arcsys masurin sourcebook finalreport

Examples of Revitalised Urban Industrial Sites Across Europe Final Report

Ute Gigler Tanja Ttzer Markus Knoflacher Issue 1 ARCsys-0022

Examples of Revitalised Urban Industrial Sites Across Europe Final Report of the MASURIN Sourcebook Contract number: EVK 4-CT-2001-00054 Project number: 7.64.00103 Ute Gigler Tanja Ttzer Markus Knoflacher December 2004 ARCsys-0022

1 Department of Environmental Planning 2 Department of Regional Studies

Table of Contents

Introduction 1 Methodology 3

PART I SITE DESCRIPTIONS

1 A Norra lvstranden, Gothenburg, Sweden 5

Setting 5 History of the site 5 Revitalisation plans and status 7 Management of the revitalisation process 8 Aspects of sustainability 10 Lessons learned 12 Conclusions 14 Bibliography 15 1 B Parque das Naes, Lisbon, Portugal 17 Setting 17 History of the site 17 Revitalisation plans and status 18 Management of the revitalisation process 20 Aspects of sustainability 22 Lessons learned 24 Conclusions 26 Bibliography 27

1 C Am Borsigturm, Berlin, Germany 29

Setting 29 History of the site 29 Revitalisation plans and status/Management of the revitalisation process 29 Aspects of sustainability 33 Lessons learned 33 Conclusions 36 Bibliography 37

1 D BMW-Steyr, Steyr, Austria 39

Setting 39 History of the site 39 Revitalisation plans and status/Management of the revitalisation process 40 Aspects of sustainability 41 Lessons learned 42

Conclusions 42 Bibliography 44

1 E Parc Logistic in the Zona Franca, Barcelona, Spain 45

Setting 45 History of the site 45 Revitalisation plans and status 46 Management of the revitalisation process 50 Aspects of sustainability 51 Lessons learned 52 Conclusions 53 Bibliography 54 1 F Speke Garston, Liverpool, United Kingdom 55

Setting 55 History of the site 55 Revitalisation plans and status/Management of the revitalisation process 57 Aspects of sustainability 63 Lessons learned 64 Conclusions 66 Bibliography 67

PART II CITY AND SITE-SPECIFIC DATA AND POLICIES

2 A Norra lvstranden, Gothenburg, Sweden 69 City data 71 Economic/Socio-economic data 72 Demographics 73 Site-specific data 74 Land use 74 Infrastructure/Transportation 75 Economic data 76 Socio-economic data 77 Environmental data 79 Site-specific policies 80 General framework 80 Specific measures on site 80 Organisation of redevelopment process 81 Management of the process 82 2 B Parque das Naes, Lisbon, Portugal 85

City data 85 Land use 85 Economic/Socio-economic data 85

Demographics 86 Site-specific data 89 Land use 89 Infrastructure/Transportation 91 Economic data 91 Socio-economic 92 Environmental 92 Site-specific policies 94 General framework 94 Specific measures on site 94 Organisation of redevelopment process 95 Management of the process 96 2 C Am Borsigturm, Berlin, Germany 99

City data 99 Land use 99 Economic/Socio-economic data 100 Demographics 101 District-data/Reinickendorf 104 Land use (2001) 104 Economic/Socio-economic data 104 Demographics 105 Site-specific data 106 Land use 106 Infrastructure/Transportation 108 Economic 109 Socio-economic 109 Environmental 110 Site-specific policies 111 General framework 111 Specific measures on site 112 Organisation of redevelopment process 113 Management of the process 114 2 D BMW-Steyr, Steyr, Austria 117

City data 117 Land use 117 Economic/Socio-economic data 118 Demographics 119 Site-specific data 121 Land use 121 Infrastructure/Transportation 121 Economic 121 Socio-economic 122

Environmental 124 Site-specific policies 125 General framework 125 Specific measures on site 126 Organisation of redevelopment process 126 Management of the process 127 2 E Parc Logistic in the Zona Franca, Barcelona, Spain 129

City data 129 Land use 129 Economic/Socio-economic data 129 Demographics 133 Site-specific data 135 Land use 135 Infrastructure/Transportation 135 Economic 136 Socio-economic data 138 Environmental 138 Site-specific policies 140 General framework 140 Specific measures on site 141 Organisation of redevelopment process 142 Management of the process 143 2 F Speke Garston, Liverpool, United Kingdom 145

City data 145 Land use 145 Economic/Socio-economic 146 Demographics 149 Site-specific data 150 Land use 150 Infrastructure/Transportation 152 Economic 154 Socio-economic 154 Environmental 158 Site-specific policies 160 General Framework 160 Specific Measures on site 161 Organisation of redevelopment process 163 Management of the process 164

Table of Figures

Figure 1: Map of Norra lvstranden 5

Figure 2: Gtaverken Repair Shipyard 6

Figure 3: Lindholmen Knowledge Centre 7

Figure 4: Apartments, quay and public art in Eriksberg 10

Figure 5: View from Norra lvstranden towards lvsborgsbron bridge 11

Figure 6: The Dieder Sequence, public art in Lindholmen 13

Figure 7: Map of Lisbon 17

Figure 8: Industrial tanks on site prior to redevelopment 18

Figure 9: Rendering of Parque das Naes at full build-out 19

Figure 10: Vasco da Gama Tower 20

Figure 11: Atlantic Pavillion 21

Figure 12: Public Art at Parque das Naes 22

Figure 13: Oceanarium 25

Figure 14: Site after the 1st World war 30

Figure 15: Site in 1992 30

Figure 16: Model of the site Am Borsigturm 32

Figure 17: Before revitalisation 35

Figure 18: After revitalisation 35

Figure 19: Map of Steyr 39

Figure 20: Location of Zona Franca and Parc Logistic 45

Figure 21: Models of the office buildings 46

Figure 22: Parc Logistic under construction 47

Figure 23: The four major projects of Barcelona currently 49

Figure 24: Current situation at the port 50

Figure 25: Development due to the Plan Delta 50

Figure 26: Speke Garston the Liverpool Region 55

Figure 27: Garston Docks and Industries 56

Figure 28: Speke Garston regeneration area 59

Figure 29: The Matchworks 59

Figure 30: The Estuary 60

Figure 31: Housing in Speke Garston 62

Figure 32: Coming Together Sculpture, Speke Garston, Liverpool 65

Figure 33: Population development 86

Figure 34: Population in Lisbon and in metropolitan area 87

Figure 35: Age distribution by gender 89

Figure 36: Gross Value 1991-2001 (real), City of Berlin 100

Figure 37: Population-development 102

Figure 38: Location of the site Am Borsigturm in Berlin 107

Figure 39: Infrastructure and access 108

Figure 40: Plan of the EpB (Development concept for the production oriented sector) 112

Figure 41: Population development 133

Figure 42: Transportation map of Parc Logistic 136

Figure 43: Employment by industries, Liverpool 1996, 2001 148

Figure 44: Map of South Liverpool 152

Figure 45: Network of Public Transportation 153

01

Introduction The Sourcebook presents six different revitalisation case studies conducted on urban old industrial sites in Europe. The aim of this document is to transfer knowledge acquired during the revitalisation process to interested parties in other cities such as public administrations, developers, planners, investors and other practitioners to support them in their revitalisation process. The research team conducted case studies that included interviews and on-site visits on former industrial sites in Goth-enburg (S), Lisbon (P), Berlin (D), Steyr (A), Barcelona (ES), and Liverpool (UK). Part 1 of the Sourcebook entitled Site Descriptions presents in-depth case histories that include an analysis of the management process, stakeholders involved, challenges encountered, sustainability aspects and lessons learned whereas part 2 City and Site-Specific Data and Policies - contains environmental, social, and economic data about the city and the site as well as information on e.g. funding sources and measures applied on the site.

