and the courts of historic buildings have a high potential to induce restoration. Nevertheless, among the narrow streets of the historic cities centres, the widenings can also provide a small contribution to a temporary restoration of people. This paper investigates the restorative potentiality of these further spaces and compares the outcomes carried out from binaural recordings and in situ interviews with those of cloisters and courts of historic buildings within the ancient city centre of Naples.

Socio-economic determinants of mobility responses during the first wave of COVID-19 in Italy: from provinces to neighbourhoods.

After more than 1 year into the COVID-19 pandemic, governments worldwide still face the challenge of adopting non-pharmaceutical interventions to mitigate the risks posed by the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants and the lack of a worldwide equitable vaccine allocation. Thus, it becomes crucial to identify the drivers of mobility responses to mitigation efforts during different restriction regimes, for planning interventions that are both economically and socially sustainable while effective in controlling an outbreak. Here, using anonymous and privacy-enhanced cell phone data from Italy, we investigate the determinants of spatial variations of reductions in mobility and co-location in response to the adoption and the lift of restrictions, considering both provinces and city neighbourhoods. In large urban areas, our analysis uncovers the desertification of historic city centres, which persisted after the end of the lockdown. Such centre-periphery gradient was mainly associated with differences in educational attainment. At the province level, the local structure of the labour market mainly explained the variations in mobility responses, together with other demographic factors, such as the population’s age and sex composition. In the future, targeted interventions should take into account how the ability to comply with restrictions varies across geographical areas and socio-demographic groups.

Bacterial degradation of nine wooden foundation piles from Gothenburg historic city center and correlation to wood quality, environment, and time in service

Nine wooden foundation piles of spruce and pine supporting historic buildings in the old town of Gothenburg, Sweden, were examined for fungal and bacterial degradation. The aim was to assess the type and degree of decay of the pile heads and correlate variations to the local environment, time in service and the wood quality. Soil and water samples were measured in the field for basic hydrogeological analyses, and pH, redox, O2 and groundwater level. The piles showed strong similarities in decay. Detailed light microscopy examination revealed that solely erosion bacteria caused degradation; both in outermost soft layers of the sapwood and further inwards. Most severe decay was present in the outermost layers, 1–3 cm, thereafter decay generally decreased and stopped at varying depths. Most piles had sound interior wood tissue, but a few were superficially to moderately degraded throughout. Some piles showed pronounced variation in degree of decay at the north respectively south side of the stem. This might be related to local water flow directions in the soil. In two piles, minor decay by white rot and soft rot were observed. Soft rot attacks were concluded to be of older date, most likely related to the time of construction, whereas white rot either infected the wood during an aerobic period; e.g. extreme drainage of unknown date, or alternatively the attack developed already in the living tree before felling. Despite that all pile heads (except one) were exposed below groundwater level and mainly in compact clay soil with low redox values, it was not possible to correlate any specific environmental parameter from soil and pore water analyses to the observed decay rates. Diameter of the pile and time in ground were the only two factors clearly correlated to the long-term performance of the piles in this specific urban environment.

Micro-Geographies of Information and Communication Technology Firms in a Shrinking Medium-Sized Industrial City of Ostrava (Czechia)

We aimed to explain the spatial distribution of information and communication technology (ICT) firms in the city of Ostrava as an example of a medium-sized, shrinking, polycentric industrial city. The primary research question was to what extent micro-geographic location factors affect the current spatial clustering of ICT firms in polycentric cities characteristic by relatively weak urbanization economies and mostly routine character of ICT activities. We analyse and test the effects of the urban form at the level of urban blocks and individual buildings (considering their height, technical condition, age and dominant function) on the clustering of ICT firms of various sizes and ownership statuses. The inquiry was based on a detailed field mapping (using ArcGIS Collector) of ICT firms and physical/functional characteristics of the buildings and their immediate surroundings. ICT firms are significantly spatially concentrated in the historic city centre and inner city. Spatial patterns of ICT firms focused on less knowledge-intensive, routine and/or lower value-added functions do not differ fundamentally from innovative firms developing new products. Preference of denser, walkable, mixed-use neighbourhoods in urban cores/inner cities can be found in the group of firms focusing on routine functions: rather for larger than for smaller firms and domestic than foreign-owned firms.

