Improving the Quality of Life in Large Urban Distressed Areas

LUDA is a research project of Key Action 4 "City of Tomorrow & Cultural Heritage" of the programme "Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development" within the Fifth Framework Programme of the European Commission.

The LUDA e-newsletter is a free electronic document, edited by the LUDA research team from the Leibniz Institute of Ecological and Regional Development in Dresden (Germany). The e-newsletter is distributed every three months, providing project updates, information on current affairs and details of other interesting issues.
Florence completes in this newsletter the presentation of the cases in the Partner Cities. The city of Florence has initiated the establishment of the Urban Regeneration Group within EUROCITIES network, where discussions started in the LUDA project will be continued and the project results will be disseminated among the member cities.
In her essay Ms Kerstin Manz introduces another institution, which is also working on the urban development - UNESCO World Heritage Convention. Kerstin presents two important documents: the Vienna Memorandum and the Declaration on the Conservation of Historic Urban Landscapes, which can be used as tools to address problems in sustainable urban management. Both serve can help in searching for solutions through dialogue and participatory work. The whole text of the Vienna Memorandum is attached to the essay in this newsletter.

We wish you a nice lecture!

The IOER LUDA Team

LUDA Conference in Paris: Governance and Sustainable Development: a key factor in the improvement of the quality of life in large urban distressed areas, 16^th September 2005

Governance encompasses the key aspects of inclusion and consultation that can provide a potential platform for the interaction between all stakeholders, including public and private sector agencies, municipal authorities, business and inhabitants to contribute to improving the quality of life. This strategic process needs the commitment and participation of different stakeholders, to create efficient and effective solutions and influence any resultant actions and policies. The LUDA conference aimed at discussing the dimensions and parameters of improving the quality of life in large urban distressed areas and how the concept of governance and governance led strategies can influence policies and be the catalyst of change.
The invited speakers like Patrick Braouzec (Chairman of "Plaine Commune"), Olivier Mandon (IAURIF/ URBACT), Liliana Padovani (University of Venice), Kerstin Manz (UNESCO Europe Division), Enzo Mingione (University of Milano-Biccoca), Laurent Davezies (Institut d'Urbanisme de Paris), Jacques Magny (Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations), Thierry Vilmin (Logiville), Huchet du Guermeur (Nantes Métropole) given inputs to the discussion, in which following points were highlighted:

• The role of political power and institutional organisation, the role of knowledge and tools, the role of international structures in urban regeneration of distressed areas.
• Complexity of issues to deal with in urban regeneration. This high complexity goes with high uncertainty, increasing the need to regularly review tools, policies and knowledge. Therefore, independent monitoring is important, questioning not only political decisions, but also choice, use, availability and reliability of data.
• Planning power of the urban regeneration companies (URC). This topic is closely linked to the quality issues. In France, these URC don't have planning power, but may participate in planning strategies. The private investors in the distressed areas foster regeneration dynamics.
• The importance to find a balance between investment in economic activities, housing, schools, public facilities and services for the success of urban regeneration of urban distressed areas.
• With regard to urban public strategies, discussion showed that often they are not pre-existing but are built during the regeneration process, in a bottom-up movement, starting from a few projects and actions.
  

Workshop in Dresden: Identity and Change in Weisseritz area

In Dresden a series of workshops organised by the Leibniz Institute for Ecological Development (IOER), the Planning Department of city of Dresden and the Bureau for Environmental Planning and City Development (BUS).with the stakeholders in the LUDA area has been started. After the fist workshop in June 2005 (newsletter 10 reported about), the stakeholders created a regular table to arise their knowledge about the area, discuss more intensively their involvement in the redevelopment process and to develop common projects.
The second stockholder's workshop took place on the 13th October 2005. Discussed were approaches and instruments for the promotion of the economy with special consideration of the small and middle sized enterprises. Invited were external experts from the cities of Dortmund, Köln und Kassel. The aims of the workshop were:

• Exchange of the already done experiences in both ERDF founded projects in Dresden with regard to the promotion of the economy and employment
• Exchange of experiences with other cities
• Discussion about the role of the economy promotion in the revitalisation process of urban areas

The discussion showed that the evaluation of the improvements in distressed areas as a result of the promotion of small and middle sized enterprises is very difficult. But there is a consent that promoting small enterprises seems to be in comparison with other approaches much more effective for the redevelopment of an area considering the invested money, created new jobs or set up businesses.
However, in the redevelopment of distressed areas the promotion of economy is only effective when integrated within an overall urban development concept.

