Community participation as a tool for conservation planning and historic preservation: the case of “Community As A Campus” (CAAC)

The objective of this article is to examine a community planning approach to urban conservation and rehabilitation. In Chicago, like in many other cities across the USA, there has been an unequal distribution of school closures in minority neighbourhoods with higher than average poverty rates. The closure of school buildings, most with historical value, has destabilizing effects in communities, including the loss of public assets, vacancies, and disinvestment. In neighbourhoods experiencing rent increases, such as with Humboldt Park, the use of historic properties can provide an opportunity to develop affordable housing and avoid displacement. This case study seeks to demonstrate how a grassroots organization in a gentrifying neighbourhood created their own participatory planning process to obtain a surplus school building and reuse it as a “teacher’s village”. The reuse plan includes affordable housing targeted primarily at school teachers, office space dedicated to educational-community-related uses, a café open to the public, and a number of other amenities. The overall development plan seeks to make significant upgrades to allow the building to operate sustainably for years to come. The building is expected to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places and will require a unique and sensitive approach to creating an inspiring, collaborative, and community-oriented development. The methodology employed in this article is based on Participatory Action Research and includes field notes and interviews. The researcher engaged as a participant–observer and committee member for about 1.5 years with “Community As A Campus”—the initiative dedicated to envisioning and planning the redevelopment project.     

Validating verdancy or vacancy? The relationship of community gardens and vacant lands in the U.S.

Community gardens have gained attention and support in recent years because of a range of expected benefits and outcomes, and they are one of many examples of transformations of vacant land into green space. While the improvements to vacant or underutilized land are lauded, the practice of community gardening is underpinned by the assumption that it is a temporary practice on temporarily-available land. This assumption, which is at times implicit and at others explicit, maintains that support for community gardens—technical assistance and especially access to land—can be temporary. Through a genealogy of community garden advocacy in the U.S., we find that a dominant narrative of community gardening as a means to an end has been continuously reproduced for more than a century in large part by government agencies and philanthropic organizations. In recent decades, community gardeners have become key actors in advocacy, and although they portray gardening as a meaningful part of everyday city life, they also reproduce that narrative of temporariness by promoting it as a means to address various issues. We argue that this tension between means and ends—especially coming from community gardeners—is problematic. It is a challenge for community gardeners and the many other producers of green space on supposedly vacant land because their means-oriented discourse takes precedence in the public imagination; it perpetuates the notion that the land is ultimately still vacant.     

Electrocoagulation as a key technique in the integrated urban water cycle – A case study in the centre of Spain

Electrocoagulation (EC) presents operational advantages over chemical coagulation, including no requirement for the addition of chemicals. This work compares the performance of electrocoagulation in two stages of the urban water cycle: drinking water production and wastewater regeneration. A case study focussed on the treatment of actual effluents from different locations in the centre of Spain is performed. It was observed that electrocoagulation with aluminium anodes is an efficient technique to remove turbidity and total organic carbon (TOC) from surface water and to deplete turbidity and Escherichia coli (E. coli) from urban treated wastewater (taken from the outlet of an urban wastewater treatment facility, WWTF). Although electrocoagulation can be applied to the treatment of both effluents, the technique is more efficient in the case of the production of drinking water from surface sources. This behaviour is related to the nature of the natural organic matters (NOM) present in both effluents.     

Who are the typical commuters in the post-socialist metropolis? The case of Riga,Latvia

There have been important changes in the geographical mobility of the populations of post-socialist countries since the 1990s. Drawing on an extensive sample survey—the Geographic Mobility of the Labour Force survey conducted by the University of Latvia in 2006—this paper, examines the demographic and socio-economic differences between commuters and stayers in the suburbs, as well as commuting time. The results of the study indicate that people who have suburbanised over the past decade are much more likely to commute than stayers. We show that commuters to Riga differ from non-commuters with regard to most demographic and socio-economic variables. For instance, the probability of commuting is higher for the younger and more affluent suburban residents. Somewhat surprisingly, our analysis shows that there are no significant differences in commuting time between socio-demographic population groups.     