Measuring Walkability for More Liveable and Sustainable Cities

Walkability is of rising importance in planning and design circles. In Turkey and the world, it is increasingly recognized as an urban strategy to create healthy societies within sustainable and ‘liveable’ cities. Despite this interest, the extent to which Turkish cities are walkable remains questionable. Defining the performative features of walkability, this research offers a micro- scale walkability assessment model with eight qualitative and quantitative factors of urban design. Describing the model with its factors, this article first presents a research methodology, then explores the walkability level of the historic city centre of Mersin, specifically Ataturk and Uray Streets (AUS). Finally, it discusses the major planning and design strategies that can improve walkability and liveability level of the historic city centre of Mersin, and underlines the contributions the model can make to current planning practice with reference to inclusive, human-centred and flexible design approaches. The research concludes that a sensitive qualitative and quantitative assessment of walkability is necessary to identify the walkability level of urban space. Additionally, it suggests that a comprehensive, integrated, and multi-dimensional planning and design approach regarding micro-scale, meso-scale and macro-scale is required to develop holistic and integrated urban design strategies to achieve walkable, liveable and sustainable cities.

Measuring Walkability for More Liveable and Sustainable Cities: The Case of Mersin City Centre

Walkability is of rising importance in planning and design circles. In Turkey and the world, it is increasingly recognized as an urban strategy to create healthy societies within sustainable and ‘liveable’ cities. Despite this interest, the extent to which Turkish cities are walkable remains questionable. Defining the performative features of walkability, this research offers a micro- scale walkability assessment model with eight qualitative and quantitative factors of urban design. Describing the model with its factors, this article first presents a research methodology, then explores the walkability level of the historic city centre of Mersin, specifically Ataturk and Uray Streets (AUS). Finally, it discusses the major planning and design strategies that can improve walkability and liveability level of the historic city centre of Mersin, and underlines the contributions the model can make to current planning practice with reference to inclusive, human-centred and flexible design approaches. The research concludes that a sensitive qualitative and quantitative assessment of walkability is necessary to identify the walkability level of urban space. Additionally, it suggests that a comprehensive, integrated, and multi-dimensional planning and design approach regarding micro-scale, meso-scale and macro-scale is required to develop holistic and integrated urban design strategies to achieve walkable, liveable and sustainable cities.

FROM SURVEY TO 3D MODELLING TO DIGITAL FABRICATION. A WORKFLOW AIMED AT DOCUMENTING AND TRANSMITTING BUILT HERITAGE

Abstract. This contribution illustrates the results of research that aims to connect the workflow for knowledge – survey, interpretation, modeling – to the transmission of this knowledge and enhancement of Cultural Heritage by physical models, demonstrating its potential in a “Design for All” perspective. Palazzo Mazzonis, the current seat of the MAO (Museo d’Arte Orientale), is one of the many buildings in the historic city center of Turin characterized by a particular complex vaulted atrium: it has been investigated through TLS survey tools for the production of two-dimensional drawings (for the detailed representation of architectural features) and three-dimensional models (for the interpretation of the design idea through geometry). The last phase of work aims to translate the interpretative digital models into tactile models for Cultural Heritage transmission, through processes of digital fabrication, with obvious impacts on the visit path inside the museum, also with didactic purposes.

ENVIRONMENT OF HISTORICAL AREAS OF CITIES AS A BASIS FOR THE FORMATION OF INTERACTIVE RECREATION

Problem statement. In the modern urban planning practice of development of historical cities the role and potential of the city center are still insufficiently defined, features of its preservation and possible development are not revealed. In Ukraine, there is still no clear definition of the concept of “city center”, which does not contribute to the sustainable urban and architectural development of historic cities. Today there are different interpretations of such an urban category as “city center”. According to the researcher M. Bevz, the “city center” provides a rare opportunity to trace the millennial evolution of the urban planning system, which is rare in Ukraine. Some researchers believe that the city center is an important communication hub and a special space in which various functions of urban life are introduced, in all its evolution, modification, meanings and perceptions (O. Rybchynsky “Formation and revitalization of historical cities of Ukraine”). The author of the study considers it most appropriate to consider the concept of “city center” as identical to the concept of “historical core of the city”. Characteristics of the concept of “historic area of the city” appeared only in 2000 in the Law of Ukraine “On Protection of Cultural Heritage” as part of the settlement, which preserved cultural heritage sites and related planning and form of construction that originate from previous periods of development, typical of certain crops or periods of development. One of the most important methods of preserving and properly modernizing the environment of historical areas should be considered “revalorization”, which contributes to the cultural value of the historic city center. 
 The purpose of the article is to highlight the importance of the historical area as a basis for the formation of interactive recreation. 
 Results. Implementation of revalorization into the theory and practice of domestic reconstruction of the urban environment on the basis of comprehensive and deep theoretical research, as well as ideas for improving and arranging urban space with a focus on successful foreign solutions for using the cultural potential of the central areas of historical cities in the system of interactive recreation. The city should be considered as a multifunctional phenomenon in the diversity of manifestations due to its general cultural and historical significance. In this context, the historic city center is a concentration of interactive communication between residents. Interactive communication is primarily an exchange of ideas for improving the urban environment and enhancing information exchange between people. In such interaction of people and environment of special importance acquires the reflection of human emotional reaction to the made architectural and town-planning environment with its historically formed “human” scale and richness of forms that in turn is necessary protective reaction of the modern person to “standardization” of new city building. The creation of interactive recreation based on the cultural potential of the historic areas of the city allows to form in these areas full-fledged interactive recreational spaces in the combination of existing and new buildings. 
 Scientific novelty and practical significance. Due to the active growth of requirements for the quality and comfort of the urban space of the historic core of the city, the practical significance of the study is to study the historically formed substance of the city, its authenticity; preservation, revival and development of the historical image of the city center on the principles of revalorization. Today there is a need to find and develop methods of activating the environment, one of which is the creation of interactive recreation, which will help to adapt the city-forming and functional significance of their historic areas to new needs.

