Materializing Identity: Utilizing inherent urban identity as a main design factor in the inner city regeneration of Rotterdam

Materializing Identity: Utilizing inherent urban identity as a main design factor in the inner city regeneration of Rotterdam

Pinheiro, A.

Calabrese, L.M. (mentor)
Mihl, H. (mentor)
Trienekens, G.C.O. (mentor)
Wilms Floet, W.W.L.M. (mentor)

Architecture

Architecture & Urbanism

Urban Acupuncture

2011-11-10

Abstract – In order to create good urban environments city planners need to start addressing the issue of urban identity (Oktay 2002). According to Oktay, people should again feel that some part of the environment belongs to them, individually and collectively, some part for which they care and are responsible, whether they own it or not. For, as Oktay also states, people use their environment not only in a functional way, but also identify and express themselves through it. In a sense people form their environment and their environment forms them and it is exactly this role of spatial form that is being forgotten in the urban planning (Fortuin & Van der Graaf 2006). In addition Fortuin & Van der Graaf point out that increasingly such issues, of socio-cultural nature, take a backseat to the economic issues. Such projects often limit their impact on identity to that of the economical relevance of the ‘image’ or ‘brand’. Municipalities thus tend to develop ambitious plans that are bluntly imposed on their respective locations, in order to ‘sell’ the city (Jacobs 1992). In doing so however, any trace of the original urban identity is wiped out, including the communities, the culture and history. Consequently also the connection between the original inhabitants and their environment is lost, resulting in undefined, undesirable, useless and unliveable spaces (Oktay 2002). Nevertheless, in general, planners decide to stay this course. This is largely do to the illusive nature of ‘identity’. For how can something be factored into a design, when its spatial form is unknown (ed. Bell & Tyrwhitt 1972)? This paper thus provides a solid grip on the issue of identity. More specifically, the goal is to identify and evaluate the spatial form of urban identity in inner cities, through its sub-elements of public space and the neighbourhood. In doing so, this paper assists in the building of the theoretical framework of the author’s graduation project, which proposes strategies and interventions for the regeneration of problem-neighbourhoods (dutch: probleemwijken) in the inner city of Rotterdam in the Netherlands. (Broader academic interest: The development and implementation of analysis methods and strategies for the revitalisation of neighbourhoods)

architecture
urbanism
urban acupuncture
Identity
social
sustainability
regeneration
revitalisation
public space
social studies
RMIT

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:0ca42252-3138-402e-ab0b-46299c66384d

Student theses

master thesis

(c) 2011 Pinheiro, A.