Historic Urban Fabric Research Articles

Reconstructing the environment of historic cities. Methods of incorporating new objects into the historic urban fabric

The presented study is aimed at identifying factors that significantly influence the patterns of designed development in the existing historical urban environment. The paper reviews theoretical grounds and design methods of architects and urban designers exploring the practice of incorporating new architectural objects into a semiotic, morphological and functional context. The time frame of the study was determined due to the relevance of the issue. Actually, cities built before the 20th century are characterized by the cohesion of urban fabric, hierarchy of elements, calibrated silhouette and perception angles of the environment, while modern cities or modern inclusions lack these properties and look scattered and sporadic. The paper suggests two possible reasons behind that: the architects from before the 20th century appeared much skillful than their followers; or the professional architects and urban designers are consciously inclined to the separateness of buildings and their incoherence with the environment. The analysis revealed a number of approaches: three-part construction of architectural form, space as a structure of relations, formalization of the object to structural content, spatial structure of residential environment as socio-spatial bodies, spatial grids, continuity, coherence of the building fabric, navigation factor, formal similarity, relation to the urban framework.

Urban Regeneration through Cultural–Tourism Entrepreneurship Based on Albergo Diffuso Development: The Venac Historic Core in Sombor, Serbia

The inner core of Sombor, known as “Venac”, is probably the best-preserved one among medium-sized cities in Serbia. The stagnation of Sombor during the 20th century and its urban shrinkage in the 21st century have prevented significant transformations of the core, enabling its preservation under state protection as an urban heritage site. However, the recent rise of cultural tourism has triggered urban regeneration. As the city is still unprepared for this change, this regeneration has mostly omitted the inner core. Realising this, local representatives and experts have started rethinking innovative approaches to its regeneration, including the concept of Albergo Diffuso. This sustainable concept is created to revive the historic cores of small, shrinking cities and towns. Basically, it represents a hotel situated in several old buildings dispersed throughout a historic urban fabric, fitting perfectly into the regeneration of Venac. However, the current lack of precise spatial indicators and thresholds makes their incorporation into the planning process challenging. Considering this, this study focuses on the current spatial development of tourism in Venac, analysing the elements that would support and facilitate the application of this concept in the future. This article also proposes a set of new planning measures to support a strategically organised approach—from the emphasis on urban reuse and physical renewal to multileveled linking of basic concept conditions to the prioritization of pedestrian-friendly places and the application of innovative urban design in open public spaces. By connecting the selected Albergo Diffuso approach with spatial development and its analysis, this study also contributes to the spatial imprint of the concept’s implementation.

(Late)nt? Exploring the latent potential for participatory heritage conservation in makhanda, South Africa

There is an increasing call for heritage management to decentralise and involve stakeholders outside of the sphere of governance. This research focuses on participatory conservation of heritage resources and the value of narrative in heritage conservation and tourism development. The case study is situated in the city of Makhanda, which was established in 1812 and possesses a significant number of individual built environment heritage resources and historic streetscapes. These urban features have been identified as assets to the city by various stakeholders and institutions, but they remain under threat. Utilising semi-structured interviews with owners of historic residential properties in the city, the paper argues that homeowners are an underutilised resource in the management of the historic urban fabric. The study found that homeowners held an appreciation for and identified the value of the historic features of their properties, and it argues that this appreciation can be harnessed in heritage management. Interviews revealed, however, that homeowners faced many challenges in managing and maintaining their historic properties and received little support in this regard. Citizen participation in heritage conservation was limited and a top-down approach to heritage resource management predominated.

Creative Destruction and Built Environment Heritage in Makhanda, South Africa

Heritage conservation is recognised as an important component of sustainable development but is often considered a lower priority compared to other development imperatives, and societal issues. The prioritization of economic and urban development threatens urban heritage through a process known as creative destruction. This research uses the concept of creative destruction to explore the interplay between market forces and urban planning and management practices on the heritage conservation of the city of Makhanda in South Africa. Makhanda has a rich and varied cultural heritage landscape, including many individual buildings and streetscapes. A qualitative approach, including semi-structured key informant interviews and secondary sources was employed. The study found that municipal dysfunction and other urban management challenges result in difficultly in enforcing legislation and policy, and thereby threatens heritage conservation. The fates of three buildings within the historic urban fabric of the city are explored in terms of the impacts of neoliberal urbanism occurring within this context. The research contends that for heritage management to be successful, there needs to be a balanced approach through improvements in stakeholder relationships, governance, institutional capacity, knowledge sharing and community involvement in decision-making processes.