Next LUDA project international conference in Dresden

In Dresden on the 9^th December 2005 a conference of the LUDA project will take place. The conference will deal with the different approaches towards initialising of a sustainable improvement processes in large urban distressed areas. The conference will be connected to the LUDA project workshop and the public future workshop as a part of the 800 years city celebration. More information will be available soon on the project website under www.luda-project.net

7^th European Commission Conference: Safeguard Cultural Heritage. Understanding & Viability for the Enlarged Europe

The conference will take place in Prague, The Czech Republic from 31^st May to 3^rd June 2006. The aim of the conference is the consolidation and impact assessment of results achieved in EU research projects related to movable and immovable cultural heritage. There will be a special focus on exploitation and spin-offs of cultural heritage research results and testing of the acceptability of new sustainability approaches and new technologies by the user community, SMEs, owners, managers, restorers and conservationists of cultural heritage. The deadline for abstracts is 10^th November 2005.
More information www.arcchip.cz/ec-conference

International Conference: Cultural Facilities, Catalysts for Territorial Development

The conference will take place from 16^th to 17^th November 2005 in Vitry s/Seine, France. On the occasion of the opening of a new Museum of Modern Art in Vitry-sur-Seine on the 15^th November 2005, the county Council Val-de-Marne has engaged a debate on how a museum can be more than a public institution in the service of the local community, how such a major public facility can contribute to local and regional development? During a 2-day conference ideas and experiences on these issues will be exchanged. For more information please contact the international secretariat INTA intainfo@inta-net.org

International Conference on INDOOR AIR QUALITY in Lisboa, 4-8^th June 2006

HB 2006 is the 8^th in a series of Healthy Buildings Conferences that started in 1988 at Stockholm and since then have taken place in Washington DC (1991), Budapest (1994), Milan (1995), Washington DC (1997), Helsinki (2000) and Singapore (2003). The issues addressed relate to indoor air quality and its impact on health. The main focus is on buildings as confined spaces where we spend around 90% of our life. HB 2006, aims primarily at establishing the state-of-the-art of these health related topics in scientific and technical terms, mainly at the level of the causes and their prevention by means of adequate technological intervention. But it also aims to contribute for results of social character, in the form of legislation and normative methods and processes, for a better public health and, therefore, for a better quality of life through an adequate intervention along the several phases of building life: design, construction and maintenance. Both the buildings themselves, according to the needs of their users, and their mechanical systems will be addressed, through a better characterization of the situation in the field and the criteria to adopt in the evaluations.

The objectives of the conference in Lisboa are:

• To set the state-of-the-art in the field of indoor air quality for all buildings in all climatic conditions and its relation with health.
• To create a multi-disciplinary forum on the development and advances of knowledge made in the field of indoor air quality and climate to achieve healthy, comfortable and productive environments.
• To contribute to the development of methods for the assessment of environmental health hazards and their effects on health and to improve risk assessment methodologies.
• To allow interactions among scientists, policy makers, medical, legal and building professionals on the application of state-of-the-art research to practical problems encountered in the design, construction, operation and retrofitting of buildings.
• To increase the awareness of the importance of good indoor air together with energy-efficient buildings for a healthy environment among all professionals dealing with the quality of the built environment.
• To contribute to set strategies and criteria for policy makers to introduce, in an urgent but coherent and always evolutionary context, the precautionary principle in what regards the role of materials and technologies; the relevance of the architecture and building design and of the use and maintenance practices of the building stock to safeguard healthy conditions for all.
• To support health and environmental policy-making and to provide public information on links between environment and health.

Please take into consideration, that the abstracts are due by 15^th November 2005. For more information and registration please look under following address: www.hb2006.org

DIFA-AWARD to recognise Europe’s best quarters International real estate prize explores quality of life in European quarters

Which quarter offers the best quality of life in Europe and where can users find the most favourable life/work conditions? The 2006 DIFA-AWARD organised by DIFA Deutsche Immobilien Fonds AG is open for entries from urban quarters across Europe that offer outstanding quality of life and thereby make a sustainable contribution to the attractiveness of our towns and cities. Being held for the fourth time, this urban real estate competition will explore quality of life within completed quarters in terms of architecture, planning and social aspects. The evaluation process will also include criteria such as the mix of uses within the quarter, cooperation between the private and public sectors and the level of participation by users in designing their district, with cultural and social diversity also being factors that help determine the quality of a location. Prizes for the 2006 DIFA-AWARD total 30,000 euros, and the competition is aimed at all European towns and cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants. The closing date for entries is 30 November 2005, with the awards ceremony taking place at the EXPO REAL commercial property show in Munich in October 2006.

The theme of this year’s DIFA-AWARD is designed to highlight the conditions that help an urban location become popular while at the same time satisfying a wide range of requirements in terms of life/work balance. City planning and building departments, economic development agencies and other municipal institutions are invited to submit completed quarter projects to the 2006 DIFA-AWARD, as are investors, project developers and architects. Competition materials for the 2006 DIFA-AWARD are available for download now at www.difa-award.com.

The UNESCO World Heritage Convention - site conservation and urban development and World Heritage Cities: the Vienna Memorandum on World Heritage and Contemporary Architecture and the Declaration on the Conservation of Historic Urban Landscapes

As an inter-governmental agency within the UN-framework, UNESCO is attributed the role of promoting peace through education, culture and science. It holds the mandate to serve as a standard-setter and to promote international cooperation in its fields of competence among its Member States. In this context, international conventions, declarations and recommendations have been elaborated, which guide a concerted approach to cultural action in the signatory countries.

