Urban Transformation Processes Research Articles

European Capital of Culture title as a driving force of urban transformation: the case of Novi Sad

ABSTRACT The article deals with urban transformation processes as a result of the implementation of the European Capital of Culture project in Novi Sad, Serbia. By introducing the concept of culture-led Europeanization, the author argues that by participating in initiatives such as the ECoC, cities must prove their Europeanness on both the discursive and material levels of the event. By focusing on two case studies, the Svilara Cultural Station and the Creative District, the author reveals the motives and logic behind urban transformation processes in the city by placing them in the wider context of political and economic reality. Through the use of ethnographic methods, the author also uncovers various local discourses surrounding the project, revealing conflicting narratives about the management of the project.

Size and the good life: Tiny houses, social housing and the role of social imaginaries

Among the key figures of global housing inequality is the average living space per person. Thus, it comes as no surprise that during the past decade, tiny houses have become an attractive option for some who want to set an example in an affluent society of the global north: free-standing, two-storey building with a total floor space of less than 30 m2. At the same time, in many countries of the global south, people are confined to a similar floorspace – not out of choice but out of need. In bringing together these two very different contexts, I am arguing that from a perspective of capability justice, the concept of home is more than just the need for shelter. In order to enable people to participate in societal life, housing solutions require processes of urban transformation, as well as careful planning and design for social housing. Even in a situation of hardship, living in a small-scale house can be a step towards a realisation of concepts of the good life within the given circumstances. Taking up Charles Taylor’s concept of social imaginaries and presenting architectural examples from the Mexican context (Apan housing laboratory and work done by Tatiana Bilbao), I am drawing some unlikely parallels between the effects that tiny houses, on the one hand, and suggestions for social housing, on the other hand, might have within their respective societies. In this, the concept of social imaginaries helps to see parallels between architecture as a medium of the social and the role of religion.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The article argues that in questions of housing justice, architectural solutions can fruitfully supplement considerations of justice.

An Empirical Case Study on Public Spaces and Youth Health and Mental Well-being in Botswana Cities and Major Urban Villages

Public spaces are vital in urban image and a settlement’s sociocultural fabric and identity. Furthermore, public spaces affect the degree to which people and the community socialise, especially young people who face adverse challenges that affect their health and mental well-being. Research has proven that connection with nature and safe play spaces are vital to youth’s healthy lives and cognitive and social development, where peer pressure and developing a sense of belonging are critical issues to youth who have become more susceptible to the effects of social exclusion in a digitising and urbanising world. However, intense urban transformation processes have led to an influx of challenges and sometimes threats to public spaces that require countries and the globe to revert some of the city systems and policies that govern settlements. Nonetheless, there should be an integration and interconnection between youth initiatives and urban systems for convivial public spaces. Through an empirical case study, composed of a mixed data collection approach using literature review, observation, questionnaire, and interview surveys, this research provides a more critical approach to assess public spaces in Botswana and their impact on youth mental health and social well-being who are faced with adverse challenges including social exclusion, unemployment, and drug and alcohol abuse. This paper starts by giving a background overview, then gives an in-depth understanding of public space in Africa, focusing on Botswana and probes to understand youth health and mental well-being in a continually urbanising and globalising world.

A new urbanity in a suburban region: the perceived (im)possibilities of light rail among residents and stakeholders in Canada’s Waterloo Region

Recent scholarship on light rail transit (LRT) connects this infrastructure to broader processes of urban transformation, bringing to the forefront its significance beyond transportation functionality. However, much of the transportation literature does not adequately explore light rail’s diverse meanings. In this article, we draw on 65 semi-structured interviews with residents living along the new LRT line in Waterloo Region, Canada, as well as 20 key stakeholders, to identify the infrastructure’s perceived roles with respect to city building, urban identity, and neighbourhood change. We investigate how residents ascribe meaning to the LRT, and the extent to which these meanings align with stakeholders’ growth management objectives. In contrast to this focused planning rationale, the LRT evokes for residents a broader range of (im)possibilities that reflect their class positions and understandings of (sub)urban life in the region. Residents’ perspectives underline light rail’s implication in producing middle-class urbanity beyond its role in supporting an intensified, revitalized urban form. Here, light rail also reinforces existing urban middle-class identities and aspirations, which conflict with both dominant suburban identities and the experiences and fears of lower-income residents living along the route. These findings interrogate who is included in the type of city an LRT helps construct.