Upwards - Vertical extensions of masonry built heritage for sustainable and antifragile urban densification

Urban densification represents one of the biggest universal challenges of contemporary cities: the increase of urban population requires new spaces to accommodate the growing demand for housing, working and tertiary activities. However, the land available for new constructions in highly urbanized areas is very limited. In this framework, the vertical extension of existing buildings is the most sustainable strategy and fascinating. Masonry structures, constituting a major part of the built stock in the historical city centres of several European countries, are particularly suitable for vertical addition of extra-floors, since they generally exhibit an adequate overstrength for bearing an increase of gravity loads, although seismic retrofit interventions are usually required. In this paper, starting from the case study of the historical town of Pozzuoli, in South Italy, an “antifragile” approach, based on the intermediate isolation system, is suggested to rise the height of the masonry building, while reducing the global seismic demand. For this aim, in this paper are analysed the architectural-functional and structural design issues related to a vast-scale application of vertical additions isolated on the top of existing structures. Further, the feasibility and effectiveness of the strategy are discussed, and benefits in terms of seismic performance are evaluated.

Urban cloverleaves: origin, aesthetics, and contradictions of the Slussen, Stockholm

On 11 October 1935, the inauguration of the Slussen urban cloverleaf took place in front of the excited citizens of Stockholm. It had the attributes of a pure traffic machine taken from the most advanced traffic engineering publications, and it expressed the optimistic cultural modernism that five years ago the Stockholm International Exhibition had promoted.1 This urban cloverleaf was made of translucent glass, reinforced concrete, metallic handrails, and reflective tiles and was meant to solve, in one single gesture, the complex urban link between the Lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea, between Gamla Stan – the historic city centre – and Södermalm – the southern district built on top of the 35-metre-high plateau [1]. The solution made difficult urban compromises between the foothills of the Brunkeberg topography, the smooth water surfaces of the Stockholm archipelago, the architecture of the historic urban tissue, and the demands of a complex articulated mobility. Boats, goods, suburban trains, subways, trams – later buses – pedestrians, cyclists, and automobiles finally converged on this place at different levels, completing the intricacies of a threedimensional geometry which, for the first time in history, was inserted into a compact city.

Effect of public infrastructure on urban land price. Case of the city of Cuenca, Ecuador

In this paper, the expected sale value of urban properties is analyzed compared to the capital incorporated to the land by infrastructure. For this task, the market prices of 1,393 properties in the city of Cuenca, Ecuador, were collected using different sources, including online ads, realtors, and for-sale signs. The analysis reveals that in 95% of the lots, the capital incorporated by infrastructure represents up to 22.4% of the asking price. However, the profit expected by the owners -expected price minus incorporated capital- is high, reaching an average of 6.35 times the investment cost. Based on the lot’s spatial distribution, it was identified that the historic city center and its surroundings were areas where the highest expected profits are seen. Accurately distinguishing the areas that capture these profits can contribute in decision making regarding the capital gains recovery policies generated by public investment.