The World Heritage Convention
Since the adoption of the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage by the UNESCO General Conference in 1972, the Convention has remained the only international treaty to address the safeguarding of both cultural and natural heritage using the over-arching concept of "outstanding universal value". By signing the World Heritage Convention, each State Party to the Convention commits to protecting the properties on its territory, which are inscribed on the World Heritage List. With 181 States Parties and 812 World Heritage properties inscribed in 137 countries, the Convention has witnessed increasing success both in terms of attention for cultural and natural heritage around the world and in terms of concrete heritage protection measures in the respective countries.
According to the Convention, cultural heritage is defined as immovable heritage in one of the three following categories: monuments, groups of buildings, and sites. Over the last thirty years, its concept has been broadened to include, among others, urban ensembles such as historic city centres. This is reflected in the World Heritage List which can be seen as the most widely acknowledged and visible result of the Convention's work: around 200 World Heritage properties out of 812 are inner city areas, and more than 300 World Heritage properties are located in urban areas . To address the specificities of the growing number of World Heritage Cities, a Cities Programme has been created in 1996, which helps to promote research and cooperation in the field of conservation and development of urban areas.

With regard to the LUDA project, it is worth noting that the cities of Dresden, Edinburgh, and Florence, as well as Graz, Paris, and Tallinn comprise both World Heritage properties and LUDA project areas. However, the respective project areas and the designated World Heritage sites do not necessarily overlap.

Developments in World Heritage Cities
With the designation as World Heritage, many cities have witnessed an increase in attention - a development which is manifold and can result in both positive and negative effects for the sites and their surroundings. While World Heritage sites are supposed to be flagships for good conservation practice, the reality of urban developments all over the world often compromises this initial goal. Being historic centres, many World Heritage sites are under immense development pressure, leading to changes of the socio-economic structure (gentrification), increased visitor flows etc.
Yet, not only in the sites themselves, but also around and beyond them, potential threats to the values and integrity of the core areas arise. For instance, high-rise constructions have been identified as potential threats to the visual integrity of a historic urban centre; the roof-scape and silhouette of which are often integral part of its uniqueness.

Conservation in World Heritage Cities: the Vienna Memorandum and the Declaration on the Conservation of Historic Urban Landscapes
As the World Heritage Convention deals with tangible, immovable heritage, the main approach to conservation and development is via the physical urban environment - both the built environment and the open spaces. Taking into account the legitimate need of cities to evolve, while recalling each country's commitment to protect its World Heritage properties, the "Vienna Memorandum on World Heritage and Contemporary Architecture" has been elaborated with the aim to give guidance to decision-making in World Heritage cities and beyond. It has introduced the notion of "historic urban landscape" to capture the designated sites in their urban contexts comprising their cohesion and continuity, but also their character as expressions of change of cultural and social values over time. It thus establishes the link to sustainable development by taking into account all aspects and functions of urban areas.
Drafted as a consensus document that needs to be applicable in all regions of the world, the Vienna Memorandum is formulated to go beyond national regulations and restrictions, and its main goal is rather to emphasize and employ the moral duty and ethical value of World Heritage.
Adopted as the outcome of the International Conference on " World Heritage and Contemporary Architecture - Managing the historic urban landscape " held in Vienna, Austria, from 12-14 May 2005, the Vienna Memorandum remains that of a recommendation. Given the Memorandum's importance for World Heritage cities, however, the General Assembly of all States Parties to the Convention adopted a Declaration based on the Memorandum to underline the broad significance of the subject for the future management of World Heritage (Declaration on the Conservation of Historic Urban Landscapes soon presented on the web site of World Heritage Centres under http://whc.unesco.org).

Despite its focus on the specific conditions of World Heritage cities, the Vienna Memorandum and the Declaration on the Conservation of Historic Urban Landscapes are also applicable in other urban areas with similar development challenges. The World Heritage Convention as well as the Vienna Memorandum and the Declaration on the Conservation of Historic Urban Landscapes can therefore be used as tools to address problems in sustainable urban management in general. Both serve to find solutions through dialogue and participatory work. As such, the principles are coinciding with the principles of the LUDA project. Moreover, in cases of distressed areas, the presence of a designated World Heritage site in the city, such as in the case of Dresden, can be utilized to draw attention to the neighbouring areas.

During the last three decades, the World Heritage Convention has proven to be a powerful tool for safeguarding and international cooperation. While World Heritage cities are showcases on how conservation needs and competing forces in urban development are dealt with, and how they could be balanced, their specific status and visibility can be used to promote best practices for urban conservation, which is to profit the entire urban area. With the Vienna Memorandum and the Declaration on the Conservation of Historic Urban Landscapes it is given guiding tool to promote balanced urban conservation and development.

Kerstin Manz UNESCO

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
Organisation des Nations Unies pour l'éducation, la science et la culture

Centre du patrimoine mondial
World Heritage Centre

VIENNA MEMORANDUM on "World Heritage and Contemporary Architecture - Managing the Historic Urban Landscape"

PREAMBLE

1. Recalling that the Vienna Memorandum is the result of an international conference on the subject of "World Heritage and Contemporary Architecture", which was requested by the World Heritage Committee at its 27th session (Paris, 30 June-5 July 2003, Decision 27COM 7B.108) and held from 12 to 14 May 2005 in Vienna, Austria, under the patronage of UNESCO and attended by more than 600 experts and professionals from 55 countries;

2. Bearing in mind the scope of UNESCO's Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (World Heritage Convention, 1972), and recalling its Articles 4 and 5, striving for global collaboration and the need for global discussions on the subject of the strong economic dynamic and recent structural changes in cities inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List;

