Urban Regeneration: Search for Identity in the Historic Core–A Case of Hassan City

Abstract

Urban Regeneration seeks to bring about appropriate guided transformations in the physical, social, economic and environmental contexts of the city that has deteriorated over a period of time. The historic core of the city is one such place that gets worn out, disguised and ultimately destroyed. This collective asset of the city and its community is valuable, needs to be recognised, restored and managed. The case of each Indian city is such that it presents a unique character, hence demands unique intervention. The present article focuses on a small city of Hassan, in the state of Karnataka, India. The historic core of the city is centred on community living, and traditional occupations, dotted with temples marked by local fairs and festivals, presently endangered with traffic movement, parking, inappropriate land uses and the like. The proposal aims at restoration of the historic glory of the city based on a careful analysis of the existing situation and opportunities available. A holistic intervention approach proposed is based on the internal–external factor evaluation, and the prioritization matrix. The work presented can be a model for urban regeneration intervention that can be replicated contextually in the urban historic core of any small city across the globe.