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Sustainable Regeneration of Degraded Urban Structures and Fabric

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Urban and Rural Development".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2022) | Viewed by 46883

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Nađa Beretić

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Assistant Guest Editor

Department of Architecture, Design and Urban Planning (DADU), University of Sassari, Alghero, Italy
Interests: urban design; public space; participation; place theories; public art; cultural landscape and heritage

Prof. Dr. Arnaldo Cecchini

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Assistant Guest Editor

Department of Architecture, Design and Urban Planning (DADU), University of Sassari, Alghero, Italy
Interests: participation; urban models; walkability; healthy cities; right to the city
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Valentina Talu

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Chief Guest Editor

Department of Architecture, Design and Urban Planning (DADU), University of Sassari, Alghero, Italy
Interests: participatory design; policies for urban re-generation; design for promoting accessibility at various scales

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Special Issue “Sustainable Regeneration of Degraded Urban Structures and Fabric” aims to investigate sustainable regeneration based on contemporary debate over the problem of rundown and unused buildings and spaces.

This issue will concentrate on interventions, tools, and techniques used for spatial transformations that are going beyond efforts to put uninhabited or degraded land and buildings to new uses. Furthermore, it will explore policy and the management of spatial transformation at the urban level.

In framing effective scholarship and the practice of urban regeneration, particular focus will be put on the use of tools and techniques that aid the study and interpretation of cities but that also serve as integral components of city management. Such tools and techniques of urban regeneration unlock the dynamics of community economies while advocating for environmental and social sustainability. Innovative ways of tackling the problem of degraded urban fabric are welcome, including interventions on publicly and privately owned buildings, facilities, and spaces.

Despite playing a crucial role in the design and planning of interventions, the factor of time often remains neglected. It is good to think of interventions that are distributed over time, modular, and as reversible as possible such that they allow temporary uses and easy changes in functions and uses – various experiments of tactical urbanism around the world are just an example of these possible actions.

Due to the relocations, conflicts, and economic crises the over last decades, numerous cities have experienced dramatic degradation of the urban fabric and, yet, in this issue, particular attention will be given to the sustainable regeneration of so-called “internal areas” and of inner peripheries.

The current pandemic requires a rethinking of the uses and functions of the city, of the territory and, therefore, of spatial organization as a whole. The pandemic has been properly defined as a syndemic, which implies that dealing with it means not only thinking about short and medium-term interventions but also about systemic actions that allow us to deal with different types of emergency together, starting from those caused by climate change as well as the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this context, the Special Issue is open for contributions that respond to the following questions:

What are the effects of urban regeneration intervention on the city as a polycentric socio-spatial system?
How does urban regeneration intervention support mitigation, resilience, and the antifragility of the city as a polycentric socio-spatial system?
What are the steps of a regeneration process that allow departing from rundown or unused buildings and facilities?
Which evaluation tools and decision support systems were used to implement urban regeneration intervention?
Which evaluation tools and decision support systems were used to implement urban regeneration intervention?
Does the policy support urban that departs from rundown and/or unused buildings and facilities? Which policy modifications are required for such an intervention?
Which participatory models were used to implement the urban regeneration project?

Dr. Valentina Talu
Dr. Nađa Beretić
Prof. Dr. Arnaldo Cecchini
Guest Editors

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Keywords

urban regeneration
rundown and unused buildings, facilities, and spaces
sustainable urban models, tools, and techniques
urban policy
participation
temporary uses
syndemic
resilience and antifragility

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19 pages, 3669 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Potential of Small Wooden-Frame Building in Aging Japan

by Satoshi Sano, Naoki Saito and Davisi Boontharm

Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 3602; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043602 - 15 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4402

Abstract

Wooden-frame structures, with the capacity for continuous renewal, are key resources for urban regeneration and so comprise one of the most sustainable construction methods. This was true in the past for Japan, but following World War II, wooden-frame structures were demolished and replaced at a rapid pace. However, today, with Japan’s aging and dwindling population, the growing number of abandoned houses has become a socio-economic issue. In response to this crisis, local initiatives have been established to address this problem. Some novel design and management practices have arisen to restore the value of excess wooden-framed buildings. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the current design and renovation practices of vacant wooden-frame buildings in Japan, as well as to evaluate these practices in light of a sustainable future, by approaching this issue from the perspective of architects and designers and investigating their roles in these processes. The paper starts with the evolution of this building type from the past to the present. Data from in-depth interviews with specialists in wooden-frame construction as well as architects who are involved in the renovation of postwar timber dwellings are gathered and discussed. The emphasis here is on the expertise these specialists and architects have in successful cases of design and space management, as well as the incorporation of those buildings into the local community. Our case studies are located in different urban contexts; a regional city, a peripheral area of Tokyo, and central Tokyo. The findings highlight the crucial role of architects who mediate between benefits and drawbacks of current rehabilitation efforts, which are nevertheless still outnumbered by abandoned houses. Nonetheless, these experiences are crucial and valuable for the long-term viability of this building type in Japan. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Regeneration of Degraded Urban Structures and Fabric)