3. Further recalling that sites are inscribed on the World Heritage List on the basis of the Statement of Outstanding Universal Value and that the preservation of this value should be at the centre of any conservation policy and management strategy;

4. Considering in particular the 1964 "International Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites" (Venice Charter), the 1968 "UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Preservation of Cultural Property endangered by Public or Private works", the 1976 "UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Safeguarding and Contemporary Role of Historic Areas", the 1982 ICOMOS-IFLA "International Charter for Historic Gardens" (Florence Charter), the 1987 ICOMOS "Charter for the Conservation of Historic Towns and Urban Areas" (Washington Charter), the 1994 Nara Document on Authenticity, as well as the HABITAT II Conference and Agenda 21, which was ratified by Member States in Istanbul (Turkey) in June 1996;

5. Desiring that the Vienna Memorandum be seen, within the continuum of these afore-mentioned documents and the current debate on the sustainable conservation of monuments and sites, as a key statement for an integrated approach linking contemporary architecture, sustainable urban development and landscape integrity based on existing historic patterns, building stock and context.

DEFINITIONS

6. The present Memorandum refers to historic cities already inscribed or proposed for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List, as well as to larger cities that have World Heritage monuments and sites within their urban territories.

7. The historic urban landscape, building on the 1976 "UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Safeguarding and Contemporary Role of Historic Areas", refers to ensembles of any group of buildings, structures and open spaces, in their natural and ecological context, including archaeological and palaeontological sites, constituting human settlements in an urban environment over a relevant period of time, the cohesion and value of which are recognized from the archaeological, architectural, prehistoric, historic, scientific, aesthetic, socio-cultural or ecological point of view. This landscape has shaped modern society and has great value for our understanding of how we live today.

8. The historic urban landscape is embedded with current and past social expressions and developments that are place-based. It is composed of character-defining elements that include land uses and patterns, spatial organization, visual relationships, topography and soils, vegetation, and all elements of the technical infrastructure, including small scale objects and details of construction (curbs, paving, drain gutters, lights, etc.).

9. Contemporary architecture in the given context is understood to refer to all significant planned and designed interventions in the built historic environment, including open spaces, new constructions, additions to or extensions of historic buildings and sites, and conversions.

10. The expanding notion of cultural heritage in particular over the last decade, which includes a broader interpretation leading to recognition of human coexistence with the land and human beings in society, requires new approaches to and methodologies for urban conservation and development in a territorial context. The international charters and recommendations have not yet fully integrated this evolution.

11. The Vienna Memorandum focuses on the impact of contemporary development on the overall urban landscape of heritage significance, whereby the notion of historic urban landscape goes beyond traditional terms of "historic centres", "ensembles" or "surroundings", often used in charters and protection laws, to include the broader territorial and landscape context.

12. The historic urban landscape acquires its exceptional and universal significance from a gradual evolutionary, as well as planned territorial development over a relevant period of time through processes of urbanization, incorporating environmental and topographic conditions and expressing economic and socio-cultural values pertaining to societies. As such, protection and conservation of the historic urban landscape comprises the individual monuments to be found in protection registers, as well as ensembles and their significant connections, physical, functional and visual, material and associative, with the historic typologies and morphologies.

PRINCIPLES and AIMS

13. Continuous changes in functional use, social structure, political context and economic development that manifest themselves in the form of structural interventions in the inherited historic urban landscape may be acknowledged as part of the city's tradition, and require a vision on the city as a whole with forward-looking action on the part of decision-makers, and a dialogue with the other actors and stakeholders involved.

14. The central challenge of contemporary architecture in the historic urban landscape is to respond to development dynamics in order to facilitate socio-economic changes and growth on the one hand, while simultaneously respecting the inherited townscape and its landscape setting on the other. Living historic cities, especially World Heritage cities, require a policy of city planning and management that takes conservation as one key point for conservation. In this process, the historic city's authenticity and integrity, which are determined by various factors, must not be compromised.

15. The future of our historic urban landscape calls for mutual understanding between policy makers, urban planners, city developers, architects, conservationists, property owners, investors and concerned citizens, working together to preserve the urban heritage while considering the modernization and development of society in a culturally and historic sensitive manner, strengthening identity and social cohesion.

16. Taking into account the emotional connection between human beings and their environment, their sense of place, it is fundamental to guarantee an urban environmental quality of living to contribute to the economic success of a city and to its social and cultural vitality.

17. A central concern of physical and functional interventions is to enhance quality of life and production efficiency by improving living, working and recreational conditions and adapting uses without compromising existing values derived from the character and significance of the historic urban fabric and form. This means not only improving technical standards, but also a rehabilitation and contemporary development of the historic environment based upon a proper inventory and assessment of its values, as well as adding high-quality cultural expressions.

GUIDELINES for CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT

18. Decision-making for interventions and contemporary architecture in a historic urban landscape demand careful consideration, a culturally and historic sensitive approach, stakeholder consultations and expert know-how. Such a process allows for adequate and proper action for individual cases, examining the spatial context between old and new, while respecting the authenticity and integrity of historic fabric and building stock.

19. A deep understanding of the history, culture and architecture of place, as opposed to object buildings only, is crucial to the development of a conservation framework and single architectural commissions should be informed by urbanism and its tools for analyses of typologies and morphologies.