The other author of the 1908 Plan of Chicago: Edward H. Bennett – urban designer,planner and architect

Edward H. Bennett (1874–1954) was co‐author, with Daniel Burnham, of the 1905 Plan for San Francisco and the 1909 Plan of Chicago. He was extensively engaged in the implementation of the Chicago plan for over 20 years, designing bridges, parks and road improvements. Although Bennett was educated as an architect, he designed few buildings. His consulting practice ranged from the preparation of comprehensive plans for major cities (Minneapolis, Brooklyn, Portland, Ottawa) to the design of civic centres (Denver, Detroit, Pasadena), building ensembles (Washington's Federal Triangle) open spaces, infrastructure and memorials. Bennett was therefore one of the first American urban designers, although the term was not in general use at the time. Bennett's papers and drawings are held by the Art Institute of Chicago and are a significant opportunity for research into the practice of a pioneer urban design and planning consultant.     

Towards an analytical framework based on the principles of Civic Design. The case of post-earthquake Talca,Chile 2010–2016

The principles of civic design link the physical conditions of built-up space to its social fabric. Reconstruction of cities following earthquake disasters is seen as an opportunity to revisit the components of civic design and refer it to the neighbourhood scale. This paper provides a review of the principles of civic design, later introducing the Civic Life Analytical Framework (CLAF), used to highlight the socio-spatial particularities of heavily affected intermediate cities, setting the basis for an analytical framework in the context of urban reconstruction. The case study of Talca in its post-earthquake reconstruction stage (2010–2016) delivers empirical grounds, including elements of the social and built-up environmental conditions. The use of CLAF in the northern quarter of Talca involves the observation of morphological aspects, architecture aesthetics, physical structure and dimensions of the collective (public) space, later triangulated with a structured qualitative approach, using data from twenty-two interviews. The results provide a visualization of the main perceptions of residents regarding their sense of agency, community and belonging – these being constitutive dimensions of civic life. As main findings, civic life in Talca is affected by the polarization of dwelling spaces, impacting the conditions for individuals and families to interact with their surroundings, fostering socially disjointed (public) spaces. Conclusions on the importance of exploring civic design through epistemological and methodological interests are given. This approach could also be useful for applying to other cities under similar stress situations.     

Lincolnshire’s middle trent valley: the building stock before enclosure. The case of manor farm house,thorpe-on-the-hill

Based on research undertaken by RUBL, a new building-recording group in Lincolnshire, this contribution originates in the observation that there are a very few standing timber-framed buildings in the county’s Middle Trent Valley. The paper is the first from a larger project exploring this absence. It addresses the suggestion that, although there were once similar numbers of vernacular buildings of this type as elsewhere in the north-east Midlands, this part of Lincolnshire was so greatly affected by a great rebuilding following enclosure between c. 1750 and c. 1850 that virtually all earlier box-framed structures were replaced in brick. Preliminary survey by the group suggests that this may be true, but it also reveals that some members of this earlier generation of box-framed buildings may survive disarticulated, as re-used timbers in those enclosure-period farmsteads that replaced them. Consequently, the group has undertaken a detailed analysis of the timbers re-used in the enclosure-period farmhouse at Thorpe-on-the-Hill in order to assess techniques for reconstructing the frames of predecessor buildings. Following extensive recording work, the outlines of two closely connected predecessor structures have been reconstructed and dated - through techniques including dendrochronology - to the mid-fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. It is suggested that they were both ranges from the previous Manor Farm House, which occupied the same footprint as that still standing.     

