Urban waterfronts have been a matter of much debate over the past decades. Early schemes of conservation have focused on leisure and commercial exploitation; more recently urban waterfronts have change the pattern of regeneration paying more attention to the environmental issues and ecological conditions, to the preservation of historic character and reuse of old buildings, to the recreation and wellbeing.
How do we preserve culture heritage of urban waterfronts while developing the change? How can we manage historic environment to respond to an active urban change? How can we involve local people and actors to the process of managing urban waterfront’s change? How do we balance the competing interests to ensure sustainable change, preserve identity and yet allow for new development?
“Urban Waterfront and Cultural Heritage. New perspectives and opportunities” tried to give some answers in these questions.
The book, part of a focused research undertaken at the University of Florence, is divided into three parts: a Part One “Historic Environment and Waterfront Challenges” provides an overview for regeneration of built and historic environment; a Part Two “Waterfronts and Industrial Heritage” argues on industrial waterfronts that in the past played an important role for the city and its people. Such places and their own distinctive character need to be preserved, re-used to achieve sustainable transformation; a Part Three “Waterfront Design Studio and Architectural Education” shows the importance of architectural education on designing historic waterfronts in terms of good planning and design that helps to support sustainable lifestyles and activities.
This book is aimed to go into a deeper understanding of the topic on urban waterfronts and have faith in the robust nature of cultural heritage and good design. An important issue is to identify special interest to recognise urban waterfronts as part of a sensitive urban environment. Preservation of cultural heritage including innovative regeneration and economic development initiatives is challenging for urban change. This integrated approach clearly involves diverse and complex skills across different disciplines.
Contents
Preface – Dimitra Babalis
Introduction – Dimitra Babalis and Tim G. Townshend
Changing Attitudes for Sensitive Urban Waterfronts
PART 1 – Historic Environment and Waterfront Challenges
Chapter 1 – Dimitra Babalis
Developing Guidelines for Waterfront Pocket Parks. Responsive Opportunities Along the Florence Core Riverfront
Chapter 2- Tim G. Townshend
Unlocking the Potential for Human Flourishing: The ‘Carbunk’ Site, Naviglio Grande, Milan
Chapter 3- Pedro Ressano Garcia
Waterfront Future Challenges. Lisbon in the 21st Century
PART 2 – Waterfronts and Industrial Heritage
Chapter 4 – Helen Maistrou
Urban Waterfronts in Plomari. Preservation and Highlighting the Cultural Heritage
Chapter 5 – Gabriela Campagnol
The Rehabilitation of the Industrial Heritage in the Waterfronts of Piracicaba, Brazil
PART 3 – Waterfront Design Studio and Architectural Education
Chapter 6 – Dimitris Polychronopoulos, Maria Grigoriadou
Urban Landscape Transformations Through Waterfronts’ Re-design in Architectural Education
Chapter 7 – Serengül Seçmen
New Public Spaces of Post-industrial Waterfronts Contributors
Authors Biography
Dimitra Babalis Is Associate Professor of Urban Planning and Design at the University of Florence, Italy. She is a Visiting Academic Scholar at various European Universities; Co-ordinator and Chair of European Programmes and International Workshops; Founder and Chair of the International Group on Urban and Architecture Design. She is currently developing research on sustainable waterfront regeneration; Sustainable design of urban micro spaces in shaping change. She is Editor and Author of a number of scientific books (recently: “Urban Change and Sustainability. A Collection, 2012; “Waterfront city. Waterside Regeneration in Scotland”, 2014). Tim G. Townshend Is Professor of Urban Design for Health at Newcastle University, UK. He has established an international profile in interdisciplinary health/built environment work through a steady output of publications that cross disciplinary divides. He has delivered keynote addresses at a number of international conference and sits on the editorial board of a number of journals including Journal of Urban Design and Cities and Health.