Presentation Urban Design 1 05_Gospodini-European_Cities_in_Competition-2002

1. PARIS
B E R L I N
L O N D O N
URBAN DESIGN
EUROPEAN C I TIES IN
C OMPE TI TION

2. EUROPEAN CITIES
FUNCTIONING AS A GLOBAL URBAN SYSTEM
During the 20th-century, Globalization change economical dynamics:
• Markets transcended interests of nation states
• Individual countries declined their ability to direct their economies and shape the
manner to interact with other structures.
Globalization + European Union reshape urban networks and the distribution of oppor-
tunities in cities and the participation of the cities in the global economies.
“Europe is becoming a community of cities rather than a community of nations
or/and countries”
M. Castells
In this global urban system, European cities form a flexible hierarchies according to
their particular performance in different sectors and activities like manufacturing, ser-
vice or high technology.
There is an increasing competition among cities to upgrade their status.
What’s the role of urban design in the development of EU
cities?

3. The Potential of Urban Design
as a Means of Economic Development of Cities
In the framework of inter-city competition, urban design appears to take a new role as a
means of economic development of European cities.
• Key factor to success: • Qualified Human Capital
• High Technology
• Modern Infrastructure
• High Quality of Urban Space
The quality of urban space became a prerequisite
for the economic development of cities.
Due to globalization and the capacity to switch location, all the cities
have become interchangeable.
So, the urban governance have to increase the creation of urban con-
ditions sufficiently attractive to lure prospective Žfirms.
P. Kantor
This generated new Urban Economies

4. FONDAZIONE PRADA
MILANO
HIGH LINE
NEW YORK
RIQUALIFICATION
NAPOLI
Urban Regeneration became a growth industry to rebuild the cities.
Derelict industrial sites have been turned into heritage parks, old canals or waterfronts
have become housing or restaurant areas, and warehouse conversions have helped
build up urban living into something chic.
Due to the growing volatility of capital and the increasing competition among cities,
long-term planning can be in contrast with the flexibility and the mobility which capital
demands.
Harvey, suggest 2 different solution:
• Be highly adaptable and fast-moving in response to market shifts.
• Masterminding market shifts manipulating the market tastes, opinions and needs.

5. CLASSES AND GROUPS OF EUROPEAN CITIES
Development Prospects and New USES of Urban Design
OLD CORE OF EU
EXPANDED NEW CORE OF EU
The two Harvey’s solutions have to be follow in relation to the geographical position of the
city (core or periphery) and the related financial power, human capital and hight technologies.
Due to the Harvey’s theory, the EU cities could be divided in 3 main categories:
• Metropolitan Cities
• Larger Cities
• Smaller cities

6. a. metropolitan cities
The late 1980s and 1990s, after the era of decentralization, saw a demographic and eco-
nomic renaissance of metropolitan cities. This process was supported by the re-con-
centration of services, cultural industries and other activities.
The development of European metropolitan cities is associated with the capacity to
attract top level services. Urban design could create a spacial identity of the city involv-
ing the production of a prestigious landscape.
In case of metropolitan cities is possible to create a prestigious urban land-
scape following the Harvey’s theory:
• Rapidly adapting design trend which reflect market needs
• Introduce design innovation to mastermind market needs
Docklands Development
• Double size of central business
• Expansion of the city to est
• Marginal role of urban planning
• Great role to architecture and ur-
ban landscape
LONDON BERLIN PARIS
In 1989, after the demolition of the
wall, Berlin launched a series of
international competition to design
the reconstruction of urban space.
Grand Travaux
During 1980s an avant-garde de-
sign of space was promoted by a
great investment of public founds.
• Pyramids of Louvre museum
• National library

7. LARGER cities .B
The 1950s and 1960s saw an extensive urbanization, concentration of the economy
and the growth of European larger cities.
The 1970s and 1980s saw a deterioration of urban environment and life in larger cities
which became less attractive.
• Spatial disadvantages: congestion, environmental pollution and loss
of sense of community
• Dis-economies: expensive land, expensive services and obsolescent
infrastructure.
Due to the unregulated economic and physical growth caused by exten-
sive rural immigration, the deterioration of larger cities in the periphery was
worse than the one of metropolitan cities.
How urban design could help to regenerate urban economy?
LIVERPOOL
Development of city’s docks
ROTTERDAM
Development of waterfront
area, 1990.
1. Reconstruction and revitalization of historic
center
2. Accommodate international events
BARCELONA Olympic games
• Architectural avant-garde
• New infrastructure
• New business centre
• New image of the city
SEVILLE Expo 1992
• Telecommunication
• Revitalization of the area
Science-technologies Centre

8. C. SMALLER cities
The 1970s and 1980s was a flourished period, due to:
• Diseconomies of larger cities prompted decentralization of some economic sectors
• Improvements of computer technology:
1. Untied sources of raw materials and business centre. Due to this process
lots of smaller and specialized units of production was created.
2. Enabled inhabitants of smaller cities to have easier access to high-order
services
• Hight quality of urban space and life : low density, less traffic, lower costs and less
environmental pollution.
Smaller cities are considered to be the dynamic force of modern urban Europe and
the majority of them are expected to continue growing successfully.
The prospect of the smaller cities is related to their geographical and economical posi-
tion:
• Located in the old or new core of Europe: this cities are expected to become suc-
cessfully integrated into EU urban system due to their position: short distance from
main cities, well developed network of transport and telecomunication and high
quality of urban space.
• Located in the periphery of Europe: This cities in the rural areas are expected to be
hit hardest by the increasing competition of global system. This is caused by limited
investment, technological underdevelopment and low quality of infrastructure
• Special Characteristic: it refers to the tourist and university cities or to the research
institutions. This special cities are expected to continue to grow due to their quality
of urban environment which is the main characteristic.

9. BILBAO
Avant-Garde Design + Open Space International Tourist Place
Bilbao’s local authorities attempted to regenerate the city’s economy via image reconstruc-
tion, arts and culture and via the redevelopment of the underused industrial area along the
riverside in the centre of the city which was redesigned according to Cesar Pelli’s master plan
and transformed into a cultural district
Guggenheim Museum Performing Arts Palace
Euskalduna Conference Centrecity hall

10. CONCLUSIONS
Urban design becomes a key factor in the development of cities, especially for the met-
ropolitan cities and the smaller cities.
Avant-garde urban design schemes + large-scale interventions
Are able to create strong identity for the city and create new space for
public culture.
METROPOLITAN CITIES
In this case, avant-garde urban design schemes create pioneer artefacts and product a
symbolic and prestigious landscape which go in harmony with the city’s heritage as an
international desirable public centre.
SMALLER PERIPHERAL CITIES
In this case, avant-garde urban design schemes establish a new place identity and a
new public culture that can be in contradiction with local heritage.
Castells: in the next decades European cities will be increasingly oriented
towards their local identity and culture as a response to an identity crisis.
Harvey: the production of a new urban image can counteract the sense of
alienation and anomie and shape a new form of localisms.