Many cities in Europe are faced with having to revitalise former industrial sites that are often situated on prime real estate in the core of the city, present an eyesore, and are contaminated. Apart from the physical and environmental degradation, high unemployment rates and ensuing social deterioration associated with those sites also plague cities and their administrations. The question then becomes how to best deal with the social and environmental problems resulting from industries becoming ob-solete or moving off site. The examples researched demonstrate that certain key factors and ap-proaches need to be in place that allow cities to redevelop old industrial sites successfully and in a sustainable manner.

Even though each city examined chose a slightly different redevelopment approach, a number of common features and lessons can be discerned. The following list illustrates the most important les-sons learned. The examples listed in parentheses indicate that those cases were particularly notable for a specific approach or lesson learned. Not listing an example, however, does not necessarily imply that the approach is not applied on sites not mentioned as well. We refer the reader to the spe-cific examples to read an in-depth description of a particular approach or lesson learned.

Successful Approaches and Lessons Learned

- Involving all relevant stakeholders in the revitalisation process (Berlin, Gothenburg, Liverpool)

- Developing a vision that guides the process (Barcelona, Gothenburg, Lisbon)

- Co-operating, forming public/private partnerships and developing trust (Gothenburg, Lisbon, Liverpool)

- Investing in education and training of locals (Liverpool, Gothenburg, Steyr)

- Engaging in good marketing of the site to attract well-known companies (Barcelona Gothenburg, Lisbon, Liverpool)

- Supporting clustering efforts between e.g. educational institutions and firms (Steyr, Gothenburg, Liverpool)

- Clearly spelling out funding mechanisms prior to revitalisation (Berlin, Lisbon, Liverpool, Steyr)

- Applying integrative planning approaches (Berlin, Gothenburg, Lisbon, Liverpool)

- Engaging in regional planning (Barcelona, Gothenburg, Liverpool)

02 Examples of Revitalised Urban Industrial Sites Across Europe

- Management: private developers with public or public/private boards manage revitalisation; fiscal responsibility lies with developer (Berlin, Gothenburg, Lisbon, Liverpool)

- Monitoring to allow feedback between planning and implementation (Gothenburg, Lisbon, Liver-pool)

- Remaining flexible and adapting to e.g. market needs (Berlin, Gothenburg, Lisbon)

- Creating diverse, mixed use sites (Berlin, Gothenburg, Lisbon, Liverpool)

- Improving sustainability on site through e.g. environmental clean-up (all examples)

03

Methodology

Research strategy

In order to find suitable case studies, the research team employed a broad research strategy. It ranged from contacting Masurin partners to assist the team in finding appropriate sites in their re-spective countries, to contacting people in our own research network and those we met at confer-ences and other events to conducting extensive research on the internet. In total, we contacted 56 individuals in various countries. The internet search yielded by far the most relevant information for us and we were able to find several promising cases. However, for the definitive selection of the cases it was important to establish personal contact with experts on site and potential cases had to satisfy certain criteria.

Procedure

A list of criteria was generated that would allow the ARC team to separate relevant cases from those that were not suitable. The following criteria were applied:

- the revitalised site should be well into the implementation stage

- some industrial activities should be present on the site

- negative environmental impacts on site and in the surrounding area should be reduced

In this initial screening phase, especially due to the second criterion, most cases could not be ac-cepted for further analysis. The majority of urban industrial sites that are in the middle of cities are being redeveloped with the idea in mind that future uses should fit into the urban fabric and should be a mix of different uses. Typical production-oriented industrial uses are rare and usually make up only a small fraction of all uses on a given site. The criterion that industrial uses have to be present even if it includes e.g. chemical storage or waste treatment activities often could not be satisfied which is why many interesting cases had to be excluded from analysis.

Once the cases were selected, appropriate contact persons who also had time and resources to share information with the research team had to be found. Individuals were informed that the re-search team would conduct on-site visits and interviews with key officials involved in the revitalisation process in order to gather in-depth information. They were also told that their example along with several others would be published in a Sourcebook that could assist them in their own redevelop-ment work. Those two factors increased peoples willingness to assist us in our work.

The research team generated a standardised data needs sheet that served as a guiding document for the interview process. The document contains a number of different data categories such as land use, economic, socio-economic, demographic, and environmental data. In addition, contact persons were asked about the regulatory framework guiding the redevelopment process, measures employed on the site, organisation of the entire process and how the different phases in the process were managed. Data needs sheets were sent to all potential interview partners in the different cities prior to the teams visit. Following that, the research team conducted site visits and interviews with key individuals on each site.

After a thorough analysis, the research team described each of the examples and provided a histori-cal background, best practice examples, management tools employed, and lessons learned (Part 1). Part 2 lists comprehensive data and information on environmental, social, and economic aspects as well as the organisational and management framework of the case.


Part I

Site Descriptions

05

1 A Norra lvstranden, Gothenburg, Sweden

Setting Norra lvstranden which means the Northern Riverside is located across from the historical centre of Gothenburg along a 5 km stretch of the Gta lv River. The site encompasses about 250 ha of land and 40 ha of water and is bordered by industrial and residential use to the west, a highway and in-dustrial railway lines to the north and industrial use to the east. The area can now be accessed via the Gta lvbron bridge from the historical centre of Gothenburg with cars, trucks, etc. and buses run on a regular basis between the city centre and Norra lvstranden and from other parts of Gothen-burg. From the west, the site can be reached via the lvsborgsbron bridge. A ferry service also exists to different docks along the site.

The site is divided into several major areas with distinct names that will be used throughout the document. Please refer to the following map for reference.

Figure 1: Map of Norra lvstranden Source: City Planning Authority, 2001

History of the site Gothenburg was founded as a centre of trade and seafaring by Gustavus II Adolphus in 1621. At the time, iron and lumber were the primary export goods. The city of Amsterdam with its canals was used as a model in the construction of the new city of Gothenburg which matured into a vital seafar-ing and trade city over the centuries. The giant herring catches in the 18th century also enabled the city to become the largest fishing town in Sweden.

With the rise of the machine industry in the 19th century, the shipyard era began. The shipyards Gtaverken, Lindholmen and Eriksberg were created and thrived until the 1970s. In that period, sev-eral large harbours such as Sannegrd, Frihamnen, Lindholmshamnen and Lundby were built on the north side of the river. Prior to World War I, textiles dominated the industry whereas thereafter shop industries and shipyards comprised the two major industrial branches in Gothenburg. In the mid 1970s after the oil crisis, the shipyards had to close one by one because of shipbuilding competition from Asian countries. The die-out of this very important industrial activity in Gothenburg triggered a major physical and structural transformation in Norra lvstranden and for the city as a whole.

At the time, the City of Gothenburg was faced with thousands of unemployed from the shipyard in-dustries that needed new jobs and a large site that had completely lost its purpose. Initially, the two


major landowners, the City of Gothenburg and Svenska Varv AB (Swedeyard Corp. which is state-owned and was in charge of all the shipyards on Norra lvstranden) launched a process to develop ideas on how best to revitalise the entire area. The Swedish State became the owner of the ship-building industry and a municipal owned company (Gothenburg Hamn AB) owned the harbours. Be-tween 1975 and 1980, the vision was to establish industrial activities on the site again which should be related to the offshore industry and the energy sector. The State provided 60 million SEK for a research and training centre to be established in collaboration with the municipality and industry to revive business in the area. An upper secondary school also moved to Lindholmen offering courses in engineering which were the beginnings of the area transforming into a knowledge centre.

