Historic Urban Environments Research Articles

Displacements induced by tunnelling under a historical building

Underground construction in historic urban environment requires a careful prediction of the expected displacement field to avoid damages or to undertake preventative measures. The empirical method to predict ground movements in greenfield conditions (Peck, 1969; Attwell and Woodman, 1982) is routinely used. A more accurate prediction can be obtained via numerical analysis. A preliminary greenfield 3D FEM model was calibrated to analyse a stretch of a tunnel under construction in Napoli. Subsequently an interaction analysis has been carried out modelling an existing monumental building. Both the geometry of the intersection and the soil layering suggested using a 3D numerical model. The building was modelled as a stiff plate loaded by a uniform surface load. A satisfactory agreement between predictions and measurements was obtained with the interaction analysis.

Harnessing the Tension from Context-duality in Historic Urban Environment

The quest for improvement and upgrading of the historic urban environment through coexisting historical context and new context had introduced tension over the previous years. The resultant flows have jeopardized the harmonious layers of historical settings. The concept of conservation that provides the needed bridge between the forces in many cases implemented exhibits a no consideration of the three polarities that controls historic areas. The aftermath shows up in two ways. At one end is convergence and divergence at the other but the emphasis of this paper focuses on investigating what happens in historic urban environments when annex developments exceed historic limits? Historic Limit (HL) is the hidden benchmark and maximum point of the historic urban environment at which the forces produced by the two contexts coexist elastically. In order to answer the generated question, a literature review of the keywords that constitutes the topic is explored. The ideas of Warren John on ‘interaction’ and that of Getty Conservation Institute on ‘relationship’ that happens in the built above environment will buttress the argument. A model that represents the correlation of the two contexts is developed to simplify the overall intentions of the essay. Another technique is the selection of two composite annex cases to validate the targeted objectives. The article is concluded by recommending that conservation schemes in historic urban landscapes should adopt consensus design strategy for tackling context tension. As a sure way of sustainably welcoming the voices of the community in the process before implementation of the development.

Defining and Managing the Historic Urban Landscape: Reflections on the English Experience and Some Stories from Liverpool

The period since the 1960s has been characterised by growing societal concern with urban heritage protection and the development of legislative, fiscal and urban planning instruments that seek to ensure the protection and enhancement of historic buildings and environments. International organisations such as UNESCO and European level documents such as the European Spatial Development Perspective (ESDP) have stressed the cultural and economic value of the ‘wise management of natural and cultural heritage’. Since the 1970s many cities have sought to redefine and regenerate themselves through a revalorisation of their past and the protection and enhancement of their historic urban landscapes. Urban heritage has thus often come to be seen as a component of the territorial capital of places, and often had a symbiotic relationship with the objective of urban regeneration. However, urban heritage is not a static concept and ideas about what constitutes heritage, the value of different historic urban environments, and the contribution they can make to city development and regeneration continue to evolve. This paper reflects on this evolution in the context of the English planning system and illustrates some key trends and issues surrounding urban heritage through a consideration of recent and ongoing heritage related planning episodes in the northern English city of Liverpool.