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16 pages, 6367 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Urban Resilience: A Study of Leftover Spaces and Play in Dense City Fabric

by Alice Covatta and Vedrana Ikalović

Sustainability 2022, 14(20), 13514; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013514 - 19 Oct 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4613

Abstract

Cities worldwide are urgently moving towards a more resilient and sustainable future. On this quest, national, regional, and local governments apply a combination of socio-spatial tools that regenerate and transform the city’s leftover spaces. There is an abundance of community gardens, cultural centers, and large-scale urban developments that, through programmed activities, reactivate underused spaces. The bearers of this process are professionals and individuals who have become aware of their actions in the contemporary urban landscape. This paper highlights possible design strategies that domesticate leftover spaces of diverse scales by injecting creative and playful programs, using Tokyo as a paradigmatic case study. More so than other global metropolises, the city represents a living laboratory for experimentation due to its compactness and the variety of urban patterns. Its leftover spaces demonstrate how play positively affects everyday life in public spaces, and how it enables extraordinary uses. A combination of ethnographic observations and spatial analysis is applied as a trans-disciplinary method. This approach allows an understanding of how people use playfulness to transform, appropriate, and utilize leftover spaces, which serves as guidance for urban planners and designers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Regeneration of Degraded Urban Structures and Fabric)

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23 pages, 16137 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Culture-Oriented Urban Regeneration: Place Narrative in the Case of the Inner City of Haiyan (Zhejiang, China)

by Jiahui Diao and Shaoming Lu

Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 7992; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14137992 - 30 Jun 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3709

Abstract

Recent decades have seen an increasing interest in the urban regeneration of inner-city areas in China. As urban areas take shape based on cultural aspects as much as on physical aspects, this paper employs the theory of place narrative to explore the strategies involved in culture-oriented urban regeneration. Initially, this paper sets out the basic theory of place narrative, which is relevant not only for the way in which a particular regenerated urban area is presented to the general public, but also for the way in which the hidden cultural information of the city translates into concrete urban developments. It also examines the urban regeneration of Haiyan (Zhejiang), an ongoing case, by applying methods and concepts of narrative theory. The main idea of urban regeneration is illustrated, based on the use of ‘culture’ as the revitalizing mechanism. Firstly, the method of place narrative is used to sort out and interpret the cultural information, which is commonly attached to the cultural resources in the context of urban space. Secondly, based on the idea of narrative structures, cultural resources can be integrated into the urban system connotationally and physically as well. Thirdly, cultural events are organized in the urban space to promote the experience of the place. The greatest contribution of this research is to provide a new approach, i.e., place narrative, to culture-oriented urban regeneration and for its sustainable development as well. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Regeneration of Degraded Urban Structures and Fabric)

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20 pages, 2466 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Study on Cost Allocation in Renovation of Old Urban Residential Communities

by Xiaoyan Zhuo and Hongbing Li

Sustainability 2022, 14(11), 6929; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14116929 - 6 Jun 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2638

Abstract

The renovation of old residential communities not only meets the people’s aspirations for a better life, but also promotes the image of a city. However, unreasonable cost allocation in the renovation of old residential communities seriously impedes the multi-channel fundraising and progress of renovation. The general aim of this study was to construct a cost allocation model for the renovation of old residential communities, so as to address unreasonable cost allocation and speed up the renovation. With the government, home owners, and private sectors as the main participants and stakeholders, we constructed a cost allocation model for the renovation of old residential communities based on the structural equation model and the Shapley value. The structural equation model is used for indicator screening and weight computing, while the Shapley value is used for cost allocation. Then, we improved the cost allocation model based on the influencing factors that were screened out. This discovery will increase the cooperation between the government, home owners, and private sectors to fund the renovation of old residential communities, and further improve the progress of renovation of old residential communities. The study results show that by fully taking into account the degree of participation, the degree of risk sharing, the degree of value-added return, and the degree of resource input of participants, the improved cost allocation model makes the cost allocation more reasonable and fairer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Regeneration of Degraded Urban Structures and Fabric)

