Sustainable urban renewal

Abstract

Paper presented at the XXXIII IAHS World Congress on Housing, 27-30 September 2005,"Transforming Housing Environments through Design", University of Pretoria.

ABSTRACT: For many years the urban renewal approach of Rotterdam, executed during the period 1975-1993, served as an example on the national and international level. With this approach a process of revitalization was initiated, which meant that the urban fabric and building supply had to adapt to changing conditions and accommodate new demands. Due to large financial and social investments in Rotterdam, about 65% of the housing supply in the urban renewal districts have been replaced through newly constructed social housing or modernization of old housing, social services and facilities. By economical and social changes the question is again to what extent in those days constructed quality meet and adapt present demands. Related to these dynamics sustainability is defined as: the quality of a house or a housing situation is sustainable when it can be used over a long time and when the physical, social and economic situations improve [14]. In the Oude Noorden district this approach on sustainability is evaluated by analyzing changes of the district and the city of Rotterdam. Moreover ten projects and design concepts, constructed during the urban renewal period 1975-1993, are evaluated by the present tenants on use of the floor plan and perception of environmental qualities and also confronted with present standards. Social and cultural changes emerged particularly in case of plan development of urban renewal projects [12].