Between modernization and identity: colonial social housing as a specific theoretico-practical corpus of colonial architecture – the case of Tetouan (Morocco, 1912–1956)

From the beginning of Spain's occupation of northern Morocco (1912–1956), the urban planning of the colonial government gave rise to an urban periphery of slums and squatter settlements outside the planned city. Aware of its responsibility, the Spanish colonial government developed a social housing policy which aimed to ensure decent housing for all families, while acting as propaganda that symbolized the modernization promoted by the colonial power. The colonial housing was reserved for Spanish and Moroccan officials and for families unable to access decent housing within the private system. In the case of Spain, technically and financially limited as a colonial power, this action cannot be regarded as a comprehensive state policy responding to all real social needs. Nevertheless, it did constitute a major theoretical and practical advancement in thinking about the modernization of Moroccan housing, and a corpus of the colonial architecture in and of itself. This was a unique development when compared with that of other colonies, particularly French Morocco, with its noticeably smaller and less rational development. In order to analyse the colonial social housing in northern Morocco, the case chosen is that of Tetouan, the political and economic capital.     

Non-profit housing,a tool for metropolitan cohesion? The case of the Vienna–Bratislava region

Non-profit housing has a long history both in Austria and in Slovakia, even if recent socio-economic and political transformations question this model born in the nineteenth century. This type of housing is considered as affordable housing according to a generalist conception in Austria and a residual one in Slovakia. But in spite of divergences in their national housing policies, both countries are facing common challenges which are epitomised in the Vienna–Bratislava region. This article analyses the role of non-profit housing in bringing more cohesion to a growing but fragmented metropolitan region.     

Some contributions on the estimation of performance and operational parameters of raise borers – A case study in Kure Copper Mine,Turkey

Excavation of shafts and other vertical structures in mining and civil engineering fields for material and human transportation and ventilation purposes is a difficult job taking quite long time to realize. Raise boring provides a safe means of excavating shafts between two levels of underground structures without using explosives. A Raise Boring Machine (RBM) operates by the principle of first drilling a small diameter pilot hole and then, reaming the hole in one or more stages to the desired size. Raise boring system is the most up-to-date, secure and fast way for boring large diameter shafts. This paper concerns about the estimation of the performance and operational parameters of a RBM used to excavate ventilation shafts in a copper mine located at the city of Kastamonu, Kure Province, on Northern Turkey. Length and diameter of the ventilation shaft are 22 m and 2.6 m, respectively. Borehole samples were collected during pilot hole drilling operation for performing physical and mechanical tests in the laboratory. Excavation performance parameters of RBM such as, penetration rate, cutterhead torque, and total thrust force were theoretically estimated based on the experimental results. Then, the realized and predicted values were compared to serve a useful guide for future applications. The main points emerging from this study is that Tunnel Boring Machines (TBM) and RBM cuts the rock applying the same basic principles of rock cutting mechanics. Specific energy values for both machines are in the same order for similar depth of cut and similar rock formation enabling to predict penetration rates of RBM from huge data of TBMs already published in the literature. It is also proved that the thrust forces for RBM may be predicted in massive rock as it is done for TBM based on projectile area of the cutter and rock compressive strength.     

The plan as a colonization project: the medina of Tlemcen under French rule, 1842–1920

In the nineteenth century, Algerian cities were the first medinas in the Arab world to be colonized by a European power. Tlemcen, a medieval medina involved in this historical event, was marked by a relentless struggle on the part of the French administration to transform it into a city conforming to modern standards. The antagonism between two urban systems – the ‘Islamic city’ and the modern city – takes a problematic form when confronted with urban interventions that had colonizing aims. This paper will argue that the plan of the colonial city introduced a new order, subjecting the medieval medina within a set/subset relationship. Through urban subordination, the French military–civil administration used the plan layout as an instrument to control and dominate the medina of Tlemcen. In order to verify this hypothesis, a thorough study of documents dating from the early years of the French occupation was undertaken; thus, this paper is constructed as an urban study, based on a historico-morphological approach.     

The real estate ‘tsunami’ in Spain: the administration of urban growth in the case of Arroyo de la Encomienda and Valladolid,Spain

The ‘Bilbao effect’ was a key argument in the debate over Oslo's new opera house, set to open this spring. Geographer Marius Hofseth presents Norway's largest urban development project in light of political debates on the role of culture in urban development.     

