16 research outputs found
Public spaces and neoliberal policies: The Greek case
No full textThe process of neoliberalizing public spaces involves implementing policies aimed at increasing capital flow to offset reductions in local budgets. In Greece, although public spaces are decisive elements of the urban tissue, the tools, strategies, and mechanisms for their development are mainly based on public funding and the role of the private sector is still weak. The current paper analyzes the policies for public spaces since 1950 until today and the role of public and private sectors in their development. It focuses on specific periods as the Olympic Games, the economic crisis and today, to investigate the policies followed for public spaces development. The research area is the capital of Greece, and the examined case studies include both small- and large-scale areas to cover different types of public spaces. Research focuses on the changes in the legislative framework to promote the role of private sector and evaluates its role and collaboration with the public sector. The analysis of the case studies shows that constrained expertise, centralized decision-making procedures, and inadequate coordination of synergies among management entities, have resulted in notable deficiencies in the partnerships between the public and private sectors in supporting projects for the regeneration of public areas
Planning the 15 min city-the case of Chania
No full textBook of proceedings: 35th AESOP Annual Congress Integrated planning in a world of turbulence, Łódź, 11-15th July, 2023According to C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group & C40 Knowledge hub, adopting a 15 minute city strategy means striving for an urban model that allows everyone, in every neighborhood, to meet most of their daily needs within a short walk or bike ride of their home. The current paper will examine the possibilities of a typical Greek city, Chania, to be developed as a 15minute city. The city is chosen as it combines dense development in its historic center, and sprawled development in its borders, so these contradictions are decisive for its sustainable mobility development. Its inhabitants and visitors mostly use cars for their daily needs fact that is caused by the lack of pedestrians and cyclist networks and the fragmental way public uses and areas have been diachronically developed in the city. Research will examine the positions of public uses and areas, their connections with mobility networks and it will evaluate their accessibility. Finally, it will propose strategies for the adjustment of the city in the principles of the 15-minute city.
Keywords: 15-minute city, post pandemic cities, Chania, urban planningpublished versio
Modern Conservation Principles and Their Application in Mediterranean Historic Centers—The Case of Valletta
No full textHistoric urban conservation has, for more than a century, been a major focus of planning, architectural debate and public policy. Today, there is a growing consensus that the historic city should be viewed not only as a unity of architectural monuments and supporting fabric, but also as a complex layering of meanings, connected both to its natural environment and to its geological structure, as well as to its metropolitan hinterland. The current paper will attempt to analyze the principles of modern urban conservation and to evaluate the effectiveness of their application in Mediterranean historic centers. It is structured in two parts. In the first part it examines the changes that diachronically took place in planning for historic urban conservation. It will analyze the principles that were followed until today and the existing strategies, policies and practices of historic urban conservation. The second part will examine the application of these policies in the historic city of Valletta and it will analyze the effectiveness of these principles’ application in the conservation of its historic environment. The evaluation of these policies and practices will be based on basic urban conservation pillars, such as the support of their identity through communication strategies; the promotion of cultural identity and contribution to economic growth; the enhancement of a better quality of life for residents through the strengthening of the use of the dwelling; the increase of the attractiveness of tourists; and the application of regeneration strategies and environmental planning. It is essential to address the issue of urban conservation in ways that reflect the great diversity of cultural traditions, to support new practices, and to define management systems aimed at preserving values within sustainable processes
Evaluation of healthy historic centers: The case of Chania
No full textThis paper explores the concept of healthy cities, emphasizing the need for urban environments that promote health, well-being, and sustainability. It highlights the challenges posed by rapid urbanization, environmental degradation, and social inequalities. The World Health Organization’s definition of a healthy city is outlined, emphasizing the integration of physical and social environments to enhance quality of life. The paper reviews existing evaluation frameworks and certifications and proposes a toolkit for assessing the health of historic urban centers, incorporating factors like cultural heritage preservation, tourism, and social equity. The historic center of Chania which is used for the application of the proposed evaluation framework is characterized by moderate preservation, with signs of deterioration in some buildings and limited adaptive reuse. Environmental quality is relatively good, but noise pollution and low green space coverage are concerns. Accessibility for people with disabilities and public transportation services are inadequate, while cycling infrastructure is poorly developed. Climate resilience is weak, and sustainable tourism efforts are insufficient, leading to overcrowding and strain on infrastructure. Proposals for improvement include enhancing heritage preservation, expanding sustainable transport, increasing green spaces, and strengthening climate resilience. These measures aim to improve accessibility, livability, and sustainability for both residents and visitors