Figure 2: Gtaverken Repair Shipyard Source: Gothenburg City Planning Authority et al., 2000

In the next phase which lasted through 1985, one of the major landowners, Swedeyard Corporation began to operate as an independent developer and presented its initial plans as to how to best trans-form the area. The ideas were to place housing in Eriksberg, the Lindholmen shipyard should be turned into a city-owned research company mainly focusing on labour and welfare issues, whereas improvements to the seafront in Lindholmen began. At the time, however, city land use plans only permitted industrial use in the area. Due to a housing surplus in greater Gothenburg, the city also rejected plans to build yet more housing in Eriksberg.

It was only in the next period between 1985 and 1990 that plans to regenerate the area really took off. The City of Gothenburg presented its new Comprehensive Plan which included a detailed de-scription of how the site should be transformed. The Plan was adopted in 1991. Eriksberg was to not only include housing, but should become a centre for cultural events, a hotel, and an exhibition area. Furthermore, all the different actors involved wanted to create a scheme that linked companies with educational institutions in an effort to create a cluster of knowledge-intensive industries and the vi-sion of the Lindholmen Knowledge Centre was created.

The period between 1985 and 2000 will be described in more detail under revitalisation plans and status because it was in those years that the area was transformed from an industrially used part of town to a mixed use neighbourhood in its own right.

07

Revitalisation plans and status The effort to regenerate Norra lvstranden began the first decade after bankruptcy of the shipping industry. The first several years the general direction of how to revitalise the area was unclear and lacking a clear vision and comprehensive plan. Beginning in 1985, the speed of change increased and the area began to be transformed into an urban area with multiple functions.

Swedeyard Corp. who was initially responsible for handling redevelopment of the properties left va-cant by the shipbuilding industry started to operate under the name of Celsius Industrier. It also formed an administrative company called Eriksberg Frvaltnings AB whose task was to administer the land, buildings and facilities at the former Eriksberg shipyard and to develop the area.

1985-1990:

Again, a new vision was developed to create a Friendly City that included a plan to provide for hous-ing and small companies in Eriksberg. The developer firm and the City of Gothenburg realised that the area was not well known to residents of Gothenburg because it had been closed off for so many years. Therefore, they staged several large events such as outdoor concerts in order to draw many people to Norra lvstranden and introduce them to this new part of town.

Figure 3: Lindholmen Knowledge Centre Source: Gothenburg City Planning Authority et al., 2001

A different strategy was employed for Lundbystrand starting in 1987 which focused on creating a business environment that attracted small and larger firms from a variety of sectors. In the south-western part of the area, another project was undertaken whose aim it was to renovate four buildings that still housed a few companies associated with the shipping business. The renovations were com-pleted in small steps and it was hoped that other companies would move in who consider the area attractive and a positive business environment. The project proved to be rather successful with 80 new companies moving into the renovated buildings.

Throughout the different planning phases, the idea of Gothenburg becoming a centre for the knowl-edge-based industry emerged (in Lindholmen) and became more and more concrete. Other efforts centred on developing the waterfront into an attractive site for those who live and work in the area and certainly for visitors or residents of Gothenburg. Most importantly, the municipality began to en-gage in a planning process to develop a structure plan for the area guided by the vision to create a


city district complete with all amenities that also had functioning links to the city centre and other city neighbourhoods. The structure plan was approved by the city council in 1990.

1990-1995:

The real estate and financial crisis in the period between 1990 and 1995 had a major impact on planning in Norra lvstranden. The developer company realised that it was best not to rush imple-mentation of various plans but to adapt to circumstances and act according to what the market de-manded. They put forth and started to implement their idea of creating a city that is vibrant, diverse, where uses are mixed and people feel at home and one that is built for the long-term.

Major events marking the period between 1990 and 1995 included the implementation of a passen-ger ferry service that connected Norra lvstranden to the rest of the city. In addition, a branch of the Chalmers University of Technology moved into Lindholmen to reinforce the notion of Lindholmen being a knowledge centre.

1995-2000:

In 1995, the municipality of Gothenburg became the sole owner of Eriksberg Frvaltnings AB and changed the companys name to Norra lvstranden Utveckling AB (NUAB). The three harbour ar-eas Sannegrden, Lindholmen, and Lundby were also acquired from Gothenburg Hamn AB. The company became a wholly owned, municipal, limited liability company operating like a private devel-oper with a public board of directors on the market. It was in charge of developing Norra lvstranden by constructing different buildings, selling them and reinvesting the profits in the construction of new buildings and the promotion of the area.

The idea of developing an IT cluster developed in 1998. Major players such as NUAB, Volvo, Erics-son and the municipality of Gothenburg wanted to create a cluster that would be situated in Lindhol-men and would encompass the above companies, a university, other schools, and many other com-panies who work on similar technologies. A year later, the municipality and Chalmers University of Technology developed the scheme of Lindholmen Science Park. At that time, a new IT University partially financed by Ericsson was also created that would act as the centre of the newly formed campus. The Science Park focuses on three major themes: telematics, mobile Internet, and media. Since conception of the Science Park, many new companies aside from Ericsson and Volvo such as Semcon, Sigma or Caran have also moved to Norra lvstranden. When the area is fully developed, it is hoped that about 100 companies with a workforce of up to 18,000 people will be located in the area.

Housing in Eriksberg and Sannegrden harbour also continues to be built and more and more stu-dents go to school in Norra lvstranden and in small increments, the friendly city as originally con-ceived is taking shape. At full build-out, it is planned that there will be 35,000 employees, 15,000 residents and 15,000 students working, living and studying in Norra lvstranden.

Management of the revitalisation process Norra lvstranden Utveckling AB

As described in the two previous chapters, the company formed out of the previously state-owned firm whose mandate is to develop all of Norra lvstranden as sole developer. The company has a public board and was given the land for 1 SEK as well as loans and other obligations. The company operates like a private developer firm. Even though it is publicly owned, any profits made in real es-tate transactions can be used to invest in the construction of new buildings rather than having to return profits to the city. NUAB also has to pay for environmental clean-up related to e.g. contami-nated soils.

09

Even though the firm operates like a private developer on the market, its mission differs from that of regular developers according to NUAB officials. The mandate is to create a well-functioning, mixed use city for the long term, where residents and workers can enjoy a high quality of life. It is crucial to consider the long-term identity a place will have. If creating a high quality place is the goal, the de-veloper also needs to take responsibility for maintenance and upkeep of buildings and grounds. Ac-cording to company officials, most other developers have an interest in creating buildings rather than neighbourhoods and making quick profits and moving in and out of an area very quickly. In addition, the company is charged with being the developer of one particular area over several decades. Dur-ing such a long-term process, the developer constantly needs to set priorities and assess what re-sources are available at a particular point in time and act accordingly. Company officials believe in developing the area slowly and according to market demands rather than according to strict dead-lines and out of synch with market developments. In case of e.g. a housing surplus in a particular period, it would make little sense to create yet more housing in the middle of Gothenburg.

The developer closely cooperates and collaborates with the municipality of Gothenburg. The plan-ning process has worked rather well since the companys transfer to the city. The Comprehensive Plan, adopted in 1991 and up for revision every four years is a long-range planning document that has advisory character and serves as a framework and guiding document for the revitalisation. Ac-cording to NUAB officials, it is important that planning and implementation go hand in hand. Aside from the City of Gothenburg, other close collaborators include investment firms, architects, and con-sultants.

