Walking should be one of the primary modes of transportation in sustainable cities, being more environmentally friendly, sociable, and health conscious. The principles of New Urbanism (NU) promote walkability, creating urban patterns that support the needs of pedestrians. With that in mind, this study aims to define the relationship between walkability and NU in the context of urban regeneration, establishing the urban attributes that influence walkability in the revival of post-industrial areas. The research comes from a statistical analysis of the flow of people in Księży Młyn (Poland) and a field study from Carré de Soie (France) where urban attributes potentially determining walkability were evaluated. The study confirms that pedestrian traffic and urban form can be optimised through a holistic approach. It sets out the relationship between walkability and various phenomena, including i) social-how users behave in public spaces (the role of pedestrians and cars), and to whom the space is dedicated; ii) economic-how the attractiveness of the service and commercial offer are improving, and how real estate prices are changing; and iii) environmental-how the visual attractiveness of the place and the convenience of the space for pedestrians has improved (shop frontage and accessibility).
The revival of post-industrial areas, understood as a factor determining contemporary urban development, is a key process in regeneration. Such areas attract strategic renewal projects, because despite their perfect location next to city centres, they have long been inaccessible to city residents. The backbone of the projects is provided by programmes laying out the future functions of such areas and their target users. In the past, mono-functional districts were popular but their numerous weaknesses have meant that mixed use and diversity are increasingly being introduced into urban areas today. Mixed use and diversity underlie the urban design movement known as the New Urbanism. This article assesses the role of mixed-use and diversity as the New Urbanism principle guiding the renewal of post-industrial areas. It is based on desk research and a comparative analysis of two case studies: the Paris Rive Gauche (France) and the New Centre of Lodz (Poland). The article concludes that regeneration based on the New Urbanism principle of functional and user diversity leads to an effective renewal of run-down urban areas. The applicability of other New Urbanism principles stressing the need to ensure harmony between an urban design strategy and the human scale in the revival of urban neighbourhoods is also worth considering in the long term.
Urban regeneration, which is increasingly having to include methods of adapting urban areas to escalating climate change, is one of the main challenges for the contemporary development of European cities, especially in densely built-up central areas. This multi-level process requires major financial outlays, which is why it is so important to identify the factors that ensure the effectiveness of implemented projects. This article attempts to define the meaning of the New Urbanism principle of connectivity, ensuring freedom of movement in the urban regeneration process. The conducted research has been intended to verify the hypothesis that improving connectivity is critical for the success of the processes of regenerating and improving resilience in degraded urban fabric. The research was conducted using the area regeneration of the centre of Lodz as an example, being the largest project of this type in Poland. The analyses were made by comparing the current status, based on an inventory of the existing situation, and the planned status on the basis of design documentation. The research demonstrates that increasing connectivity will improve the accessibility of properties located within municipal quarters and will help obtain more attractive public spaces. The planned activities will also help bolster climate change in the location by increasing green areas, improving the use of wasteland, and by developing a network of green infrastructure. The execution of the revitalisation project in the centre of Lodz will not only improve the quality of space, but will also increase the resilience of the intensively urbanised inner-city areas to climate change.
With the polish government having announced its intention of giving greater support for the regeneration of urban spaces in Lodz, the city has obtained an opportunity to carry out a large-scale renewal in its central area.The construction of the adopted area regeneration program is confronted with local conditions. The article aims to identify flaws in the project and specify any activities that may be necessary to execute the complex process of urban renewal.The research rests on the desk-research for the analysis of legal acts and documents concerning urban regeneration. Another important element is the juxtaposition of the strategy in Lodz with the so-called good practices in the country and abroad.Renewal, as defined by the Urban Renewal Act, is a manifold process. Thus, a stronger partnership between private and public-owned investors is vital to re-establishing the proper urban structure in its spatial, social and economic aspects. Social participation activities included in the program may prove insufficient; it is recommended that new projects to complement the program be introduced.The program gives Lodz a unique chance to renovate the city center. To that end, Lodz should take advantage of the opportunities which the current legislation and European funds provide.
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