The development of town planning education at University College London 1914–1969: the contributions of professors S. D. Adshead,L. P. Abercrombie,and W. G. Holford

Drawing on archival records of the University of London and University College London (UCL) and contemporary literature, this article examines the development of town planning education at UCL from 1914 to 1969 under the headships of Professors Stanley Adshead, Patrick Abercrombie, and William Holford. UCL established its Certificate and Diploma courses at a time when town planning was in its infancy as an academic discipline and field of professional activity. There were no precedents to follow – it was not until 1916 that the Town Planning Institute formulated its first syllabus. Adshead's initial course structure and curriculum remained largely unchanged until the decision was taken in 1971 to phase out the part-time planning courses. Subsequent changes reflected the personal planning philosophies of his successors, the recommendations of the Schuster Committee of 1950, the post-war transformation of statutory planning in the UK, and the changing requirements of professional accreditation.     

The garden suburb of the Garbatella, 1920–1929: defining community and identity through planning in post‐war Rome

Situated in the industrial district of Ostiense, the Garbatella neighbourhood was primarily designed to house railway and dock workers built by the Istituto per le Case Popolari (ICP), a national building society founded in 1903 dedicated to public low‐cost housing. The Garbatella distinguished itself from other ICP neighbourhoods in Rome by its remote location and its experimental Garden City‐influenced design, adapted for a Roman context. The first period of construction from 1920 to 1923 saw the Garbatella develop along the lines of Ebenezer Howard’s model of the Garden City. While those who planned the neighbourhood continued to aspire to Howard’s ideals, the Garbatella’s rapid expansion (by 1930 it boasted the highest population density in the city) meant that it failed to live up to these aspirations. Despite increased population levels and the construction of larger multi‐functional ‘super‐blocks’, the architecture and planning of the Garbatella contributed to the fostering of a sense of community and a distinct Roman identity. This article investigates the way in which this architectural style established a ‘dialogue’ with and drew inspiration from the city’s rich and varied history, while contributing a new layer to the urban palimpsest of Rome.     

Vanguard projects as relay races: A historical case study on the building of Eurocan pulp and paper mill, 1965–1970

Previous research recognises the strategic role of vanguard projects in providing their initiators with avenues for entering new markets or gaining mastery over innovative technologies. This study makes a contribution to this research by focusing on the extent to which vanguard projects are under control and serve the interests of their principal initiators and the other actors involved. Simultaneously, the present study contributes to project management research by applying historical case study methodology on Eurocan, a vanguard project that a major Finnish forest industry firm Enso established in the mid-1960s to the wilderness of British Columbia, Canada. Our historical analysis encourages regarding vanguard projects as relay races in which several actors participate, largely in unanticipated ways. This is especially because the initiation of vanguard projects appears to be characterised by both the heterogeneity of the actors involved, a wide variety of actions taken by these actors to increase their centrality in the project organisation as well as abrupt changes among them and their relative importance over the project lifecycle. Together these characteristics make vanguard projects particularly prone to influence from external actors and events.     

The prolific interpreter of the Olmsted vision: Frederick G. Todd,Canada’s first landscape architect

For four years, Frederick G. Todd (1876–1948) studied and practiced with the Boston-based Olmsted Brothers, the seminal landscape architecture and town planning firm. The Olmsteds executed ambitious plans for parks, park systems, urban design, and suburban development according to the pioneering design principles of Frederick Law Olmsted Sr and his two sons, John Charles and Frederick Law Jr. In 1900, Todd left the firm to establish the first landscape architecture office in Canada. While Todd was deeply influenced by the ideas of Olmsted Sr and his sons, he arguably had more direct impact on Canadian city development than his mentors. Many Todd projects survive as treasured open spaces, and sought-after residential enclaves. However, despite Todd’s impressive career his reputation remains overshadowed by the legacy of the Olmsteds.