Confiscated assets into public heritage

The research, as result of an agreement with the Calabria Region, aims to consolidate a corpus of investigations developed over the years by the Landscape_inProgress Laboratory, which examines the forms produced by criminal actions in urban transformation processes by studying property confiscated from the mafias. The investigation proposes a different approach to provide the opportunity to develop strategies for urban and architectural regeneration of cities, bringing out a “third public heritage” to be “re-injected” into urban and territorial policies. A matter to be “rewritten” for new life cycles. The “Impronte a Sud_WelfareLab” project, implemented in Reggio Calabria for Consorzio Macramè on a confiscated asset, is a best practice that combines management, functional, and urban processes with an aesthetic and architectural metamorphosis.

Co-creation and urban transformation: the application of design thinking for participatory solutions in Rio Tavares, Florianópolis

Cities face increasingly complex challenges that demand innovative and collaborative solutions. The lack of participatory urban planning and the need for more humanized approaches have generated negative impacts on the quality of life, including the loss of cultural identity, inadequate urban mobility, and environmental damage. This article analyzes the application of Design Thinking, focusing on the immersion and analysis stages, within a participatory urban transformation process in the Rio Tavares neighborhood of Florianópolis, Brazil. This growing neighborhood faces challenges such as the lack of urban infrastructure and the need for preserving cultural and environmental heritage. This study investigates how Design Thinking can engage the community in identifying and understanding these problems, promoting empathy, and gaining a clear understanding of local needs. The research employed an experience report methodology with data collection through a participatory mural at two cultural events held in the neighborhood. The results revealed the main challenges faced by the neighborhood and highlighted the importance of citizen participation in the urban transformation process.

A fuzzy-based emotion detection method to classify the attractiveness of urban green spaces

In European studies, the most used definition of Urban Green Spaces (UGS) is based on the European Urban Atlas, which includes public green areas primarily used for recreation and green areas adjacent to urban areas that are managed or utilized for recreational purposes. UGS play a vital role in creating sustainable and resilient cities, as they provide essential social benefits for the well-being and health of urban residents. Both planners and scientists acknowledge the importance of involving, actively or passively, citizens in defining criteria for designing and managing inclusive and functional UGS. According to a post-normal science approach, the integration of hard data from scientific sources with soft data gathered from citizens’ engagement holds the potential to shape an innovative support system for public policies addressing significant, urgent, and uncertain challenges pertaining to UGS. Nowadays, the abundance of data generated through online reviews, opinions, and comments allows for collecting valuable information about people’s opinions and sentiments towards UGS. This study proposes a methodological framework that utilizes emotion detection techniques to identify and analyze citizens’ emotions concerning UGS through social reviews. To balance computational costs and classification accuracy, the framework introduces a fuzzy emotion-based classification method called FREDoC (Fuzzy Relevance Emotions Document Classification). This method incorporates a lightweight natural language pro-cessing (NLP) approach to detect and annotate terms associated with specific emotional categories within the text. The framework adopts the psycho-evolutionary classification approach based on R. Plutchik’s observations of general emotional responses. This model is implemented within a Geographical Information System (GIS) for the purpose of categorizing UGS, specifically green parks, according both to WHO report key indicators and to the detected relevant emotions. The outcome is a novel classification model of UGS that can assist decision-makers in identifying the attractiveness of UGS as catalysts for urban transformation processes.

Examination of Urban Transformation Implementation Legislation: Elazığ Example

In this study, it was aimed to examine and reveal the general results of the models applied in urban transformation works in Elazığ province after the 6.8 Mw Sivrice earthquake on January 24, 2020. The population of the research, Elazığ province sample, is Karşıyaka, Cumhuriyet, Abdullahpaşa, Mustafapaşa, Rüstempaşa, Sürsürü, Kızılay and Sivrice Country Gölbaşı Neighborhoods. The study is qualitative research in the form of a field study in terms of revealing the results of urban transformation implementation at the sample points. In this context, observation technique, interview technique, and documentary scanning technique were used in the descriptive analysis. General physical-structural characteristics of buildings in the observation technique; in the interview technique, 100 building owners and users' opinions about the buildings; In the documentary scanning technique, the reflections of literature information in practice are interpreted as a whole. In comparing the literature information, project technical documents obtained from the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change and Elazığ Municipality were used. As a result, the model to be chosen in the urban transformation process is an important parameter in the success of the application and reaching the desired goal. More qualified urban transformation applications will be achieved by reducing the problems that arise in public transformation projects, especially in determining the legislation, and by choosing the appropriate model for comprehensive transformation.