20. An essential factor in the planning process is a timely recognition and formulation of opportunities and risks, in order to guarantee a well-balanced development and design process. The basis for all structural interventions is a comprehensive survey and analysis of the historic urban landscape as a way of expressing values and significance. Investigating the long-term effects and sustainability of the planned interventions is an integral part of the planning process and aims at protecting the historic fabric, building stock and context.

21. Taking into account the basic definition (according to Article 7 of this Memorandum), urban planning, contemporary architecture and preservation of the historic urban landscape should avoid all forms of pseudo-historical design, as they constitute a denial of both the historical and the contemporary alike. One historical view should not supplant others, as history must remain readable, while continuity of culture through quality interventions is the ultimate goal.

GUIDELINES for URBAN DEVELOPMENT

22. Ethic standards and a demand for high-quality design and execution, sensitive to the cultural-historic context, are prerequisites for the planning process. Architecture of quality in historic areas should give proper consideration to the given scales, particularly with reference to building volumes and heights. It is important for new development to minimize direct impacts on important historic elements, such as significant structures or archaeological deposits.

23. Spatial structures in and around historic cities are to be enhanced through urban design and art as they are key elements of the renaissance of historic cities: urban design and art express their specific historical, social and economic components and transmit them to forthcoming generations.

24. Preservation of World Heritage sites also involves the design of public space: particular attention is to be paid to functionality, scale, materials, lighting, street furniture, advertising, and vegetation, to name a few. Urban planning infrastructure in heritage zones must include all measures to respect the historic fabric, building stock and context, and to mitigate the negative effects of traffic circulation and parking.

25. Townscapes, roofscapes, main visual axes, building plots and types are integral parts of the identity of the historic urban landscape. With regard to renewal, the historic roofscape and the original building plots serve as the basis for planning and design.

26. As a general principle, proportion and design must fit into the particular type of historic pattern and architecture, while removing the core of building stock worthy of protection ("façadism") does not constitute an appropriate mean of structural intervention. Special care should be taken to ensure that the development of contemporary architecture in World Heritage cities is complementary to values of the historic urban landscape and remains within limits in order not to compromise the historic nature of the city.

WAYS and MEANS

27. Management of the dynamic changes and developments in World Heritage historic urban landscapes encompasses precise knowledge of the territory and its elements of heritage significance identified through scientific methodes of inventory, the relevant laws, regulations, tools and procedures, which are formalized in a Management Plan, according to the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention.

28. The development and implementation of a Management Plan for historic urban landscapes requires the participation of an interdisciplinary team of experts and professionals, as well as timely initiation of comprehensive public consultation.

29. Quality management of the historic urban landscape aims at permanent preservation and improvement of spatial, functional and design-related values. In this respect, special emphasis is to be placed on the contextualization of contemporary architecture in the historic urban landscape and Cultural or Visual Impact Assessment studies should accompany proposals for contemporary interventions.

30. Economic aspects of urban development should be bound to the goals of long-term heritage preservation.

31. Historic buildings, open spaces and contemporary architecture contribute significantly to the value of the city by branding the city's character. Contemporary architecture can be a strong competitive tool for cities as it attracts residents, tourists, and capital. Historic and contemporary architecture constitute an asset to local communities, which should serve educational purposes, leisure, tourism, and secure market value of properties.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The following considerations are directed to the World Heritage Committee and UNESCO:

A) With regard to historic urban areas already inscribed on the World Heritage List, the concept of the historic urban landscape and the recommendations expressed in this Memorandum need to be taken into account when reviewing any potential or ascertained impact on the integrity of a World Heritage property. These principles should be enhanced by plans which delineate the specific measures to be taken for the protection of the historic urban landscape.

B) When considering the inscription of new properties and sites of historic urban areas on the World Heritage List, it is recommended that the concept of the historic urban landscape be included in the nomination and evaluation process.

C) UNESCO is invited to study the possibility for formulating a new recommendation to complement and update the existing ones on the subject of historic urban landscapes, with special reference to the contextualization of contemporary architecture which should be submitted, at a future date, to the General Conference of UNESCO.

(20 May 2005)

Florence

1. Florence-Short introduction to the city

Florence, or "Florentia" as it was originally named by the Romans, was founded in the first century BC as a small settlement located at the foot of the ancient Etruscan Fiesole. It rises on the banks of the river Arno, which bisects the city, and spreads across a vast plain surrounded by the Careggi, Fiesole, Settignano, Arcetri and Bellosguardo hills.

Initially established as a Roman "castrum", Florentia soon assumed the appearance of a real town with a Forum (now Piazza della Repubblica), thermal baths (via delle Terme), and amphitheatre (via Tòrta).

Florence reached its highest points, economically and culturally, between the eleventh and fifteenth centuries as a free State; balancing the authority of the Emperors with that of the Pope, and overcoming the problems of internal fights between Guelphs and Ghibellines. In the fifteenth century, Florence was ruled by the Signoria of the Medici.

The Medici subsequently acquired the title Grand Duke of Tuscany. This was the city's most splendid period for art, culture, politics and economics. The Grand Duchy of Tuscany was then ruled, in the eighteenth century, by the Duke of Lorraine until, in 1860, Tuscany joined the Kingdom of Italy, with Florence as the capital from 1865 to 1871. This marked the beginning of intense redevelopment and rehabilitation processes within the city, leading to the destruction of the city walls erasure of the medieval urban fabric in the centre, endowing Florence with its present-day appearance.