(Re)calibrating heritage: Al-Jdeideh (post-)conflict transformations in Aleppo, Syria

This paper examines how armed conflict impacts the recalibration of Aleppo’s historic urban and cultural fabric, using the Al-Jdeideh quarter as a case study. This article critically reflects on the ongoing (post-)conflict, top-down (post-)reconstruction activities in Aleppo’s historic core, drawing on ethnographic research of visual mapping and semi-structured interviews with current Aleppo dwellers in the city and former dwellers displaced across Europe. Our findings highlight that the current reconstruction activities lack locals’ values and needs, and amplify the altered socio-economic dynamics between the (former) communities’ absence and presence. Therefore, these activities are resulting in a skewed representation of what once was a major hub of culture, commerce, heritage, and everyday life. As such, the paper argues that the current reconstruction attempts lack a comprehensive and context-specific approach, and need to explore more inclusive pathways of human-centered and sustainable recovery.

Spatial changes in Royal Malay Town: The Inheritance of ‘Kota’ for Sustainability of Urban Conservation Practices

The continuous degradation of historical urban fabric in traditional towns has hindered efforts to implement sustainable urban conservation practices. Considering the dynamic and complexities of urban areas, which encompass multiple relationships to geographical settings, functional economic and socio-cultural factors, understanding the contextual formation and growth therefore becomes an important consideration in any development project. However, analysing the evolutionary process requires systematic structuring at each hierarchical scale, temporal dimension and level of morphological elements. Thus, posing a significant challenge in extracting the organic growth development of traditional towns. This study attempts to develop a methodological framework for integrated urban morphological analysis that guides the analytical process of spatial changes in Royal Malay town. A case study at Old Town Centre of Kota Bharu, Kelantan was conducted with an emphasis on structuring the case and plan- unit analysis based on diachronic and synchronic comparisons. The findings unveiled the inherent morphogenetic characteristics of Royal Malay towns central to the spatial structure of Kota, which demarcate the fixation line of the growth process and imperative to the functioning system for spatial resilience. This implies that developing a systematic methodological and mapping analysis process aids in providing a clear and responsive strategy in managing rapid spatial transition. This study brings forward the bridging of multidisciplinary knowledge on urban history, geography, design, planning and management to assist in the formulation of comprehensive development guidelines and policies that emphasize an explicit morphological perspective.

Pedestrian movement patterns in historical urban fabrics

Pedestrian movement patterns in historical urban fabrics

A Study on Gathering the Opinions of Architecture Students to Enhance User Interaction with Historical Urban Fabric: A Case Study of Tepebağ District in Adana Province

The historical urban fabric is an important part of our cultural heritage, and historical districts are valuable assets that reflect the identity and character of a city. However, over time, what kind of changes, unplanned urbanization, and other factors reduced the authenticity and user interaction of these historical districts. The urban historical fabric, which can be considered as cultural heritage, has the chance to sustain its continuity under the responsibility of various professions, especially the discipline of architecture. Based on this reality, it is inconceivable for an architecture student, who is educated to learn, comprehend, and preserve the historical fabric, to remain indifferent to the cultural heritage of a city. In this context, a study was conducted to gather the opinions of architecture students with the aim of increasing their interaction with the historical urban fabric. The objective was to use the views of responsible architecture students as data in collaboration with stakeholders to improve and enhance the interaction with the historical urban fabric. The study measured the demographic information and awareness of architecture students at Çukurova University regarding the field through a questionnaire. The reasons and frequency of users’ experiences in the area were analysed. Within the scope of the study, participants were presented with sample images from cultural, economic, social, educational, and public open/semi-open space categories within the historical fabric. Using a 5-point Likert scale, the study aimed to determine the preferred value and rationale of these spaces if they were located in Tepebağ. The results of the survey aimed to increase the interaction of architecture students, aged 18-26 (+), with the significant historical fabric of Tepebağ District in Adana Province. The study aimed to gather their opinions and recommendations regarding the historical fabric and to contribute to initiatives that increase the interaction of young individuals with the historical fabric by sharing the collected data with relevant institutions.