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17 pages, 3682 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Transformation of Dorćol Power Plant: Triggering a Sustainable Urban Regeneration or Selling the Heritage?

by Ivan Simic, Aleksandra Stupar, Aleksandar Grujicic, Vladimir Mihajlov and Marija Cvetkovic

Sustainability 2022, 14(1), 523; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14010523 - 4 Jan 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2676

Abstract

The power plant “Power and Light” (1932, Belgrade) was the first one to generate alternating current in Serbia. Situated along the Danube river, it represented a part of an industrial area positioned in the Dorćol neighborhood, close to the urban core. Since 2005, the whole area has been exposed to a significant transformation into a luxurious residential and commercial complex, triggered by the intentions of private investors and directed by the ideas of changing city authorities. Considering the unpredictable local context created by the dominant post-socialist transitional economy, the article focuses on the sensitive relationship between the social sustainability of the ongoing urban regeneration plans and the emerging neoliberal forces targeting the areas of industrial heritage. Consequently, the case of the Dorćol ex-power plant and the anticipated changes in its urban surrounding are analyzed according to the selected principles of social sustainability. Revealing numerous controversies, both on the level of preferred urban policies and their questionable application, this case addresses the problems of heritage (re)use and regeneration in an environment of fast-shifting governmental priorities and financial flows, with reduced receptivity to sustainable solutions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Regeneration of Degraded Urban Structures and Fabric)

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16 pages, 3665 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Walkable City and Military Enclaves: Analysis and Decision-Making Approach to Support the Proximity Connection in Urban Regeneration

by Ginevra Balletto, Mara Ladu, Alessandra Milesi, Federico Camerin and Giuseppe Borruso

Sustainability 2022, 14(1), 457; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14010457 - 1 Jan 2022

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4666

Abstract

Accessibility and urban walkability are the cornerstones of urban policies for the contemporary city, which needs to be oriented towards sustainable development principles and models. Such aims are included in the objectives of the 2030 Agenda, as well as in the ambitious objectives of the ‘European Green Deal’. These concepts are closely linked to the paradigm of a sustainable city—livable, healthy and inclusive—based on a system of high-quality public spaces and on a network of services and infrastructures, both tangible and intangible, capable of strengthening and building new social, economic and environmental relationships. It is necessary to recognize potential opportunities for connection and permeability in consolidated urban environments. These are very often fragmented and are characterized by enclaves of very different kinds. Ghettoes and gated communities, old industrial plants and military installations and facilities, to cite a few, represent examples of cases where closures on urban fabrics are realized, impeding full walkability and accessibility. Within such a framework, the present research is aimed at focusing on a particular set of enclaves, such as those represented by the military sites being reconfigured to civilian use, a phenomenon that characterizes many urban areas in the world; in Europe; and in Italy, in particular, given the recent history and the Cold War infrastructure heritage. In such a sense, the city of Cagliari (Sardinia Island, Italy) represents an interesting case study as it is characterized by the presence of a series of military complexes; real ‘enclaves’ influencing the proximity connections; and, more generally, walkability. Building on previous research and analysis of policies and projects aimed at reintroducing, even partially, this military asset into civilian life (Green Barracks Project (GBP)-2019), this paper proposes and applies a methodology to evaluate the effects of urban regeneration on walkability in a flexible network logic, oriented to the ‘15 min city’ model or, more generally, to the renewed, inclusive, safe “city of proximity”, resilient and sustainable. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Regeneration of Degraded Urban Structures and Fabric)

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29 pages, 7469 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transformation of Socialist Realistic Residential Architecture into a Contemporary Sustainable Housing Habitat—General Approach and the Case Study

by Maciej Piekarski, Łukasz Bajda and Ewelina Gotkowska

Sustainability 2021, 13(23), 13486; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313486 - 6 Dec 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3458

Abstract

This article deals with the problem of multi-family housing implemented in the 1950s in Poland. Buildings from this period are located in the central districts of cities, and are well-connected and equipped with service infrastructure, but due to the small size of these flats, their low standard and poor technical condition, they are not sufficiently attractive for middle-class people and developing families. The consequence of this is the social selection of residents and the disappearance of neighborly relations. In this article, the authors present a balance sheet of the shortcomings and advantages of these buildings, and against the background of contemporary requirements for housing, resulting from the theory of sustainable development, they indicate possible directions for modernization. Detailed solutions are presented for a specific housing complex located in Rzeszów. The development of flat roofs and the introduction of functions integrating the community of residents are the significant elements of the project. Due to the fact that the functional layouts of stories, the structure of buildings, and to a large extent the spatial arrangement of residential complexes were unified in the 1950s throughout the whole country, the presented concept may serve as inspiration for similar projects undertaken in any other city in Poland. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Regeneration of Degraded Urban Structures and Fabric)