Transforming Urban Landscapes: Reuse of Heritage Sites through Multi-Value Interpretations in Xi’an, China

As a catalyst for urban landscape transformation, the reuse of heritage sites plays a pivotal role in shaping contemporary urban spaces and influencing socio-economic development. However, this phenomenon is not without controversy, particularly regarding the quality of preservation and the potential risks associated with over-commodification. Consequently, there has been an increasing research focus on reconciling these conflicting aspects. This study employs a multi-value interpretation framework to delve into the reuse of heritage sites in the urban area of Xi’an within the broader context of China’s urbanization. Utilizing a comparative case study method, this research specifically examines the burgeoning phenomenon of heritage parks. This exploration sheds light on how the reuse of heritage intertwines with urbanization processes, by taking into account environmental, economic, social, and cultural values. The findings suggest that a multi-value interpretation framework is crucial to address the limitations of the current heritagization. Heritage sites in Xi’an have been integrated into the urban transformation process through heritage conservation and the production of new heritage spaces. However, the evolving multi-value evaluation of these heritage sites continues to influence the city’s interpretation of its significant and fading past in planning. This study highlights the dynamic nature of heritage sites in the urban context and underscores the need for nuanced approaches to balance heritage preservation with the evolving demands of contemporary urban development.

Community resilience through bottom–up participation: when civil society drives urban transformation processes

Abstract In recent years, bottom–up civil society initiatives have advanced urban transformation processes in Berlin. Following previous research suggesting that bottom–up participation could have a positive impact on community resilience (CR), we analyse the impact of engagement on Berlin–based civil society initiatives. Whilst a positive effect on resilience can be found, we identify governance processes that would be necessary to enable the full potential of bottom–up participation for CR. Resilience, understood as the capacity of a community to thrive in times of change and uncertainty, is becoming increasingly important for the functioning of (urban) communities; hence, finding ways of strengthening it is deemed necessary.

Monocentricity or polycentricity? The study on the enterprise environmental performance of urban spatial structure

Under the promotion of urban planning and land development policies, the urban spatial structure of China is undergoing a transformation towards polycentricity. The improvement of environmental performance during the process of urban spatial transformation is crucial for urban sustainable development. This paper uses high-resolution population grid data from LandScan for the years 2001–2019 to measure the urban spatial structure of Chinese cities. Then we match the Chinese Industrial Enterprise Database with the Chinese Industrial Enterprise Pollution Emission Database for the years 2001–2014. This paper empirically examines the impact and mechanisms of the polycentric spatial structure of Chinese cities on enterprise pollution reduction at the micro-level. The findings indicate that compared to monocentricity, polycentricity is more conducive to improving enterprise environmental performance. Mechanism tests demonstrate that the improvement in enterprise environmental performance resulting from polycentricity can be achieved through three channels: increasing urban population and density, mitigating urban environmental pollution, and promoting enterprise innovation ability. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that polycentricity is more beneficial for emission reduction among small enterprises, young enterprises and enterprises in regions with higher environmental regulations. This paper provides micro-level evidence and policy implications for further strengthening the aggregation effect of polycentricity and improving enterprise environmental performance in the future.

THE LIVING CITY: CULTURE, TRANSFORMATION, AND THE URBAN ENVI- RONMENT IN N. K. JEMISIN’S THE CITY WE BECAME

The paper examines the process of urban transformation in N. K. Jemisin’s novel, The City We Became. Through a close reading of the novel, the paper analyzes Jemisin’s portrayal of New York as a dynamic and constantly evolving entity that undergoes profound transformations throughout the narrative. Jemisin’s work offers a powerful and imaginative vision for how cities can be understood and represented in literature and beyond. The complex social, economic, and political forces actively shape cities are emphasized by presenting the city as a living and breathing character. The city will be viewed through Henri Lefebvre’s theory of the production of space, Edward Soja’s notion of postmetropolis, and Sharon Zukin’s conceptualization of the life and death of cities. Jemisin’s use of magical realism, intertextuality, and metaphorical language contribute to her vision of the city as a vibrant and multifaceted character that challenges and subverts dominant narratives surrounding race, gender, power, and urban inequality. By explor- ing the interplay between culture, urban theory, and literature, this paper offers a comprehen- sive and innovative perspective on the city and its ongoing transformation in the contemporary world.