NUAB will be in existence as long as the development process is on-going which may take another 2 decades or more. Currently, there are no plans whether there might be any other projects the com-pany would engage in.

Financing

In the early years, the State of Sweden took over the ailing shipyards and the properties associated with them. They financed initial activities to revitalise the area such as a support centre for research and training focused on industrial injuries in Lindholmen with a 60 million SEK grant. The state owned developer firm and its successor NUAB had ownership of the land but had to finance all their construction activities through the private market.

Time-frame

The revitalisation process officially started in the mid seventies, although major redevelopment really only started in the mid 1980s. According to company officials about 1/3 of development was com-pleted as of March 2003. It is assumed that the process will take another few decades.

Strategies and objectives

Major revitalisation objectives include the following:

Build a friendly city for the long term, where creating a mixed use environment and using environ-mentally friendly and high quality construction materials go hand in hand to create a new urban neighbourhood.

Create a city for the human being on a human scale that aside from diverse surroundings also in-clude meeting points that enable individuals to naturally come together for discussions or casual conversation.


Establish a focus on mobile internet, telematics, and modern media industries in Lindholmen, which provides opportunities for small and large companies, universities, and schools to work together in knowledge intensive industries.

Cluster companies, universities, and industries to enable better cooperation and an ideal setting and a framework for innovations.

Make the waterfront attractive and accessible to the public, in particular to the people of Gothenburg.

Figure 4: Apartments, quay and public art in Eriksberg Source: Gothenburg City Planning Authority et al., 2000

Aspects of sustainability Mixed use

Creating a multi-functional, walkable neighbourhood as was planned and executed in Norra lvstranden represents a large contribution toward a more sustainable and more resilient living situa-tion in an urban environment for several reasons. Employees working in the area have the opportu-nity to shop, engage in recreational or cultural activities and go out to lunch or dinner all within walk-ing distance. Employees who also live in the area can combine working, living, and sending their children to school in one area. Travelling short distances, public transit opportunities, and doing a lot of trips on foot forgoes many otherwise necessary trips in private vehicles.

11

Friendly city, meeting point, diversity

The vision of creating a friendly, diverse city is closely tied to the concept of mixed use. Promoters of development in Norra lvstranden wanted to create a part of town that was not only physically attrac-tive and aesthetically pleasing, but also a place where people liked to be and to engage in various activities. Officials at NUAB also believed that natural meeting points both indoors and outdoors should be established that would give individuals the opportunity to meet in a nice, unpretentious environment by chance or as planned for discussions or simply to chat and exchange ideas.

Public transport

During the revitalisation process, the Traffic and Public Transport Authority, Norra lvstranden Ut-veckling AB along with several other organisations initiated Vision Lundby which is a long-term, collaborative project for the promotion of sustainable traffic and transport solutions for the Norra lvstranden area. The Vision Lundby team has already implemented a number of innovative public transport initiatives such as the Public Transport Cards. Companies were offered to purchase monthly public transport tickets that they can then offer to their employees at a discounted rate. The measure was marketed well and generated considerable success.

Another project about to be implemented is freight collaboration based on the concept of cutting down on the number of deliveries made by trucks in Norra lvstranden on any given week by chang-ing delivery routines and logistics. The pilot project showed that deliveries can be cut in half when companies start collaborating on their delivery needs. Several other projects such as providing car pools with alternatively fuelled vehicles and getting companies to offer company bicycles that can be used by employees to move around in Norra lvstranden are also being implemented.

Figure 5: View from Norra lvstranden towards lvsborgsbron bridge Source: Gothenburg City Planning Authority et al., 2001

Safety on site

During the industrial era, very few individuals lived in Norra lvstranden and most of the site was not accessible to the residents of Gothenburg. Since the revitalisation process has begun, the place has become more and more open and has become more frequented by residents, employees, students, and visitors. Because uses are mixed in the area, there is activity 24 hours a day 7 days a week and the area is considered very safe during the day and rather safe after dark.

Contaminated soils

A large part of the area was contaminated with oils and heavy metals due to shipbuilding activities in Norra lvstranden up until the 1970s. The developer as the landowner had to pay for clean-up of contaminated areas. Because the developer company had to finance everything on the private mar-


ket, they had to decontaminate each lot as needed prior to building rather than conducting a one-time clean-up operation. At this point, there is no more seepage of contaminated material into soils, groundwater or sediments and most contaminated sediments have been dredged and replaced with clean ones.

Lessons learned Value of Best Practice Examples

In the first several decades following the collapse of the ship-building industry, the revitalisation pro-gress was rather sluggish. It was unclear which strategy should be followed and how to redevelop the site. In the early stages, promoters were also lacking a vision for the process. Only a decade after first considering to revitalise the site, did ideas for redevelopment become more concrete and a vision was developed in the early 90s.

Important to note is that NUAB did look at a number of other revitalisation examples in Europe in order to learn from their experiences. However, it was very clear to the developer that even though they could learn from others, they had to develop their own vision, their own ideas and develop them within the framework of Gothenburg and the entire region. They clearly understood the value in ob-serving other processes and assessing what has and has not worked in those examples, but they also knew that they could not simply copy what was done elsewhere and instead adjust it to local circumstances.

Cooperation

Everyone interviewed in this project mentioned the importance of good cooperation in the entire re-gion in order to successfully develop a project of this magnitude. Not only is it essential that NUAB cooperate well with investors, architects etc. and the municipality of Gothenburg on e.g. land use and traffic planning, it is also crucial that the region of Gothenburg collaborates with actors at the local level. To that end, Gothenburg and its neighbours have formed a voluntary, informal political coop-eration that consists of 13 municipalities with the objective to reach consensus more quickly on is-sues related to waste management, education, or training.

Business Region Gothenburg (BRG) also plays an important role in the City of Gothenburg. Their main task is to promote economic growth in the region. In the past, Gothenburg has mainly focused on 3 industrial branches; ship-building, harbour activities, and the automotive industry. BRG was founded in 1977, at a time, when the local economy had suffered enormously due to their heavy dependency on the ship-building industry, which had gone bankrupt. The organisation set out to help Gothenburg diversify its economy and stand on 12 legs rather than just a few to become more ro-bust during economic downturns. Some of the branches BRG is promoting include the IT sector whose centre is being developed in Norra lvstranden, biotechnology, finance, the automotive sec-tor, chemistry, the wood industry etc.

Setting of priorities

In a project of this magnitude, promoters consider it essential to first set priorities as to which com-ponents of a project should first be executed. Concurrently, resource availability has to be checked and decisions made based on level of priority and resource availability. Project managers should always be proactive and focus on what needs to be done rather than what should be avoided.

Adaptation to circumstances

One of the important lessons learned include that plans cannot always be executed as originally intended. During a period where office space is in oversupply, building more office space would be counterproductive. In situations such as that one, project promoters need to adapt to what the overall

13

needs for the region are and assess the market situation rather than focusing solely on their project. In part, NUAB is forced to follow this path because the company operates without public subsidies and therefore has to examine and adapt to market needs to a certain extent. A greater openness toward changing plans also implies that overall project length may have to be extended and dead-lines might not be strictly adhered to.