역사적 도시환경의 보존형태 분석을 통한 유산적 가치 고찰 - 수원 화성을 중심으로 -

이 논문은 수원 화성 내 도시환경의 보존형태를 분석하여 보전가치가 있는 역사적 자원들을 도출하는데 목적이 있다. 도시환경 보전에 있어 시간의 지속성을 갖춘 자원의 보호와 장소적 특징이 남아있는 자원의 관리가 중요하기에, 보존형태 분석은 물리적 형태 보존과 이용 기능의 보존 측면에 중점을 두고 수행하였다. 연구는 세 단계로 진해하였다. 첫째, 성곽 내부의 도시환경을 전체적으로 이해하고자 1911년에 제작된 지적원도와 현재의 도면을 필지의 특성을 담고 있는 지형, 수공간, 가로, 대지의 네 가지 항목으로 구분하여 비교하였다. 둘째, 도면에 기초한 문헌연구, 현장답사, 인터뷰의 내용을 토대로 도시환경의 변화내용을 연구하였고, 이를 보존-일부 보존-소멸의 척도로 구분하여 보존형태를 고찰하였다. 셋째, 도시환경에서 오랜 기간 보존되고 있는 자원과 완전히 보존되고 있지는 않지만 장소적 특징이 남아있는 자원을 구분하여 도출하였다. 연구결과, 첫째, 지형과 수계의 자연적 요소와 가로와 같은 도시구조적 요소가 크게 변하지 않았으며, 변했더라도 지반환경의 속성을 보존하고 있는 경우가 많아 과거의 도시 맥락을 이해하는데 도움을 주었다. 둘째, 지형, 수공간, 가로, 대지의 보존이 서로 밀접하게 연관되어 있음을 알 수 있었다. 이들을 보다 큰 맥락에서 통합적으로 관리해야 화성의 역사적 정취도 보전할 수 있다고 생각된다. 셋째, 현재 시점에서 오랜 기간 지속되어온 자원에는 근대에 조성된 공공시설들이 많이 있어 화성 내 역사문화자원을 조선시대 외에도 다양한 시대적 켜로 읽는 것이 필요하다. 넷째, 도시화 시기를 지나면서도 오랜 기간 보존된 필지와 가로가 최근의 역사문화복원사업으로 오히려 훼손되는 경우도 찾아볼 수 있어 이들을 신중히 다룰 필요가 있겠다. The purpose of this paper is to draw historic valuable resources to conserve through the analysis about the preservation status of historic urban environment in Suwon Hwaseong Fortress. As for the conservation of urban environment, it is important to protect the resources showing historical continuity and to manage the resources remaining characteristics of place, the analysis of the preservation status is focused on the perspective of preservation of physical form and land use. This paper makes progress through three phases. First, in order to understand urban environment in Hwaseong Fortress overall, it compares land registration original map in 1911 to current map in 2014 by the four items of topography, water environment, streets and sites. Next, changes of four items in urban environment have been reviewed further by the research of maps, relative literatures, field survey and interview, and are classified according to the criteria of preservation-partially preservation-disappearance. After analysing preservation status, valuable urban historic cultural resources are drawn separately by being preserved continually and by being preserved partially but remaining characteristics of place. As a result, natural factors of topography and waterway and urban factor of streets are remained considerably preserved. And even if these factors are changed, the ground environment features support to understand historic urban context. Second, as preservation of topography, water environment, streets and sites are closely related to each other, integrated conservation frameworks are needed to enhance urban historic landscape. Third, modern historic resources in Hwaseong are remained unchanged and thus it is necessary to understand urban historic environment by the layers of various times besides Joseon Dynasty period. Fourth, historic sites and streets which had been preserved through urban development process are destroyed by recent historic cultural restoration policies, therefore urban historic resources worthy of conservation should be treated prudently.

Life In Kilis with Its Traditional Urban Fabric and Houses

Conserving historic urban environments is currently one of the most universally urgent and challenging cultural heritage conservation issues. Conservation in this paper is seen as a term that covers a wide spectrum of issues that can be classified under three categories: historic urban fabric, traditional Kilis houses and lifestyle concerns. Kilis, which has been a home for many civilizations and cultures throughout history, is an outstanding settlement with its unique historic urban fabric and distinctive house plans. Situated in a transition climate zone, the city also shines for its traditional local cuisine and varied traditional handicrafts. This study aims to give a detailed description of the traditional urban fabric, streets, squares, residential plan types including commonly used architectural details, and the traditional materials in Kilis. The study also examines the lifestyle in Kilis with respect to the city’s potentialities. The recommendations regarding how to preserve and maintain the historic urban fabric, the traditional Kilis houses, and lifestyle characteristics are presented in the discussion and conclusion part.

Energy-efficient retrofitting and energy consumption in a historic city centre – an example from Lhasa

The conservation of historic buildings and urban environments can have the potential to improve the quality of life, stimulate economic development and reduce carbon emissions from energy consumption. However, given increasing expectations of indoor thermal comfort and an increasing dependency on modern living technologies, energy consumption in the urban historic environment is expected to rise. This paper examines the retrofitting of windows to historic buildings and issues of energy consumption and carbon emission in Lhasa's historic city centre, focusing on the relationship between energy use and window retrofitting. First, the thermal performance of a traditional Tibetan building in Lhasa is simulated and examined. Second, four window types for retrofitting are evaluated through computer modelling and their impacts on energy consumption are compared. Finally, the energy demand and carbon emission of the whole historic city centre with various window types are estimated and compared. In terms of energy efficiency and historic preservation, current single-layered window retrofitting practices perform badly, while windows with wooden frames and secondary glazing may achieve better performance. The approach offers the opportunity to halve the energy consumption and carbon emissions in the Lhasa historic city centre.