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17 pages, 5915 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Commercial Vacancy Prediction Using LSTM Neural Networks

by Jaekyung Lee, Hyunwoo Kim and Hyungkyoo Kim

Sustainability 2021, 13(10), 5400; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13105400 - 12 May 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3192

Abstract

Previous studies on commercial vacancy have mostly focused on the survival rate of commercial buildings over a certain time frame and the cause of their closure, due to a lack of appropriate data. Based on a time-series of 2,940,000 individual commercial facility data, the main purpose of this research is two-fold: (1) to examine long short-term memory (LSTM) as a feasible option for predicting trends in commercial districts and (2) to identify the influence of each variable on prediction results for establishing evidence-based decision-making on the primary influences of commercial vacancy. The results indicate that LSTM can be useful in simulating commercial vacancy dynamics. Furthermore, sales, floating population, and franchise rate were found to be the main determinants for commercial vacancy. The results suggest that it is imperative to control the cannibalization of commercial districts and develop their competitiveness to retain a consistent floating population. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Regeneration of Degraded Urban Structures and Fabric)

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19 pages, 2705 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Methodological Approach on Disused Public Properties in the 15-Minute City Perspective

by Ginevra Balletto, Mara Ladu, Alessandra Milesi and Giuseppe Borruso

Sustainability 2021, 13(2), 593; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13020593 - 9 Jan 2021

Cited by 63 | Viewed by 11249

Abstract

Accessibility and Walkability represent, today, some of the most striking challenges contemporary cities are facing, particularly in light of the goals from UN Agenda 2030, aimed at a sustainable city, and particularly in terms of a livable, healthy and inclusive city. This can be also performed thanks to a set of high quality public services and a set of important and central services and infrastructures. These principles, however, are constrained by an overall, general fragmentation affecting many urban areas, particularly as an outcome of the vehicular accessibility needs. Scholars have debated through the years on the nature of cities and on the preference for centrality of services compared to the distribution of services towards dispersed neighborhood units. Recently, a need for a wider, minimum set of services that is easily reachable to most citizens is filling the scholars and city mayors’ agendas in order to improve urban performances. This is also coupled with a huge surge in the heritage of abandoned urban items coming from previous periods of time and alternative uses. The aim of this research is to evaluate the role of abandoned urban assets—particularly big-size buildings and compounds and their areas—to facilitate the implementation of the concept of a 15-minute city, a city that is capable of granting a wider social equality and access to main urban services to citizens and city users. To do this, we developed a set of indexes, capable of detecting porosity, crossing and attractiveness. This latter index in particular represents a combined index that can be used to improve the accessibility of pedestrians in urban central locations. In the present research, we decided to limit the analysis to a subset of disused public buildings in the historic center of a sample city, as Cagliari (Sardinia, Italy). This was done in order to understand if and in which terms they can contribute, after their redevelopment, to the development of the 15-minute city, as well as reducing the “enclave–effect: they are, at present, playing in the historic urban fabric. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Regeneration of Degraded Urban Structures and Fabric)

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Review

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22 pages, 4423 KiB

Open AccessReview

Megaprojects, Gentrification, and Tourism. A Systematic Review on Intertwined Phenomena

by Marcus Hübscher

Sustainability 2021, 13(22), 12827; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132212827 - 19 Nov 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4099

Abstract

Within the neoliberal context of today’s urbanism, a growing number of inner-city megaprojects aim to transform brownfield sites—accompanied by gentrification and tourism. However, there is no systematic review exploring the interplay between these phenomena. This paper aims to systemize the existing scientific contributions by means of a literature review. Using different databases, a total number of 797 scientific documents have been identified. After several screening steps, a final set of 66 studies was included in the review. I present an analysis from a quantitative and a qualitative perspective, exploring bibliometric aspects, concepts, methods, and relevant lines of discussion. The area studied is a relatively young and emerging field. Within the discussion, there is a strong dominance of countries located in the global north, with Spain, the UK, and the U.S. at the forefront. From a methodological point of view, qualitative and mixed methods are mostly applied. The discussion of megaprojects, gentrification, and tourism has an important descriptive focus, with main topics such as planning, justice, and motivations. There are considerable conceptual deficits, as one-quarter of the studies do not clearly explain their methods. Future research needs to find ways to enable knowledge transfer to planning practice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Regeneration of Degraded Urban Structures and Fabric)

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