Planning resilient cities: The case of Chania
No full textToday’s societies face intense problems caused by rapid urbanization and land degradation, globalization and socio-economic poverty, global warming and climate change that affect the world and can be the cause of natural disasters. According to the United Nations ‘‘urban risk, city planning and the role of local governments in dealing with risk reduction have been recognized as key factors to build resilient communities and nations’’ (United Nations, 2010) Physical exposure to disasters can affect not only the informal settlements that carry physical vulnerabilities due to their location or construction practices. In many cases, ‘‘formal’’ urban areas are as well vulnerable due to the absence of adequate building standards and urban planning that would reduce disaster risk by physical exposure. The current paper will focus on the coastal city of Chania and its vulnerability because of the lack of urban planning. The case study is selected because it concentrates the characteristics of a typical coastal Greek city, which faces rapid demographic growth and unplanned urban and touristic expansion. The examined city has been diachronically influenced by the liberalization of construction regulations, an unqualified private sector emerged, hastily developing housing mostly with government oversight and without building permits
The Reconstruction of Post-War Cities—Proposing Integrated Conservation Plans for Aleppo’s Reconstruction
No full textThe reconstruction of historic cities is a complicated challenge that has been faced using different principles diachronically. Historic cities that have suffered severe damage are areas that need to be replanned to preserve their urban characteristics and adjust to their residents’ needs. This paper aims to examine the principles of urban preservation according to the terms of Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) principles, which consider historic centers as living organisms that need to be adjusted to modern society’s needs. The examined case study is the historic center of Aleppo and its post-war reconstruction. The research focuses on the five physical elements below: the site’s morphology, geomorphology, and natural features; its built environment, historic or contemporary; its infrastructures; its open spaces and gardens; its land use patterns and “spatial organization”. It proposes policies and spatial forms for its reconstruction according to the HUL’s principles: more specifically, it proposes plans and strategies for the historic center’s regeneration in the fields of land uses, building regulations, transportation networks, and green public spaces, taking into account several factors: the inhabitants, the stakeholders, UNESCO’s regulations, and the cultural value of the built environment. Finally, it underlines the importance of community engagement for the city’s regeneration in terms of HUL
Functional Status of the Greek Urban Tissue
No full textBook of proceedings : AESOP 26th Annual Congress 11-15 July 2012 METU, AnkaraThe paper will focus on the way the land uses legislation has until today shaped the Greek cities functional character. It is divided in two parts. In the first part, the historical frame that shaped the Greek cities functional status is examined in an effort to realize the parameters that have influenced the functional character of the Greek cities. The period that will be examined starts in 1831 when the first decree for the development of the remains of the war gave every Greek citizen the right to own a certain piece of land where he could construct his house, with some restrictions. Through time the effort of the state was to control cities through restrictions, aiming to their development based on hygiene rules as rapid population increase was noticed. The paper will examine the basic legislative rules that have tried to control land uses until today and it will focus on their effect in the Greek urban web.
In the second part the research will evaluate the effectiveness of today’s land uses legislative framework, using two case studies. The first area that will be examined is the metropolitan basin of Athens, the area that concentrates the country’s population and employment majority. The second case study is Athenians municipality the core that today is the central area of the basin, the initial core that has been constantly functioning since the creation of the Greek state.
The methodology that will be used includes three steps. In the initial step it will focus on the kinds and posts of land uses before the application of the plan that defined the desired land uses structure and allocation. That will be realized with the use of Principal Components Analysis on the recorded employment in urban functions and the investigation of its allocation. In the second step it will examine the intentions of planning and the result it aims to induce. Finally in the third step the same procedure with the first step will take place, but with the use of records that were selected ten years later, in order to reveal the kinds and posts of land uses after planning. The evaluation will result from the compare of the aims of planning and the shaped status after the legislative plan’s application. This will show if planning was effective and the examined areas have been developed as they were planned or if finally other parameters have deteriorated the initial plan and finally city is shaped under the influence of other stronger incentives.publishedVersio