역사적 도시환경보존을 위한 건축문화재 활용방안 연구 -일본(日本) 카와고에시(川越市) 쿠라츠쿠리(藏造り)를 중심으로-

Many cities in Japan retain older city structures with buildings in traditional form and style. Visitors are fascinated by charms and tranquility of pre-modern life styles. Architectural features of olden days are well conserved or carefully restored on purpose. In the case of Kawagoe city near Tokyo, local residents are largely replete with visitors without being necessarily aware of slow commodification of historic spaces. Kawagoe is yet socio-culturally sustainable and financially fit. This paper intends to analyse conservation strategies, with focus on architectural heritage, taken for the historic city of Kawagoe. With the population of 300,000 in the suburb of Tokyo, it is one of the best known historic cities in Japan. Kawagoe grew as a merchant city since 1700s, and it once reached to a major port of silk trade en-route to Edo (Tokyo) from northen provinces. Tourism industry is discovered as a key element in the conservation strategies applied to revitalize historic city center, Ichibangai, an important cultural heritage site with special reference to kurazukuri. This paper argues that augmentation of conceptions in architectural heritage is not only advantageous for the conservation of historic urban environment but it also provides opportunities for sustainable urban renewal.

Conservation on the Edge: Periurban Settlement Heritage in China

In the course of China’s rapid environmental change, the rebuilding of city centers has left few historic urban spaces and structures to conserve, while urbanization of the countryside has brought increasing numbers of small towns and villages onto the conservation lists. The collective governmental "eye" now sees an environment that was formerly invisible to it, and brings it into the orbit of its metropolitan concerns. On one hand, municipal leaders seek room for the city’s expanding functions; on the other hand, officials (and public discourse in general) perceive a loss of local and regional identity in the wake of rapid development. The recognition and value of rural built and natural environmental heritage in China is an integral part of the urbanization process. It is redefining "urban conservation" to encompass agricultural and other rural settlements, in addition to historic urban environments and communities.

Quo Vadis Civitas? – Thoughts on the European Conception of the City Today

The article deals with the change of paradigms in European urban thinking through time. The principles of Modern City Planning of the first half of the 20th century, which despised the classical ideals of the European city and of historical urban environments, as well as the subsequent advent of their counterplot, i.e. the approach of integrated conservation and preservation planning, are seen as the two main opposing tendencies of city development in the last 100 years. They have preceded and prepared the way for a new urban consciousness which puts emphasis on the principles of sustainable development in both global and local terms. While the pressing demands for sustainability have been taken into consideration and even recorded in the law on a certain level in most European countries at the turn of this century, there are still many other new-type urban phenomena which express the present-day tendencies of change in our city-life. The breaking of the traditional space-time relationship due to the arrival of the Internet and the multicultural post-modern urban nomadism, which both go together with a tremendous worldwide economic, social, and environmental restructuration, are among them. As a result, the concept of place has lost its former meaning as an explicitly physical scene. At the same time, mentally, socially and culturally processed issues, such as the identity of a place, have become more and more important putting emphasis on the type of interaction between different people and the places of their lives. Thus the question of dwelling and the expression of multi-cultural identities have become fundamental urban issues. Today in Europe city planning is often less concerned with building new environments than with transforming extant environments and creating interaction and synergy between old and new. Multicultural and tolerant living environments with different historical, social and cultural layers function as magnets for creative people and for inspiring city-life. CV: Kaisa Broner-Bauer is an architect D.Sc. (Tech./Arch.), and professor emerita of Architecture at the University of Oulu, Finland. She has studied and worked in Finland, France, the United States, and Japan and is the author of numerous publications on architecture, historic preservation, and urban studies. Her present research interests include the questions of identity and transcendence in architecture and the built environment.