Regenerating historical districts through tactical urbanism: A case study of Sarpol neighborhood in Isfahan Province, Iran

This paper examines historical urban fabrics' challenges regarding quality of life and visual disturbances despite their cultural and identity value. Regeneration and social-oriented approaches considering social, economic, and cultural dimensions preserve and enhance these valuable materials. Tactical urbanism, with its people-oriented approach, can address these issues. This study focused on Sarpol in Khomeinishahr County, Isfahan Province of Iran. The city's urban structure divides into two parts: despite its active social structure and valuable spaces, Sarpol is a historic neighborhood with significant deterioration. We followed Corbin and Strauss's version of Grounded Theory in the qualitative research methodology. Purposive and snowball sampling methods were employed to select 21 participants from the Sarpol neighborhood for semi-structured interviews. The analysis involved three stages of coding: open, axial, and selective. The themes included religious participation, identity, sustainable social bonds, indigenous dependence, and low environmental quality. The central issue identified was the crucial role of religious and cultural values as a driving force for tactical urbanism, which emerged as the most critical semantic domain related to the research problem.

GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE FOR PROTECTING SHIRAZ'S HISTORIC URBAN FABRIC FROM FLOODING

Shiraz, a city known for its rich historical urban fabric, faces increasing challenges posed by climate change and extreme weather events, particularly floods. The rapid urbanization and limited stormwater management infrastructure have exacerbated the vulnerability of the city's historic areas to flooding. Due to the registration of 360 km of Shiraz historical fabric in the national register in 2023, the importance of planning to safeguard this precious heritage has become twice as crucial. This study explores the potential of urban green spaces as a sustainable approach to mitigate flood impacts on Shiraz's historic urban fabric. Through a comprehensive analysis of flood patterns, urban green spaces, and historic buildings, this research aims to identify the most flood-prone areas and assess the effectiveness of existing green spaces in minimizing flood risks. The study also evaluates the role of vegetation and permeable surfaces in stormwater management to reduce floodwater runoff and its impact on historical structures. The findings reveal that strategically designed and maintained urban green spaces can act as natural flood buffers, helping to regulate water flow, reduce surface runoff, and minimize flood-induced damage to historic buildings. By integrating green spaces into urban planning, policymakers can enhance the city's resilience to floods and preserve the unique character and heritage of Shiraz's historic urban fabric. This study advocates for incorporating green infrastructure and sustainable stormwater management practices as integral to urban planning strategies. By embracing nature-based solutions, Shiraz can safeguard its historical treasures and foster a more sustainable and resilient urban environment for current and future generations. This research aimed to assess the implications of reducing urban green spaces, particularly in the green belt surrounding Shiraz's historic urban fabric and Snag-e-Siah neighborhood, on the vulnerability of historical sites to flood damage and potential demolition. With the utilization of urban green spaces, flood damage to Shiraz's built heritage was investigated in this study using both quantitative and qualitative methods simultaneously. The study results showed that the reduction of urban green infrastructure significantly increased the damage caused by floods in the historical area of Shiraz.

Social Impact Assessment of Reconstruction Projects in the Historical Districts Case Study: Bein-Al-Haramain, Shiraz

ABSTRACT Historical urban fabrics have many valuable attributes, but they are often subject to reconstruction plans, especially when they suffer from economic and social problems. Social Impact Assessment (SIA) is a process of evaluating the positive and negative effects of large-scale projects on different aspects of society. The Bein-al-Haramain project, which was implemented in the historical district of Shiraz in 1995, is a suitable case for this study because of its magnitude and its location in a deteriorated historical area. The project affected Mansourieh Neighbourhood, a historic area that dates back to the pre-Safavid period. The aim of this study is to explore and describe the impacts of this project on the lives of the local residents from their own perspectives. This aim is pursued by using the participatory approach of SIA in the paper. The research employs content analysis as the method, semi-structured interviews as the data collection technique, and qualitative survey as the research strategy. According to the authors’ analysis, the Bein-al-Haramain reconstruction project had mostly negative impacts on the lives of the people living in the Mansourieh Neighbourhood. The main source of the negative effects was the disruption of the connections between Mansourieh Neighbourhood and its Bazaar and the rest of the city.

The Scale of Urbanism

While scale is an essential factor in discussions about sustainable cities, there is no common understanding of what scale is or how it should be measured. This paper sheds light on the issue of scale by suggesting how it might be measured and evaluated. My purpose is to offer both a methodological and empirical contribution to the understanding of scale, using Chicago as a case study. Using historical Sanborn maps, I first investigate scale change over time, focusing on a selection of 31 sites that are now “mega-developments” but were originally composed of small-scale buildings and blocks. I quantify that the historical urban fabric had five times as many buildings, and a much higher percentage of buildings with mixed use. I then look at the city as a whole and compare urban scale to pedestrian quality to assess whether there is a quantifiable difference between large- and small-scale urbanism. I find that, at least for Chicago, small scale urbanism is associated with higher pedestrian quality. For the third part of the analysis, I correlate scale and socio-economic characteristics at the census tract level. The results illuminate a mixed set of differences between scale and socio-economic characteristics like income and housing value.