Extending the length of a project can also have a number of advantages. On the one hand, economic and or social priorities in a city or a region tend to change more in the span of a few decades than they do in 5-10 years. NUAB can thus take advantage of niches that might open up over time that they otherwise, had the project been implemented in less than a decade might not have recognised as opportunities. A long-term process might thus result in a more sustainable outcome. On the other hand, crises such as the real estate and financial crisis in the 80s, the banking and employment cri-sis in the 90s, and the IT crisis in the early years of the 21st century can be buffered much better in a planning environment that promotes adaptation and flexibility rather than strict adherence to plans. Adjusting priorities according to the citys needs can just be an advantage and also result in e.g. a number of different architectural styles for apartment or office buildings and possibly remain ac-cepted and pleasing for the longer term.

Housing prices

NUAB does not receive any public subsidies for building apartments or any other buildings as pre-viously mentioned. The firm aims at creating an environment where quality of life is high; building and environmental standards are strict and require high investments on the part of builders. Additionally, some of the apartment buildings were built on prime real estate right along the waterfront with open views toward the other side of the river and the ocean. NUAB also had to pay for infrastructure on the site. For these reasons, prices of newly built apartments tend to be above average in Norra lvstranden. Although some housing is within reach for medium income individuals and families, NUAB has been criticised for not building affordable housing which would have allowed people with more diverse income ranges to live in the area. Although a valid criticism, it might be very difficult under the above described circumstances to build truly affordable housing.

Figure 6: The Dieder Sequence, public art in Lindholmen Source: Gothenburg City Planning Authority et al., 2000

High quality environment attracts high quality firms

Project promoters wanted to create a pleasing, human-scale, walkable part of town with neighbour-hood character because they believed that it would attract major firms that would in turn attract many smaller firms and help diversify the area. They also hoped that competence attracts competence.


Thus far, the mixed use concept has been rather successful and a variety of large firms such as Volvo and Ericsson have already moved in and others will soon follow suit. Some also believe that Volvo was central to the success of the site and acted as the crystallisation core of the new devel-opment. Creating an IT-cluster and the Lindholmen Science Centre have also attracted different firms and educational institutions.

Conclusions The revitalisation process in Norra lvstranden has been on-going for several decades now and will likely last at least another two decades. Throughout that time, crises such as the financial and real estate crisis in the 80s, the banking and employment crisis in the 90s and the IT crisis at the begin-ning of the millennium have challenged planners and all actors involved to remain flexible and adapt to circumstances continuously, while simultaneously taking advantage of opportunities on the market as they occur.

A single developer firm under different ownership and a number of different names has been in charge of the revitalisation process almost since the very beginning. Although the developer had a mandate to regenerate the area, it could not do that single-handedly but instead closely and suc-cessfully collaborated with the State, the municipality and many other actors throughout the process.

Even though the redevelopment process is still on-going, the new direction for Norra lvstranden is clearly visible. The area has developed into an attractive, multi-functional, popular environment vis-ited by residents of Gothenburg and visitors alike. Major lessons learned include the importance of having a clear vision, setting priorities throughout the process, creating a high quality environment that attracts industry and commerce, and mixing uses to establish a multi-functional, diverse envi-ronment. Also notable are the numerous traffic and transport measures already implemented or in pilot-phase which increase awareness among companies, employees, students and residents alike that public transport is crucial in a functioning city neighbourhood.

In a large and long-term collaborative process, Gothenburg has managed to turn a former industrial zone into a neighbourhood, where industry and residences can co-exist just as well as offices, schools, universities and commercial activities. About one third of the area has been developed, the rest will follow in the next few decades. It is likely that development in the area continues to be suc-cessful and that it will provide a major economic boost for the entire region.

Please also refer to Part II 2 A for more specific data on the city and the site and a description of policies and measures relevant for each site.

15

Bibliography

Interview partners

Hans Ander, March 2003 Project Leader, City Planning Authority, City of Gothenburg Maria Derner, March 2003 BRG Business Region Gothenburg AB Johan Ekman, March 2003 Project Leader, Norra lvstranden Utveckling AB Kjell-Ove Eskilsson, March 2003 Director, City Planning Authority, City of Gothenburg Ulrike Firniss, March 2003 BRG Business Region Gothenburg AB P-G Persson, March 2003 Aktiviteten AB and Researcher

Literature

Gothenburg City Planning Authority et al., 2001 Norra lvstranden The Process, City of Gothenburg, pp. 45 Gothenburg City Planning Authority, 2001 Norra lvstranden Planning Conditions Utilisation of Land, City of Gothenburg, pp. 42 Lundby Mobility Centre, 2002 Vision Lundby 2002, Brochure, Gothenburg, Sweden Gothenburg City Planning Authority et al., 2000 Norra lvstranden The Guide, City of Gothenburg, pp. 38. http://www.alvstranden.com/html/fsnyhe.html

http://brg.iweb.nu/default.asp

http://www.goteborg.se/

http://www.miljo.goteborg.se/luftnet/vader/7Dygn/ppframe.htm

17

1 B Parque das Naes, Lisbon, Portugal

Setting The area lies in the eastern part of the City of Lisbon. The Trancao River is bordering it to the north, the Tagus (Tejo) estuary to the east and the Northern Railway lines to the west. It covers an area of 330 hectares and 5 km waterfront along the River Tagus. 75 hectares were devoted to the Expo and a plan for the entire urban area was created that integrated the Expo area into the 330 ha site, 110 ha of which were devoted to green space. The area can now be accessed via the Ponte Vasco da Gama, a newly built bridge for the Expo event, construction of a highway going north, railroad tracks, and the Metro line directly from the centre of Lisbon to the site.

Figure 7: Map of Lisbon Source: Internet

History of the site Prior to redevelopment, the site was in a very derelict state not accessible and not interesting to peo-ple from Lisbon. It was only used by workers from Lisbon and known as an old and contaminated industrial site. Formerly, the site was occupied by a refinery with dozens of oil tanks and large areas covered by petrochemical activities. In addition, the slaughterhouse of Lisbon and military barracks along with a depot for explosives, and boat repair areas occupied the area; in short, the entire area was in industrial use. At the time the industries were built little to no measures to protect the envi-ronment were implemented. The urban area surrounding the site (mainly low-cost social housing) had grown substantially in the last several decades and has enveloped this former derelict industrial site.

Parque das Naes in Lisbon, Portugal was conceived in 1989. It was hoped that the site would be transformed into a place that can be used by people from all over the world and certainly also the Lisboans. The theme for the Expo should be the oceans and the event should also commemorate Vasco da Gamas voyage to India in the 15th century. The Expo candidature was submitted in 1989 and planning for the Expo areas began in 1992. The city also wanted certain projects such as a multi-purpose pavilion, and new exhibition halls built somewhere in Lisbon and this redevelopment created the opportunity to do just that. However, planning did not just include the Expo event that would take place in 1998. Instead, the area should be transformed into a large urban renewal project that would encompass the entire site and have a mix of uses such as residential, commercial, cul-tural, sports, and leisure activities. The second planning phase should be concluded in 2009. Parque Expo was a strong promoter of this dual approach in part due to lessons learned from other interna-tional events such as the Expo in Sevilla, Spain in 1992, and the Olympics in Barcelona in the same year. Particularly in Sevilla, plans for using the site after the event focused on high-tech industries


and the place is suffering now for lack of a diverse industry as a result of economic changes. Barce-lona, on the other hand, was more successful in creating a mix of uses after the Olympics event.

Figure 8: Industrial tanks on site prior to redevelopment Source: Farinha, 1998

Promoters of the Expo and potential developers of the site were aware that redevelopment would be extremely difficult without a major event such as the Expo. Political buy-in was achieved through this event and it was easier to find investors with a strong interest in the site. Needed infrastructure de-velopments such as the construction of the new bridge and the Metro line further contributed to mak-ing it more attractive to investors.