2. Points regarding the administrative and decision-making planning structure

The Territory Government, according to the Italian Constitution, is a matter of "concurrent legislation": in other words, the regions have legislative powers, except in determining the general principles, classified to the legislation of the Central State.

Every Region, therefore, has its own laws, which determine the planning and programming of the territory. In Tuscany, the programming instruments are essentially three: to which corresponds other territorial entity: P.I.T. (Territorial Plan of Strategies) by the Region, P.T.C.P. (Territorial Plan of Provincial Coordination), P.S.C. (Municipal Structural plan). All the three levels (Region, Province, Municipality) supply to the "Territory Management" according to what the Regional Law established; for specific fields also the Communities Mounts, the Authorities of River Basin and the Neighbourhood City Councils take part to territory government.

3. LUDA area description

3.1. Boundaries

The Brozzi-Peretola area is located on the periphery of the city, along the main road to Pistoia, which is parallel to and in proximity to the Arno River. It extends across about 1/20th of the whole area under the administration of the Municipality of Florence.

The LUDA's physical borders are as follows:

• NORTH: A 11 highway & Peretola Airport
• SOUTH: Arno River & Florence - Pisa railway
• EAST: Florence - Pisa - Livorno railway
• WEST: A 1 highway

The LUDA boundaries coincide with those of the UTOE n°3 .

3.2. Historical background

Florence's LUDA case-study originally consisted of several small historical settlements, founded in the early Middle Ages, along a road running parallel to, and close by the river Arno. These settlements, in the Brozzi-Peretola area, further developed/expanded during the fifteenth century. Around the end of the millennium, the road network had developed and many churches containing important master pieces (e.g. the Luca della Robbia's ciborium of 1441 and the Mino da Fiesole's baptismal font of 1466) were built along the most important roads.

As the town of Prato developed, the Via Pratese was built. This road crossed the plain (la Piana), through Campi, and reached Florence after passing through Peretola. Peretola became a strategic location at the crossroads between the Via Pratese and Via Pistoiese, where the large church of S. Maria a Peretola was founded.

In the first half of the nineteenth century important territorial changes were determined, on one hand, by the Florence-Livorno railway construction on the new bank of the river Arno. As a result of this construction work, the river was thoroughly regulated and canalized, and the area of the Piagge, a plain spanning the right bank from Peretola to S. Donnino, underwent intensive exploitation. On the other hand, territorial changes resulted from increasing demands for residential accommodation, due demographic increases resulting also from the flourishing straw industry. The population boom clashed with a restrictive policy, prohibiting the construction of new buildings, which led to the subdivision of large buildings (already in poor condition, owing to their natural obsolescence) into small flats with communal sanitary facilities: courtyards and vegetable gardens fell victim to these developments as existing buildings were extended to create low-cost housing. By the end of the nineteenth century, building cooperatives were established by the local workers, which lead, in turn, to the construction of row houses: such dwellings, built according to a traditional scheme, followed the directories of development of the historical settlements.

Towards the end of the 1950s the building sector was in full swing: the construction of the imposing urban periphery of Novoli began as a westward extension of the S. Jacopino quarter which was built at the beginning of the century; at the same time new row houses were built around the historical settlements as their natural appendix, and new streets were opened. This indiscriminate and no rule territory occupation represents the start for the missing "identity" of the ancient historical settlements. In the 1962, the Town Plan of the Florentine municipality settled the "saturation" and the reconstruction of the residential area of Peretola and Brozzi: old properties and two flats houses were demolished, to make room for new blocks of flats and built other big buildings near Peretola. In 1975, the municipality adopted a variation of the General Town Plan, classifying the villages as "Minor Historical and Environmental Centres", thus limiting developments to restoration work and sanitary improvements. At the end of the 1970s, the urbanization of the Piagge began due to the implementation of the plans for low-cost housing: large buildings separated by vast spaces (8,500 inhabitants on a more than 60 hectare area) were constructed.

3.3 Problems affecting the area

The Florence LUDA area is not a homogeneous one. Some historical settlements exist, in addition to old industrial plants, an inactive incinerator, big and heavy infrastructures, disqualifying activities consuming large territory portions, waste land polluted, water courses, areas devoted to reduce the hydraulic risks, industrial zones. This combination has resulted in an area that suffers from a multitude of problems (social, economical, environmental, physical, and so on) which, together, create a vicious circle of decline and segregation, endowing the area with negative image that deters both potential residents and potential investors from other local areas.

The culmination of different ethnic communities has resulted in rapid and radical changes to the local social structure, affecting:

The original inhabitants of this area are trying to re-define the identity they feel they have lost as a community, and as a territory. This situation is due to:

The problems highlighted by local stakeholders include the high, and increasing, proportions of elderly people and the large number of Chinese immigrants residing in the area. The Chinese community remains socially isolated and many Chinese are competing, economically, with the local Italian community. In spite of the traditional civic participation, at the LUDA project starting have been showed a sort of distrust in the LUDA participation process, due to some previous not fruitful experiences.