The “soft edge”: Heritage, special character, and new planning directives in Aotearoa cities

Divergent visions for urban form are currently contesting the future of cities in Aotearoa. Severe pressures of population growth, inadequate housing supply, and unsustainable transport systems are raising a spectrum of voices on the appropriate planning response. The heritage field is enfolded in these debates, as intensification pressures have amplified questions about the value of historic urban fabric and the planning mechanisms that sustain it. To what extent should cities’ existing areas be retained or developed, and who gets to decide?
 Focusing on the “soft edge” of heritage—early suburbs valorised as “special character”—the paper traces the history of heritage-making in urban Aotearoa and its role in maintaining the ontological security of the settler state. It first explores the processes of identifying and managing historic urban forms that have gradually evolved through Aotearoa’s planning legislation, from the early town planning acts to the Resource Management Act 1991. It then analyses the tension between contemporary urban planning directions and historic places conservation, exploring the concept of “amenity,” which is implicated in both. It concludes with some avenues for deeper collaboration between planning policy and heritage-making for more spatially and culturally equitable cities.

Social Sustainability and Globalization; A Resilient Quarter and Suq Mutrah in Muscat-Oman

This study examines the impact of globalization on the historic urban fabric of Mutrah, with a specific focus on the coastal neighbourhood of Sur al Lawatiyah and the development of the souq Mutrah in Muscat, Oman. The city's urban design reflects its challenging and fractured history, marked by fortified walls, towering forts, and a dense, clustered urban fabric, particularly during and after the Portuguese occupation. Additionally, the study explains how social sustainability, one of the key pillars of sustainability, has been affected by globalization. Despite being separated from the surrounding neighbourhoods by massive walls and gates, the souq Mutrah, located in the middle, is a crucial public space for people to gather, making it an essential element in Islamic neighbourhoods. Furthermore, the study examines the effect of the souq Mutrah's development on the surrounding neighbourhood of Sur Al-Lawatiyah. The souq has been redesigned and transformed into a larger market that attracts people from all over the world, reflecting the city's multi-cultural identity. Although some residents have created physical and social boundaries to protect themselves from visitors, the souq remains an important public space for locals to gather, trade, and work. Ultimately, the study concludes that the souq's development has increased social interaction and the sense of space without negatively affecting the surrounding neighbourhood's identity or way of life.

Sustainability-based hybridization interventions, the urban fabric of Erbil Citadel - Iraq – As a case study

Traditional cities were social, economic, political, cultural and structural units that grew and developed dynamically within specific spatial spaces under the influence of the contemporary architectural currents. These currents which, frequently, accompanied by uncertainty, caused the positive or negative transformations of the architectural character of those cities in order to be immunized from influential intellectual currents, and to understand the state of development and change in traditional cities according to the principles of sustainability, many concepts have emerged to confront the evolving urban problems among which is the concept of Hybridization. Hybridization is used to control and develop the transformation process taking place in cities and to create a state of balance between tradition and modernity in the development of future cities. Hybridization connects people and activities at common points and stems from these points and other connected pathways in other places.The research aims to build a theoretical framework on the types of hybridization and its applications on the texture of the Citadel of Erbil, one of the northern governorates of Iraq, measuring the interventions of the types of hybridization through the shape of the open spaces, the pattern of movement axes, and the functional hybridization resulting from the restoration and rehabilitation operations of the Erbil Citadel. The importance of the set research objective to build a holistic model of the concept of Hybridization becomes clear. A model that covers types, levels and extents in which Hybridization interventions work in historical urban fabric. The research assumes that crossbreeding interventions in urban areas are associated with a set of factors that determine the type of crossbreeding to be consistent with the urban fabric and sustainable with the current time.The research relied on the description and statistical analysis related to the types of sustainable hybridization and its homogeneity with the ancient urban fabric of the Erbil Citadel and direct recording, measuring the rates of change. Through using computer programs to draw the plans of the Citadel of Erbil.