Parque Expo SA, the development company in charge of redeveloping the expo site was created in 1993 as a public company with a board of directors whose share capital is wholly owned by the State in order to design, execute, construct and operate the Expo 1998 and be responsible for fully devel-oping the site till 2009. In addition to share capital, all land previously administered by the state was transferred to Parque Expo SA.

They were also given the opportunity by government to operate within a special legal framework for the urban regeneration of the area that enabled them to make decisions much more quickly due to special legal powers that were valid through 1999. Both municipalities and five different ministries approved of this special legislation. Parque Expo SA over time increased its large and small share holdings in other companies. That way, they created the Grupo Parque EXPO which formed a num-ber of different subsidiaries. Aside from Parque Expo and the cities, other major players in the urban regeneration of the old industrial site were the State of Portugal, the European Union, investors, de-velopers, architects, designers, and consultants.

Revitalisation plans and status The Expo site was planned and constructed in two phases, the first phase lasted between 1993 and 1998, which proved to be an extremely tight schedule for such an ambitious program and the second will last through 2009. Even though the two phases were treated separately and were methodologi-cally distinct, they were closely interlinked. In the first phase, the firm was responsible for laying the groundwork for the entire site and developed an urban design and land regeneration concept and implemented a number of infrastructure projects. Parque Expo was also in charge of designing and constructing the exposition contents and handled management and organisation of the Expo 98.

19

A master plan was made that divided the site into 6 sectors and 6 architects were chosen to draw up detailed plans for each sector. The different plans were completed step by step beginning with the zone around the Oriente Station, business district and some residential areas. Even though a master plan existed, there had to be room for new ideas that would emerge during the development process. As a result, a careful balance had to be found between the master plan and the right measure of flexibility and adaptability.

The first and primary responsibility of Parque Expo was to construct the Expo 98 site. Initially, all existing buildings had to be demolished and the soil had to be decontaminated and removed. Once the site was cleared, construction could begin. Parque Expo engaged famous architects to create several major landmark buildings that would also attract other users. Between 1994 and 1998, build-ings such as the Oriente Station, the Vasco da Gama shopping centre, the Atlantic Pavillion, a multi-purpose indoor arena, the Oceanarium (architect Peter Chermayeff), the Vasco da Gama Tower and exhibition halls for temporary exhibitions in fine arts, architecture, and photography, a new theatre, a science centre, restaurants along with large green areas and public art were constructed.

Figure 9: Rendering of Parque das Naes at full build-out Source: Parque Expo 98, S.A, 1999

Since then, Parque Expo has been responsible for planning the surrounding area while integrating and adapting the former Expo buildings to create a fully functional, mixed use urban area and neighbourhood and has coordinated the construction of numerous apartment complexes, shops, hotels, schools, kindergartens, and a total of 110 ha of green space. The Expo was a big success and provided a major impulse to the real estate market. In addition, the new bridge, direct connec-tions to the highway, and the Oriente Station offered the infrastructure needed to be internationally competitive. The 5 km stretch of waterfront made the site even more attractive to investors, potential residents, and visitors. Mid 2003, only 4% of all plots were left, the rest had already been sold to investors. A number of nationally and internationally acclaimed firms have moved to the site including Sony, Vodafone, Portugal Telecom, SAPEC Imobiliaria S.A, Sabiol, Ford, and Mitsubishi. Parque Expo expects that development of the entire site will be completed in a few years.

A large number of apartment buildings, restaurants, hotels, and shops were also built on the 330 ha site in order to create the mixed use urban area envisioned by Parque Expo. Critics of the housing developments on the site have remarked that apartments are too high-priced for many individuals


and especially for young families with children. Thus, providing housing for a population reflecting a truly diverse age and income structure might not have been achieved to the extent envisioned by some. At this point, approximately 7,000 people live there and 10,000 people work on the site. At completion, there will be 22,000 workers and 25,000 residents. Counting visitors, a total of about 100,000 people will live and work here, and visit the area on any given day.

Management of the revitalisation process Parque Expo

The City of Lisbon declared its intention to revitalise the derelict area in the eastern part of Lisbon at the end of the 1980s. When the State and the City of Lisbon learned that their candidature for the Expo was successful, the State created Parque Expo SA, the firm that would act as developer and manage the planning and construction process on the entire site (see also History of the Site). Par-que Expo collaborated with the municipalities of Lisbon and Loures since the site was in both juris-dictions. Even though Parque Expo was given special powers to manage planning of the site, it con-sidered working with the cities as essential because the firm intended to hand management of the site over to the cities once construction was completed. Furthermore, close coordination was neces-sary because one of the Metro lines was extended all the way to the Expo site and ended at the Ori-ente Station, the portal to the Expo site.

Initially, the intention was that Parque Expo would exist as long as the site was under development but no later than 2009. Due to their success and their newly built expertise in urban renewal such as creating the Expo Park and the urban area surrounding it, they have also begun to apply their skills in managing similar revitalisation processes in Portugal and in other countries. In addition, it is still unclear whether the municipalities of Lisbon and Loures will really take over site management. Therefore, Parque Expo might continue to fulfil that role in the future as well. Both the City of Lisbon and Parque Expo are convinced that the site will continue to thrive in the future regardless of who will manage the site.

As a firm, Parque Expo has evolved over time and the number of employees has fluctuated and ranged from around 800 before the Expo to 6,000 during the Expo and was reduced to around 300 in 2003. Today, the firm focuses on urban and environmental renewal projects in Portugal and world-wide. Recently, Parque Expo was reorganised and some businesses no longer exist (e.g. culture and leisure, multimedia).

Figure 10: Vasco da Gama Tower Source: Lisboa em Mapas

21

Financing

Parque Expo received State and EU funding and assumed all costs associated with project design, construction, installation of infrastructure, and management and operation of the Expo. Loan con-tracts were guaranteed by the State and revenues generated by the sale of developed land and the operation of the Expo were used for further development of the site.

In addition to share capital, all land previously administered by the state was transferred to Parque Expo SA. In total, the State of Portugal provided about 500 million Euros to Parque Expo, whereas the European Union contributed 200 million Euros mainly to finance needed infrastructure and soil decontamination. No financial support came from the City of Lisbon. About 65% of the funding came from private sources. Overall, not including the bridge and the new metro, investment costs were 2 billion Euros.

The State of Portugal provided its financial contribution to Parque Expo only very late in the planning and construction process which was a major challenge for Parque Expo. As a result, Parque Expo needed to obtain very large loans with high interest rates to finance construction of the Expo. Those loans had to be paid back throughout the development process. Because the company had to fi-nance buildings via the private market, it depended on being able to sell soon after completion. The money earned could then be reinvested in constructing more buildings and part of it had to be used to pay back the loans.

Time-frame

Planning for the project began in 1993 and the Expo site had to be completed prior to the beginning of the Expo event in 1998. As of May 2003, the site is still in the process of development.

Figure 11: Atlantic Pavillion Source: Blau, Lda., ed., 1998

Strategies and objectives

In order to finish within this very ambitious time-frame, several adaptations to regular planning pro-cedures had to be implemented. On the one hand, Parque Expo was given a special legal framework and special legal powers by the State in order to speed up decision-making processes and move forward in constructing the site more quickly. On the other hand, Parque Expo did not have to con-duct an environmental impact assessment (EIA) which is standard planning procedure for large pro-jects such as this one. Instead, the ministries allowed the company to conduct independent environ-mental assessments and studies to fulfil the EIA requirement. Even though the same stringent envi-ronmental standards had to be achieved, this approach enabled Parque Expo to complete all studies much more quickly than would have been possible within the EIA framework.