From urban landscape units to morphological coding: Exploring an alternative approach to zoning in Auckland, New Zealand

Research on geographical urban morphology is pertinent to both describing and prescribing the spatial structure and character of the built environment, but its application in planning and managing the urban landscape has been slow to develop. On the basis of the relationship between morphological periodicities and the stratification of urban form, the recognition of urban landscape units is fundamental to the understanding and planning of urban areas. Stimulated by the increasing demand for business and housing, the historical inner suburb of Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand is experiencing great pressure for change. The District Plan that underpins urban landscape development in this suburb on the basis of land-use zones has been of limited effectiveness in guiding change to the historical urban environment. In seeking more integrated development control, a morphological coding alternative is suggested, which is derived from spatial analysis of the composite structure of urban landscape units.

Comparing Traditional Urban Form in China and Europe: A Fringe-Belt Approach

Urban growth and transformation across the world are presenting great challenges for the comprehension and management of urban landscape change. Comparative urban morphology makes it possible to identify urban forms common to different geographical regions, while helping to distinguish unique historical characteristics and developments important for towns and cities in the hunt for place identity and prestige. The fringe-belt concept provides a frame of reference for depicting, explaining, and comparing the physical structure and historical development of urban landscapes. The walled cities of Pingyao, China and Como, Italy possess well-preserved historical urban environments that reflect the urban development traditions of their respective cultures. Newly available cartographic evidence and field work reveal critical differences between the embedded fringe belts of the two cities resulting from different historico-geographical dynamics. Pingyao's single composite fringe belt and Como's three distinct belts challenge current understanding of urban structural processes and argue for more focused urban landscape management.

Evaluating social sustainability in historic urban environments

Government policies aimed at the alleviation of poverty and social exclusion have been moving toward a multi-faceted approach that includes community capacity building and collaborative partnerships. This implies greater community consultation and the involvement of public and private institutions and the voluntary sector in the democratic management of local affairs. While these are established theoretical concepts, implementing localised social policy and measuring the outcomes are notoriously difficult, particularly in historic urban areas where democratic decision making has the potential to conflict with the management of heritage value. Drawing on recent policy and academic literature, this paper explores the concept of social sustainability and the characteristics of its evaluation. The paper illustrates how social sustainability indicators favour multi-dimensional themes that support national political agendas. The tension between this and the rise of participatory governance is highlighted. The paper concludes with a suggested approach to the evaluation of social sustainability in historic urban environments.

A Future for the Past: A New Theoretical Model for Sustainable Historic Urban Environments

Industrial regions across the developed world have experienced a period of steady decline since the 1960s. The regeneration of former industrial sites, particularly for tourism, has become an expedient strategy for targeting the economic and social deprivation often associated with de-industrialization. This places significant expectations on heritage not only as a contributor to the more immediate regeneration process but also as a vehicle for long-term sustainable development. Using data drawn from a case study of UK industrial World Heritage sites, this article presents findings that indicate the need for procedural and institutional innovation if industrial heritage sites are to respond to the challenge of sustainable development. The paper concludes with a model of sustainable heritage management that is relevant to other complex historic sites.

The Meaning of “Fuchi” and the Scenic Landscape Role in Historic Kyoto’s Disaster Mitigation - “Fuchi” Use Until Scenic Landscape Setup Under the Old City Planning Act and Scenic Landscape Regulation Management in Kyoto -

We clarified scenic landscape district by analyzing the importance of the term “scenic landscape” itself and its practical use and identified disastermitigationmeasures for historical urban environments. The term “scenic landscape” is categorized mainly based on two meanings given by the national language dictionary of Japan; “elegance (omomuki, &#36259)” and “personal quality (hitogara, &#20154&#26564).” The term is used to indicate psychological appraisal based on an aesthetic sense, not used to indicate a physical boundary. During post-Meiji-era modernization, the term “scenic landscape” acquired the added meaning of “elegant landscape,” a feature perceived by sight encompassing the meaning of “things to be preserved” – “scenic landscape district” thus came to mean an “elegant” scenic landscape and was established as a district system in the City Planning Act. The objectives of establishing a “scenic landscape district” were to preserve a historic site”s cultural heritage (core zone) and to maintain elegant landscapes (buffer zones) having historical value.