Negotiating urban entities: marginalized citizens, participation, and the Indian smart city

ABSTRACT Smart cities in India guarantee the promotion of citizen participation in the urban transformation processes. However, when it comes to marginalized citizens, scholars find urban transformation processes undemocratic and limiting their participation in smart cities. Contrary to this, an emergent form of citizenship among the marginalized in urban transformations beyond digital governance has been highlighted by a few scholars in the Global South, especially India. Hence, this paper contributes to these discourses on postcolonial urban transformations by reflecting on the emergent forms of citizenship, understanding marginalized citizens’ participation, and the challenges they face within Indian smart cities. The study focuses on India's smart city, Bhubaneswar's Socially Smart Bhubaneswar (SSB) Programme, initiated in 2017, focusing on marginalized groups residing in slums. We use Ling and Dale's (2013) social capital and agency lens to explore how marginalized citizens engage with their city's social and spatial transformations. A qualitative thematic content analysis of in-depth interviews and focus group discussions collected from four selected slums of Bhubaneswar was used for the study. We found that the marginalized citizens, through top-down propulsion and constant efforts on bottom-up translation and collectivization, not only became collaborators of the state in urban transformation but also active and critical citizens addressing their community needs. However, marginalized citizens become active and critical in urban transformation, requiring certain manoeuvres. Moreover, if the programmes need to understand the marginalized positionality in the urban transformation and exclude them from becoming a part of the transformation, then bringing social change might not be possible. Thus, the study highlights the potential of commons-driven governance and the need to expand social capital and agency to promote social change and participation of marginalized communities in urban transformation. Highlights Postcolonial urban transformations reveal emergent forms of marginalized citizenship. Marginalized citizen engagement evaluated using social capital and agency lenses. Social capital and agency among the marginalized fostered commons-driven governance. Capacitated nested networks and collectivization foster bottom-up participation. Chatur citizenry (Datta, 2018a) traced within marginalized citizen’s participation.

Investigation of Urban Transformation Process, Methods, and Techniques: Elazig Province Sample

This study aims to examine and present the general results of the urban transformation studies methods and techniques applied in the province of Elazig after the Sivrice earthquake. The study used a descriptive approach method within the scope of qualitative research. Urban transformation project data applied in risky areas were obtained from technical analysis and interviews. The research covers the results of urban transformation in risky areas of Elazig province. Cleaning, renewal, and post-disaster transformation methods were used in urban transformation works in risky areas. The general situation after the earthquake has revealed some weaknesses in selecting methods and techniques for urban transformation applications. As a result of urban transformation practices, bioharmological buildings that are more compatible with the current earthquake legislation, with a stronger carrier system, more comfortable, and in terms of user identity and purpose of use, are offered to the use of beneficiaries.

Heritage-led regeneration in Chinese intermediary cities: understanding incremental changes under a ‘business as usual’ urban governance regime

This study examines Longchang, an intermediary city in China, to discern differences in its heritage-led regeneration compared to major Chinese cities. Despite the recent incremental shifts in China’s urban governance regime, which is characterised by ‘selective learning’ and ‘trial and error’ approaches, cities like Longchang, constrained by scant socio-institutional resources, perpetuate pro-growth tendencies in their regeneration. While progress has been made towards more sustainable outcomes, the persistent disregard for local communities is still ‘business as usual’ in current practice. This phenomenon jeopardises the urban transformation process, amplifying heritage commodification and adversely impacting the intangible and living heritage.

Exaptation in Transitional Urban Morphologies: First Notes on the Dynamics of Urban Form Read through the Theories of Natural Evolution

Studying the dynamics of urban form means questioning the processes of evolution of the form in general. The current discussion on the architecture of buildings and urban spaces has drawn the concept of adaptation from theories of natural evolution. These notes propose a reflection on the opposite and controverse concept of exaptation as it was proposed by the biologist and paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould in 1982. Through some examples (the different transformations of some Roman amphitheaters of the imperial age and the metamorphoses that occurred in the 20th century to some Chinese urban fabrics, originally made by courtyard houses), it is possible to extend to urban forms the idea of the casual co-optation for new uses of organs and anatomical parts developed for other reasons. This kind of reflection opens up innovative considerations on the potential of transitional urban analysis and its repercussions on evolutive urban transformation processes.

Carbon emission reduction contribution analysis of electricity enterprises in urban green development: A quantum spherical fuzzy sets-based decision framework

As managers of urban power grids (UPGs), electricity enterprises are responsible for ensuring energy security and stability during the urban green transformation process. They are also a key driving force in promoting green power transmission and integration. Therefore, exploring the green attributes of UPGs and accurately enhancing their green support capabilities are of significant importance. This study addresses the perceived contributions of electricity enterprises to carbon emission reduction and proposes a decision framework within a quantum-spherical fuzzy (QSF) environment. First, from the perspectives of economy, technology, policy, and management, a carbon emission reduction contribution evaluation system for electric enterprises was constructed. In the QSF environment, this study identifies the importance of various attributes in the evaluation system. Subsequently, an electric enterprise carbon emission reduction perception model was developed based on the preference ranking organization method for enrichment evaluations and prospect theory (PROMETHEE-PT). An empirical validation of the proposed model was conducted in Hefei, China, demonstrating the robustness and effectiveness of the evaluation framework. The study's results were verified by comparing them with those of other methods.