Major objectives followed included the following:

- Improve a formerly derelict area and make it accessible to a diverse set of users through a vari-ety of infrastructure improvements and create economic opportunity, jobs, attractive housing, a range of leisure activities, and a site of high environment quality. (expo 98)

- Apply adaptability as a core concept in the project. Buildings designed for the Expo should later be adaptable to other uses (past, present, future)

- Future users of the site should benefit from mixed uses where the site is used 24 hours a day unlike e.g. an office park or a bedroom community. Uses range from office, commercial, indus-trial, residential, cultural, sports, leisure to schools and hospitals etc.

- Make the large waterfront area (5km) and the green space accessible and enhance the geo-graphical uniqueness of the area to the people of Lisbon, the region, and to visitors. (expo 98)

Figure 12: Public Art at Parque das Naes Source: Parque Expo S.A, 1999

Aspects of sustainability The realisation of this project is unusual in a number of ways. A wide variety of e.g. environmental measures were implemented, some of which were introduced above and beyond legal requirements. The overall strategy Parque Expo followed was to make best possible use of the site, existing mate-rials and assets, and the riverfront. Therefore, most of the waterfront was zoned for housing and green space. Moreover, Parque Expo created a large network of footpaths and emphasised public transportation over the use of private vehicles.

Recycling

The firm placed high emphasis on recycling materials during the demolition phase. The list of recy-cled materials is long and includes the following: about 110,000 tonnes of debris was incorporated into sanitation and soil improvement work; 35,000 tonnes of steel were removed and transported for recycling and 1.1 million tonnes of demolished concrete were used for construction. Other materials such as rusted items were taken off site and recycled appropriately.

23

Contaminated soils

The refinery once situated on the site left a legacy of contaminated soil. During site demolition, engi-neers discovered that the first 2 meters of soil had to be removed in the most contaminated areas because a layer of clay presented a barrier to further seepage into groundwater and deeper soil lay-ers. In total, 250.000 m3 of soil had to be removed and were placed in confined cells into the landfill on site so that contamination could not leach out.

Innovative infrastructure

A rather unusual element featured on this site is the so called technical gallery, a 6 km long tunnel situated 80 cm below ground. That passageway houses pipelines for drinking and irrigation water, gas supply, electricity lines and state of the art communication lines (fibreoptic cables), air condition-ing and hot water as well as the automatic solid waste collection system. Access is provided through access points about every 100 meters. The tunnel has a number of advantages over conventional approaches: Repairs that need to take place can be carried out in the tunnel and do not hinder above ground activities; above-ground wires do not obfuscate views or present a public danger and lastly, more open space is available because utilities were placed below ground.

Solid waste is handled by the automatic solid waste collection system which is completely automated and controlled by a central computer. It consists of chutes which carry different types of waste (or-ganic, non-organic, paper, glass, etc.) accessible by people in every building on the site. The waste is carried to a central depot, compacted and transported to its final destination. All buildings on the site are obliged to participate in the system.

Parque Expo also aimed at constructing energy-efficient buildings by using both appropriate materi-als and by installing a central heat and cooling distribution system. The pipes carry two channels of water previously heated and cooled in a Cogeneration Station which will simultaneously produce electricity, heat and cold. The water heats the buildings and supplies them with fresh hot water. As a result, energy savings can be realised because similar efficiency and infrastructure standards apply to all buildings.

Comprehensive monitoring plan

Monitoring continues to take place on the site to ensure that all standards are met. A comprehensive monitoring report is issued regularly reporting on groundwater and surface water quality, sediment contamination, noise levels, meteorological data, and air quality. In addition, data on vegetation communities on different points across the site is analysed.

Safety on site

Revitalisation of the site has not only improved the area physically, but has also enhanced safety on the site. Mixed uses such as housing above restaurants and shops, offices above shops, in short commercial uses mixed in with residential alongside opportunities for cultural, sports and other lei-sure activities provide for a 24 hours a day 7 days a week use of the site which makes an area safer for everyone to engage in activities. In addition, a major portion of the site is pedestrian friendly or for pedestrians only which creates a safer site in particular for children.

Public transport

Parque Expo emphasised the importance of public transport to the site. A large multi-modal station serves as a portal to the area. A direct metro line was built from the city centre to the site along with bus and taxi service from the city and surrounding areas. Goods are transported by rail.


Lessons learned Pitfalls

In reading through this description, it might appear to the reader that the revitalisation process from the conceptual to the implementation stages has run smoothly and without any perturbations. It is important to note, however, that there were many potential pitfalls along the way. Only because of a number of crucial factors present in this particular process was it possible to conduct the revitalisa-tion successfully.

Factors identified include the following

- Publicly owned developer company who can act independently essential to process.

- Parque Expo had to work under extreme time pressure because the entire site needed to be presentable and ready for the Expo 98. The environmental assessment had to be streamlined and the company was given special legal powers to execute the plan most efficiently. Without such provisions, an ability to adjust to new circumstances as they arise, and a recognition that lessons learned during the process need to be applied, redevelopment would not have been as successful.

- A clear concept and vision that guided the process throughout its duration.

- Clear financial concept

- Developers ability to finance the project even though some public subsidies arrived years after projects were implemented.

Parque Expo

Creating the developer company Parque Expo was essential for a number of reasons. The firm was able to streamline planning applications and conduct environmental assessments without having to do an environmental impact statement. Parque Expo also was able to make fast-track decisions be-cause it only had to deal with its board consisting of members from the municipality of Lisbon and the State of Portugal rather than a large number of different stakeholders who all want to participate in decision-making and push their own agendas.

Attract major firms

According to Parque Expo officials, it was crucial to attract large, well-known companies such as IBM or Vodafone at the very beginning which signalled to everyone on the market that this was an impor-tant, strategically located site to move to. Without that, it would have been more challenging to attract small and medium size businesses to the site.

Mixed Use

Even though it was intended from the very beginning, the concept of mixed use and its implementa-tion demonstrates the success of integrating different uses on a site. Urban areas whose form re-sembles that of cities in medieval times often have integrated different uses and functions. In addi-tion, most residents were able to obtain all necessities on foot. In the 21st century, there appears to be a renaissance of the mixed use concept at least in some western European cities where attempts are made to create pedestrian-friendly neighbourhoods and towns with a variety of public transport opportunities and a mix of uses.

25

Figure 13: Oceanarium Source: Blau, Lda., ed., 1998

Importance of shopping malls

The Vasco da Gama shopping centre, which serves as a portal to the entire site has acted as a magnet for the Expo area during and after the Expo event. A very heterogeneous group of people visit the shopping centre which boasts long opening hours, restaurants and cafes, cinemas along with a large number of different shops. Some of them, according to Parque Expo officials certainly combine a trip to the mall with a visit of the aquarium, one of the many restaurants on the site or simply a stroll along the waterfront. Thus, the shopping centre draws many to the site who then dis-cover other assets the site offers.

Financial issues

A major issue affecting the liquidity of Parque Expo and their ability to move quickly in a competitive market was the fact that some of the funding from the State of Portugal was given to the firm only in 1999 after the Expo had already taken place and a lot of the site had been developed. The late arri-val of public funding forced Parque Expo to take out expensive loans which had to be paid back and continue to be paid back. The firm would have been debt-free a lot sooner and possibly could have made better deals along the way, had they had the budget required at an earlier date.