Aligning archive maps and extracting footprints for analysis of historic urban environments

Archive cartography and archaeologist's sketches are invaluable resources when analysing a historic town or city. A virtual reconstruction of a city provides the user with the ability to navigate and explore an environment which no longer exists to obtain better insight into its design and purpose. However, the process of reconstructing the city from maps depicting features such as building footprints and roads can be labour intensive. In this paper we present techniques to aid in the semi-automatic extraction of building footprints from digital images of archive maps and sketches. Archive maps often exhibit problems in the form of inaccuracies and inconsistencies in scale which can lead to incorrect reconstructions. By aligning archive maps to accurate modern vector data one may reduce these problems. Furthermore, the efficiency of the footprint extraction methods may be improved by aligning either modern vector data or previously extracted footprints, since common elements can be identified between maps of differing time periods and only the difference between the two needs to be extracted. An evaluation of two alignment approaches is presented: using a linear affine transformation and a set of piecewise linear affine transformations.

Traditional architectural forms in market oriented Chinese cities: Place for localities or symbol of culture?

China provides a unique social-economic and political context for urban conservation and regeneration within the current trend of modernisation and globalisation. This paper investigates 4 urban regeneration projects conducted in four most internationalised historical Chinese cities from 1989 to 2005, in order to understand how traditional architectural elements are manipulated in these projects. It also examines the roles local governments, developers, designers and local residents played in these projects in the intensification process of the market oriented economy over time. The paper argues that socio-cultural sustainable regeneration of historical urban environments must make places for local people, rather than preserve certain traditional forms as cultural symbols. Tradition must evolve by the collective and traditional forms must be widely used in architectural and urban design with community involvement, in order to achieve real cultural identity and social cohesion.

Reconceptualising the historic urban environment: conservation and regeneration in Castlefield, Manchester, 1960–2009

The reinvention of deindustrial cities requires a long‐term commitment to reconfiguring physical space, altering perceptions and transforming the functions of space. The contraction of the manufacturing sector asked a series of questions of the existing industrial environment which once stood as a testament to Britain’s position as the first industrial nation but was increasingly falling into a state of disrepair. How these redundant spaces and buildings were continually subjected to re‐evaluation and a reconceptualisation of the type of role they could play in contributing to the urban renaissance remains the central theme of the paper. Contained within this is an examination of the complex matrix of agencies from the voluntary, public and private sectors working on a local, regional, national and European scale. Their perception of the potential of the historic landscape was conditioned by their remit, position within the institutional framework, the emerging urban agenda and political changes as well as an emerging cultural switch to embrace urban heritage. This paper will elucidate how the historic urban environment was reconceptualised in Castlefield, Manchester and how the various desires of the voluntary, public and private sector were realised through the conscious manipulation and reconceptualisation of historic space since 1960.

What lies beneath: surveying the Thames at Woolwich

Line 1 of the Crossrail project is planned to cross the River Thames via twin tunnels at Woolwich in east London. This paper reports on the fascinating investigation into the riverbed of Woolwich Reach, involving integration of a wide range of data from historical, geophysical and borehole sources. It illustrates how combining detailed desk studies and focused borehole investigations with over-water seismic, sonar and magnetic gradiometer surveys can assist civil engineers in the design of major structures within historic urban and tidal river environments.

Developments in Conservation Policy: The Evolving Role of the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment

The quality of urban design, particularly in the historic urban environment, has been recognized as a key issue in achieving the much-publicized urban renaissance. To redress the apparent loss of quality that has occurred over the last 30 years, the government has sponsored a number of initiatives that promote design through influence rather than by control. The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) was established in 2000 as a ‘design watchdog’, and has been afforded the opportunity to make comment on a kaleidoscopic array of private- and public-sector design issues. Yet, in the short time since its introduction, CABE has evolved rapidly and has begun to present a more pervasive agenda that goes beyond mere guidance. This is problematic, and indicates the potential introduction of a series of non-regulated requirements that need to be addressed by developers in their design solutions.

Boundaries and conservation

J. Anstey and M.R.G. Conzen both made important contributions to the study of urban boundaries. Conzen’s work provides a framework for the analysis of the process of physical change in the historic urban environment. Anstey’s work provides an understanding of the legal controls over boundaries. These two perspectives are brought together to examine the reasons for the persistence or obliteration of plan form in British towns. Comment is made on the effectiveness of the planning and conservation control system in conserving town plans.