The main economic problems, as identified by local stakeholders and the Municipality, relate to a general slump in the economy, resulting from international economic crises. The commercial and manufacturing industries have been worst hit, particularly small businesses that lack the capital to comply with new technological and administrative regulations. Examples of these include the installation of heating systems, up-to-date electronic equipment and shop-fitting: without these, small businesses struggle to compete with larger businesses at the cutting-edge of the consumer market, such as supermarkets, mega stores and out-of-town shopping malls. These large businesses are able to sell a wider range of goods at lower prices, in a pleasant environment, with extensive parking facilities, easy access and of cultural, recreational and leisure time activities.

As a result, commercial activities (shops) in the two main LUDA historical settlements have, in the last few years, reduced from 44 to 15 in Brozzi (representing a loss of about 66%), and from 49 to 29 in Peretola (representing a loss of about 41%). Even if the phenomenon is investing both the Florentine and the national commercial sector, these figures are well over municipal and national averages.
The most recently established production plants (circa 1970), located near the new via dè Cattani zone, were realized in a no planned way. Neither programmes nor plans were preventively foreseen and designed. The result is a chaotic productive settlement following no economic or territorial logic structure. These plants are largely under the management of Chinese businessmen, many of whom do not seem to adhere to administrative and fiscal legislation or labour regulations and rules. This produces a divide between the Chinese production community and other local plants, which suffer from the effects of unfair competition. In addition, it can be noted that the revenue earned by Chinese workers has little effect on the local economy as it tends to remain within the Chinese community, is sent back to China, or is spent in the aforementioned mega stores or shopping centres.

From the point of view of the building sector, land ownership is clearly fragmented, thus deterring any potential new investors or promoters from expressing interest in the area. Owners of small plots of land or buildings are only interested in the refurbishment processes on an individual level, building-by-building. It would be possible to involve them in a wider process at urban level if a public-private partnership (among public agencies and large private companies) can be organised and developed in advance, and these owners of smaller properties were given the option to join.

Any attempt to improve the low quality of life is fruitless without reorganization of both physical and socio-economic structures.
Facilities are not diffused and are mostly of low quality.

The main environmental problems of the area are air, soil and water pollution and periodic floods. These result from several different factors.

The high level of traffic, causing air pollution, is a significant problem.
The area is delimitated and crossed by some important road infrastructures which are not screened. As a consequence, near those roads, there is an air pollution phenomenon caused mainly by the heavy traffic of some activities present in the area used by the whole town.
Other relevant environmental problems specific to this area are noise pollution, from the airport and vehicular traffic on the main roads, and the risks associated with periodic floods. In addition, various water channels are polluted by sewage, causing offensive odours. The area is chequered by polluted soil. This phenomenon has been caused by the use of this area, particularly Le Piagge, as a dumping ground for northern production activities; and the waste deposited inside the area of Le Piagge during the Arno flood of 1966. As a result, the few local green areas are short of trees which would contribute to improving air quality and filtering pollutants.
The LUDA's boundaries and the large internal roads themselves represent a problem as they are heavy infrastructures which separate the LUDA from the rest of the city, producing subsections of the area which don't communicate even from an urban point of view.

In relation, high levels of traffic present a considerable problem. The two main effects, besides air and noise pollution, are:

The internal mobility of the area represents a problem in as far as residents depend upon private transport. Directly related to the use of cars is another problem: the lack of parking for residents, especially in Peretola and Brozzi. In these areas, residents have taken to parking by the roadsides, which is prohibited due to insufficient space. This increases the risk of accidents as pedestrians are forced off of the pavements and onto the road itself. The mobility system depends too much on Pistoiese Street, causing an increase in traffic there. In fact, the Piagge inhabitants who need to get to the internal parts of Le Piagge, must travel through Pistoiese Street.

There is a great deal of building dilapidation: in the small boroughs, due to poor maintenance, and in Le Piagge due to the poor quality of social public buildings, which has also caused some problems in internal buildings environmental comfort. The area is lacking in publicly equipped and protected green spaces and existing green areas are poorly maintained. In example, most of the trees along the Pistoiese and Pratese streets were famously cut down, and have never been replaced. This lack is sorely felt felt amongst the local community.

The prospect of future for the area is perceived in having a mission useful for all the city of Florence and for the metropolitan area too (for instance social or technological linked to the forthcoming railway multifunctional dynamic centre).
The railway multifunctional dynamic centre, currently a work in progress, could help the redevelopment of the industrial sites and business activities;
The Master Plan of Florence, in accord with the local stakeholders which are taking part in the LUDA project, presents the possibility of developing the LUDA to provide a link between Florence and the metropolitan west area. The presence of the historical burgs provided with a beautiful and artistic building heritage, could become tourist attractions. Moreover it has been prospected to realize a "natural commercial" centre within the burgs putting some particular thematic market in the squares and retraining the present shops. Another positive aspect is the existence of space for the creation of a park along the Arno riverside. The park could enhance community relationship with the river and create urban spaces which can promote a positive image and figure as an attraction for the whole of Florence. Developments along the Arno riverside could also help to improve air quality for the area as could the creation of a cycle path linking Piana and Renai to the centre of Florence. Encouraging residents to use the cycle path could see a fall in the use of cars and improvements in the air quality. Moreover, regenerating Piagge's disused zones will raise the quality of the urban design and become a pole of attraction for the whole city.