The Potential of Food Markets in the Contemporary City: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract A marketplace encompasses more than commerce. Due to its tangible and intangible characteristics, it becomes a vibrant and engaging public space for the local community and tourists. Marketplaces face challenges in both restructuring and preserving their rich attributes. A systematic literature analysis of recent architectural research has identified the challenges of markets as dynamic urban elements. Four main themes of the research have been identified – Built Environment, Economic, Social, and Cultural, as well as four intermediary themes – Local Trade, Branding, Local Identity and Sense of Place. The multidimensionality of the market has been explained. The systematic literature analysis has revealed the significant potential of the market both as a built environment element and as an economic, social, and cultural phenomenon in urban transformation processes.

DESTRUCTION OF UKRAINIAN CITIES DURING THE RUSSIAN AGGRESSION (SOCIO-GEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS BASED ON MARIUPOL)

The objective of this study is to examine and summarize the features and consequences of the devastation of cities in southeastern Ukraine by the Russian invaders during the initial phase of a large-scale war. It has been determined that the occupier’s adoption of the scorched earth tactic resulted in the complete destruction of numerous settlements, including dozens of cities within the country. It led to a severe disruption of the state’s territorial planning structure. Mariupol, a prominent socio-economic center of the nation, endured extensive devastation and significant civilian casualties. The article examines the distinctive characteristics of the town’s economic progress, the development of its society, the identity of its population, and its social roles. Special emphasis is given to the establishment of the city’s planning framework in response to economic and environmental factors. The planning structure significantly influenced the enemy’s advance, the positioning of the city’s defenders’ strongholds, and the areas that were destroyed. The authors aim to analyze the socio-economic and demographic situation in the city under occupation, based on the media screening. The city has experienced significant civilian casualties, and both its economic framework and infrastructure have been entirely demolished. The occupiers’ statements regarding the reconstruction of Mariupol can be characterized as propagandistic and primarily consisting of declarations. The governing authorities are actively implementing measures to alter the ethnic composition of the population and its cultural identity. The authors define the large-scale destruction of Mariupol and the extermination of its population as the initial phase of a more intricate process of comprehensive urban transformation, referred to as urban transmutation. The key component of it involves an extensive redesign of the city’s urban foundation, planning, and functional framework, as well as the city’s population with its demographic traits, educational attainment, and cultural identity. The post-war reconstruction of Mariupol should incorporate a reevaluation of its role, as the complete reconstruction of ferrous metallurgy in Mariupol during this process presents major challenges. The city’s reconstruction should prioritize the adoption of cutting-edge technological systems centered around digitalization, green technologies, circular production, and other similar advancements.

Mapping Urban Injustices in Public Space: Challenges and Opportunities

Over the past few decades, cities around the world radically and rapidly changed as regards scale, scope and complexity. This is mainly due to the increasing mobility of people, goods and information as a result of technological developments, liberalization of economic systems, economic fluctuations, wars, and climate change. These changes challenge the processes of production of built environment and create conflicts and contestations between different urban groups, who have contradicted claims on the decisions and processes influencing urban transformation.Such situation brought the discussions on just/unjust urban transformation processes in urban research, policy and public debates. It raised questions on privileging the interests of affluent urban groups, while disadvantaging vulnerable communities. We see public space as central in these debates, as possible facilitator of a more just process of urban transformation. Public space is able to embrace different political, economic and cultural manifestations of urban groups, which allow them to voice their rights on the city. Public space can also submit encounters and interactions between different urban actors and perform as a place of negotiation between them. Public space is potentially able to promote fair allocations of wealth, resources, benefits and opportunities. Also, public space pedagogy helps us to reframe methods of understanding (un)just urban morphologies in urban research, planning and architectural theory as well as praxis. This special issue will thus focus on the question how urban (in)justices can be mapped, and which challenges and opportunities may arise from different approaches to mapping. Intercontextuality as well as intersectional research which combines an analysis of different forms of injustices (such as racial, social, religious, national, ethnic, etc.) will be discussed, alongside more practical and case-study based mapping experiences.Different views on public space can provide us with ways of thinking to develop planning and design strategies, policy measures, civil initiatives, and social movements to oppose processes of unjust urban transformation. Yet, in the context of a rapid-shifting economic, political and social reality, it is more and more urgent for critical re-thinking of public space as facilitator of urban justice.