The Impact of the Dynamics of Services on the Economic Use Value of Historical Monuments. Case Study: the Municipality of Bucharest

Abstract Heritage buildings represent elements of territorial identity of the cities due to the multiple valences they incorporate (historical, architectural, artistic, and cultural). Due to the particular characteristics of the built heritage, multiple possibilities of reuse are associated with it. Thus, the evaluation of the economic use value of heritage buildings is justified. This work aims to evaluate the economic use value of historical monuments located in the protected urban area C.A. Rosetti-Maria Rosetti-Popa Petre, located in the central part of Bucharest. The main results of the paper reveal the fact that the multiple forms of reuse of heritage buildings in the analyzed protected urban area are under the impact of the accelerated dynamics of services (commercial spaces, office spaces, hotels). Some reuses affect the architectural value of historical monuments through interventions that involve modifying the exterior architecture or the character/valuable elements of the interior, as well as a higher regime of height than the neighborhood average, which also generates discontinuities in the historical urban fabric.

Perception and preferred reuse of vegetated vacant lots along main streets in a shrinking city

Vacant land in cities is linked to generating insecurity and urban decline. However, vegetated vacant lots offer easy opportunities for reuse and have ecological, economic, and social potential. Four medium-sized vacant lots (0,7–1,5 ha) with spontaneous vegetation located along main streets in Ostrava (Czechia) have been purposefully selected for this study. Structured interviews (n = 383) were collected to assess the perception of passers-by and their reuse preferences for these lots. Structural equation models were then performed to test the effect of sociodemographic variables. This paper aims to evaluate whether vegetated vacant lots in a historic urban fabric are perceived as an asset or liability by visitors and to assess the prospects for a publicly-accepted reuse of such spaces in a shrinking Central European city. Results indicate that the selected lots are perceived ambivalently. Older visitors show a more positive perception of the vacant lots, while no significant gender differences were identified. Educated respondents visited the vegetated vacant lots less often and perceived them more negatively compared to their less educated counterparts. Policy implications are provided in the end.

Accessibility and Connectivity for Enhancement the Integrative Conservation of the Historic Urban Fabric of Mosul Old City

The historic city of Mosul, with its unique urban characteristics, is one of the few cities that is still inhabited, but the recent war has made it lose important and large parts of its traditional fabric, especially its distinctive riverfront. This research deals with the principle of Integrative Conservation as a conservation approach that is characterized by interest in both the urban and human dimensions, and it can provide adequate means to accomplish the process of preserving the historic urban fabric in a way that meets the contemporary requirements of life and preserves the historic value. The research aims to explore what are the criteria for Integrative Conservation most affecting the vitality of the historic urban fabric on the riverfront of Mosul old city. This is followed by the methodology of analysing previous studies to determine the most important Integrative Conservation criteria, and it is assumed that the accessibility and connectivity criteria are the most influential on the vitality of the city, using the Space Syntax to measure its indicators.

Integrative Conservation for the Reconstruction of the Historic Urban ‎Fabric: The Riverfront of Mosul Old City as a Case Study

Due to the historical cumulative layers that were formed from the succession of construction, demolition, and sequential reconstruction, cities have become the essence of diversity, by evoking new urban forms that contribute to the creation and formulation of their urban heritage. Globally, redevelopment of the riverfront remains popular and is part of the urban planning agenda. However, this process is still often constrained by a set of strategic issues and difficulties in the cities of developing countries. The relationship between the urban fabric of the city of Mosul and its river frontage is a major criterion in evaluating the approaches and approaches to preserving the main features of the urban landscape of the city. The current research aims to discuss the integrative preservation as a working methodology for a long-term plan based on previous global experiences and the basic guidelines approved by international laws to submit proposals for the reconstruction of the river front of ancient Mosul. It also aims to discuss the relationship between the historical urban fabric and the water environment and highlight the various methods that can be adopted to develop this essential part of the urban fabric of the city. The research adopts the methodology of comparative analysis of conservation trends and intervention mechanisms, including integrative conservation, analysis of a number of relevant international studies, analysis of international conventions concerned with conservation, and obtaining qualitative data from a group of experts specialized in both aspects of urban preservation and urban renewal. This is in addition to obtaining quantitative data using the questionnaire method by designing a set of questions following Likert's Five-point Scale method and analyzing them using Microsoft Excel 2010, and applying them to the case study represented by the riverfront of the old city of Mosul.

Integrative Conservation for the Reconstruction of the Historic Urban ‎Fabric: The Riverfront of Mosul Old City as a Case Study

Integrative Conservation for the Reconstruction of the Historic Urban ‎Fabric: The Riverfront of Mosul Old City as a Case Study