4. Stakeholders

The main result of the LUDA stakeholders' group activities was a shared proposal about the objectives to be pursued in order to improve the quality of life of the LUDA inhabitants.
In developing the objectives list, the stakeholders were supported by the President of Neighbourhood 5 and by COMFI and TAeD LUDA project researchers.

After a useful debate, during the public conference and in other meetings with the council members and the municipality officers, this list of goals became the list proposed by the local stakeholders and is now on the way to become the basis for the municipality's work in programming and planning the future of the LUDA.

The document on Florence LUDA stakeholders' objectives was presented and discussed in a public conference on 4th February 2005. The public conference provided the opportunity to illustrate and to explain to the City's representatives and to the LUDA's residents the work developed by the local stakeholders group in collaboration with the local political administrators, facilitated by the LUDA researchers. A list of requests was presented as well.
The public conference was organized by the president of Neighbourhood 5 and was an important local event as: it was attended by a relevant number of the citizens of the LUDA area; six city government councillors (in charge for different matters related to LUDA redevelopment process) took part at the conference; and, from the business side, the general manager of the airport agency and the general manager of the national railway company took part at the discussion.

The public meeting in February stimulated engagement and participation in the decision-making processes, for planning and programming in the area, for some of the more sceptical stakeholders.

One of the reasons behind the conference's success was the increased cooperation and mutual understanding within the stakeholders' group and between stakeholders and the municipality. Of course the positive and proactive role of Municipality was crucial.
As further result of the LUDA group work, an "observation" was presented to the adopted Structural Plan of Florence. This observation concerned several aspects both on city level and on UTOE1 (the LUDA level).
After that, will be open a table of confront with the Florence Municipality. The expected results should be the identification of "participated objectives and actions" to improve and goal orient the planning activity of the Florence Municipality. Some actions should be used as inputs to the Structural Plan and to Planning Regulation (the forthcoming Master Plan) of Florence.
The LUDA stakeholders will assume a relevant role in the Area Programme project (see next paragraph) that the LUDA researchers will discuss with the public administration.
The stakeholders' specific role and tasks, in this phase, are to be clearly defined, but the general idea is that they are required to perform a relevant role in the monitoring phase of the actions and of the key projects that the Municipality will carry out.

5. An experimental instrument for the LUDA area governance: THE AREA PROGRAMME

The urban planning instruments at Municipality level (Structural Plan, Urban Planning Code) are finalized to the construction of rules, the regulation of actions to be developed, the compatibilities to satisfy etc., without referring to the priorities, the sequence, the timing, the operators' contingent interests (Municipality included).
At the same time, the actual town planning and the sector plans or programmes take in consideration the specific applicative ambit only which are referred to, with short relationship among them.
Both territory planning and the sector plans or programs take in a lacking consideration the coordination: between the interventions and the transforming actions in the territory, the possibilities, the sequences etc. that is, on the contrary, an essential requirement.
Essentially the management of the territory in dynamic-functional terms, called in special way governance, turned out to be more useful supporting the urban planning also with the Area Planning, following the objective to secure higher levels of feasibility and overall coherence, to improve the capacity, to increase the control and to improve the previsions. In substance, while the planning instrument underlines the aspect what you must or can do, the Area Programme does "how"; the first one insists on the consistency system, while the second one in the consistency process. Both of them support the government of the territory in a synergic and complementing way, increasing its effectiveness.

The Area Programme should develop the following functions: Informative function: collecting, treating, making public all available information pertinent to actual or expected interventions and transforming actions, as well as the ones required to pursue the objectives fixed by the General Town-planning, or included in sectional plans and programmes made by the Municipality and other public administrations, or the ones available among private operators, their organizations and so on.

Function of co-ordination: co-ordinating those interventions with regard to timing, location, sequence, sources and single operators.

Function of evaluation: considering those actions and interventions from the point of view of their functional, temporal and financial compatibility.

Function of forecast: forecasting and displaying both the obstacles and the potentialities we can meet with during the carrying out of transforming actions and interventions in the area, as well as pointing out behaviours and actions most useful to improve the conditions for their realization.

Further these functions, The Area Programme can develop other two important functions for the government of the territory:

• It can develop more advanced functions like the institution of participating strategy that points out the area objectives, the preferential stakeholders, the resources to achieve those objectives and so on;
• It can hold up and facilitate the participation of some interested subjects to the actions and interventions of the transformation of the territory for two reasons: 1) it is a specialist informative font; 2) it can help to create agreements, being an instrument of collaboration and clashing.

The Florence Municipality Council is going to approve a document for implementing the area programme in LUDA area. A group of six councillors, head by the urban planning one, will coordinate this activity in accordance with the LUDA research Florence team and with some technical office of the Municipality. The group of the LUDA stakeholders will take part at this activity.

Annalisa Pirello, Chiara Lotti, Franco Landini (City of Florence)

LUDA Project Team

Project Director: Professor Bernhard Mueller

Weberplatz 1
01217 Dresden (Germany)

fon 0049 351 4679 0
fax 0049 351 4679 212

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Dr. Carlos Smaniotto Costa
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