Multi-Attribute Analysis of Contemporary Cultural Buildings in the Historic Urban Fabric as Sustainable Spaces—Krakow Case Study

This study concerns contemporary cultural buildings in the historic city centre of Krakow, Poland, and their assessment in terms of sustainability. The paper aims to bridge a research gap in previous studies on pluralistic values and the impact of cultural heritage on sustainability. The comparative case study conducted in Krakow aims to evaluate the functioning and potential of the space towards achieving the following five goals: accessibility, conservation, mix of functions, aesthetics, comfort and sociability. The perception of these buildings and the public space around them by the city residents, as well as their operation during unexpected circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, were also evaluated. The author combined an on-site analysis, behavioural mapping and a survey. The results correlate the liveability and aesthetics of public spaces along with the amount and quality of greenery found there with the comfort of users and the popularity of particular places. This paper highlights how important it is to create cultural spaces in a historic city to develop a range of their activities linked to the surrounding public spaces and green areas. Activating cultural spaces and connecting them to sustainability goals is especially important when faced with declining tourism.

Retail change in a context of an overtourism city. The case of Lisbon

Purpose The excess of tourism in some destinations has led to the discussion of overtourism. One of the sectors that most interacts with tourism is retail, a key element in the experience lived by tourists. The purpose of this paper is to analyse how retail evolves in a context of an overtourism city, how it relates with touristification and what are the elements that best characterise such evolution and relation. Design/methodology/approach This research is based on a case study, using the main historic city centre of Lisbon for that purpose. Fieldwork was developed by the author to collect information about the commercial fabric and its main characteristics. Findings The findings show a clear adaptation of the commercial fabric of the analysed area to the tourism industry. Furthermore, the author unfolded that the change of retail is towards a consumption environment based on leisure, involving the adaptation of the public space into terraces, and on the thematisation of stores, using elements seen as “authentically” Portuguese, which bestows on theses spaces a sort of certification of quality and authenticity. Originality/value The mere reference to the homogenisation of the retail fabric is too simple to explain the richness and variety of elements imbedded in the process of retail change in a context of excessive tourism and touristification. In this paper, the author produced novel knowledge by analysing the elements that embody the evolution of retail in such a context.

Modelling Socio-Spatial Change: Istanbul, Kadıköy Case.

This study aims to understand the relationship between social structure and morphological character based on a case area from Kadıköy, Istanbul, Turkey considering several independent (cultural diversity, family type, income level, ownership status) and dependent (land use type, land cover, building type, building layout, settlement type, settlement pattern, street pattern, commercial pattern) variables. Existing data is processed in two steps and analyzed by categorical regression. Results of the study show that urban character of the Kadıköy historical city center is closely related with family type, income level and cultural diversity. As this study has unique contributions in search for alternative methodologies to overcome limitations in the availability of data, it is expected to open new dimensions for further studies in social sciences and urban studies.

Gentrification and Touristification in the Central Urban Areas of Seville and Cádiz

Intensive tourism in historic city centers is causing socio-spatial effects that are already visible to society. This has led politicians and academics to focus on the issue, creating a debate about gentrification in certain central urban areas which overlaps with studies on touristification, understood by some authors as tourism gentrification. This article aims to identify whether socio-demographic changes identifiable as touristification have occurred in the historic centers of two Andalusian cities, Seville and Cádiz, and which we interpret as the replacement of residents with visitors. The work is based primarily on the exploratory analysis of socio-demographic data from the Population Register and data on housing and rentals provided by different sources. The work shows strong indications of a relationship between the increase of tourist apartments and losses of residents in both historic centers. The paper concludes by pointing to the need for further research on this relationship in public statistics that can guide future policy action.

ARCHITECTURAL AND PLANNING ORGANIZATION OF RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE IN THE HISTORICAL ENVIRONMENT OF THE CITY (ODESSA AS AN EXAMPLE)

The evolution of the development of the historical centers of Ukrainian cities are currently acquiring special relevance in connection with the problems of radical reconstruction of its infrastructure; the lack of territories on the one hand, and the desire for maximum safety of the existing buildings on the other hand. As practical activities show, project of center reconstructions, protected and reserved zones of historical cities are not able to solve the accumulated problems while simultaneously preserving the existing historical ensembles and background buildings as much as possible. In order to adapt the center to modern requirements with minimal destruction of the urban environment, At the present stage of development of housing construction in our coun-try, there is a complex of interrelated architectural, social and economic issues that characterizes the cities of Ukraine. In this regard, the experience of Odessa, actively responds to numerous chal-lenges, and it is likely to become a model city for solving urgent housing problems. Odessa archi-tects are forced to resolve issues related to the choice of free territories for new construction, which every year are becoming more and more challenging and difficult to resolve.