Housing

After the Expo event was concluded, the city needed new housing and supported the construction of new apartment buildings on the Parque Expo area. Many people have chosen to move to the site because of its attractive location along the waterfront, the safety situation, and large amounts of qual-ity green space and areas for recreational opportunities. But a few years ago, the city started a pro-gram aiming at revitalising the city centre and refurbishing many of the old buildings in the city. The two strategies work counter to one another, although the City of Lisboa thinks that there will be a large enough need for more housing to accommodate more people because the citys long-term strategy is to have a population close to 1 million, the figure from a few decades ago. Now the popu-lation is around 560,000.


Conclusions The success in revitalising this formerly derelict, heavily contaminated area shows how quickly an area can be turned around and become vibrant, popular, diverse, interesting, and beautiful for a vari-ety of different users. Parque Expo carried the primary responsibility in the task of regenerating the area and was able to complete the task so quickly for a number of reasons. The Expo event was a major factor in the success of the entire project because resources were pooled and focused on this one event, additional infrastructure was built which in turn attracted the attention of investors and firms. The developer also emphasised the need to think about how to use the site beyond the Expo and developed a flexible, adaptable, mixed use concept that could be built for the long term. About one third of the financing was public, the rest had to be financed privately. In addition, many of the planning applications could be fast-tracked which also helped in completing construction of the site more quickly.

The site is also unusual because of the large number of sustainable measures implemented such as the technical gallery, recycling of construction materials, and a comprehensive monitoring plan. The long list of lessons learned also demonstrates the value in sharing experiences made in large, com-plex revitalisation processes with others involved in similar processes.

Please also refer to Part II 2 B for more specific data on the city and the site and a description of policies and measures relevant for each site.

27

Bibliography

Interview partners

Joo Amorim, May 2003 Relaes Pblicas e Protocolo/Public Relations & Protocol Gabinete do Porta-Voz e Comunicao Institucional, Parque Expo98, S.A. Luis Viana Baptista, May 2003 Director Planeamento e Projectos Urbanos Parque Expo98, S.A. Luis Cachada, May 2003 Infrastructure Specialist, Director Coordenador Requalificacao Ambiental, Parque Expo98, S.A. Jorge Carvalho Mourao, May 2003 Camera municipal de Lisboa, DPE - Departamento de Planeamento Estratgico Luis Miguel Rodrigues, May 2003 Environmental Specialist, Ambiente, Unidade de Gestao Urbana, Parque Expo98, S.A. Joo Paulo Velez, May 2003 Spokesman for the Board Gabinete do Porta-Voz e Comunicao Institucional, Parque Expo98, S.A.

Literature

Blau, Lda., ed., 1998 Lisbon Expo 98 Exposio mundial de Lisboa, Arquitectura, Lisboa, Portugal, pp. 215 Farinha, O., 1998 Memria da interveno, Lisboa, pp. 86 Lisboa Camara Muncipal, Urbanismo, Centro de informao urbana de Lisboa, 2001 Lisboa Conhecer Pensar Fazer Cidade, Lisboa, pp. 119 Parque Expo 98, S.A, ed., 1999 Exposio Mundial de Lisboa de 1998, pp. 375 PARQUE EXPO 98 S.A., Requalificao Urbana e Ambiental (Environmental and Urban Renewal), 2002 Lisboa em Mapas, 2002 CD containing data on the City of Lisbon http://www.cm-lisboa.pt/

http://www.parqueexpo.pt/

29

1 C Am Borsigturm, Berlin, Germany

Setting The 15ha site Am Borsigturm lies in the North-western part of Berlin/Germany in the district Re-inickendorf. The site can easily be reached via highway, railway, and the metro. Industrial production has taken place on this site since the 1830s. The history of the site is strongly connected with the famous entrepreneur-family Borsig, who has produced locomotives on this site and who has given the site its current name Am Borsigturm. The revitalisation process started in 1992 and is nearly completed in 2003.

History of the site Am Borsigturm is one of the oldest industrial areas in Germany. Industrial production on this site can be traced back to the 1830s when the entrepreneur Anton Egells moved his factory from the city centre to the outskirts in the neighbourhood of Tegeler Lake. The most formative company for the site was the Borsig company, which gave the site its name. The company of August Borsig was founded in 1837, the first factory in Tegel was built in 1898 and became a symbol for economic growth. More than 14,000 locomotives were produced in the Borsig factory. In 1924 the first high-rise-building of Berlin the Borsigturm was built (height: 58m).

The production of locomotives (by Borsig) in Tegel stopped in 1930 for economic reasons, but indus-trial production on the site continued until today.

Because of its steady growth, the site was owned by many different companies. As a consequence of industrial change, the economic situation of many producing companies deteriorated. Some moved their production to cheaper countries, others went bankrupt. They left contaminated old-industrial areas that were not very attractive for new companies.

Revitalisation plans and status/Management of the revitalisation process Situation before revitalisation

Before revitalisation, the site was a derelict industrial site surrounded by residential and other indus-trial areas (W: HerlitzAG, SW: Babcock-Borsig, S: abandoned factory halls of the steel factory and some SMEs). Some buildings were classified as cultural heritage, some were in a very derelict state.


Figure 14: Site after the 1st World war Source: Borsig zwischen Tradition und Aufbruch

Figure 15: Site in 1992 Source: Borsig zwischen Tradition und Aufbruch

Since the beginning of the 1990s very rapid structural change has taken place: Aside from the com-mon trend of de-industrialisation and migration of companies and residents from the city centre to suburban regions, Berlin had to cope with particular challenges. Before the fall of the Berlin wall, (West-) Berlin had an exceptional position as an island in the middle of the GDR (German Democ-ratic Republic). Therefore, the industry in Berlin enjoyed the privilege to be protected under special conditions and received subsidies for the western part of the city. After the fall of the Berlin wall, structural changes happened very fast. In the span of a few years, industry had to adapt to com-pletely new market conditions. Similar processes also took place in other western European cities, which often lasted several decades. On the other hand, the decision that Berlin would become capi-tal of reunited Germany turned Berlin into a very attractive market for investments. Developer com-panies were very interested in the sites expecting a booming market and a lucrative deal.

In 1992, Herlitz AG, producer of office equipment and stationery on the site bought a large area Am Borsigturm from Thyssen Stahl AG. In order to develop the area, Herlitz founded the developer company Herlitz Falkenhh AG as a subsidiary (today RSE Projektmanagement AG subsidiary of the RSE Grundbesitz und Beteiligungs AG). That marked the starting point for revitalising the site Am Borsigturm.

31

Administrative framework

In November 1992, an initiative of the Senate of Berlin was passed which should protect and main-tain industrial sites within city borders (Industrieflchensicherungskonzept, short: ISK). The Borsig area was selected by the Senate to be included in the instrument. One provision of the concept was that selected areas were zoned for industrial use only. The aim of the instrument was to prevent suburbanisation of industry, to transform Berlin into a modern, economically attractive location, and to maintain prices for industrial land at acceptable levels. The measure was very effective resulting in stable prices for industrial land, but restrained developers who need and want to operate on a free market. Large investors from the industrial sector failed to appear, which meant that the objectives of the instrument needed to be reconsidered. Studies were conducted which showed the importance of spatial proximity between pre-supplier, industrial companies and services. For successful economic development, networking between industry and services becomes more and more important, whereas the classic separation between industry and services no longer makes sense because boundaries between the sectors are disappearing. As a result, the city administration revised the concept in 1999 and also allowed production-oriented services, not just industrial use.

The revitalisation process

The developer RSE Projektmanagement AG was in charge of the entire revitalisation process. The process was initiated by Herlitz Falkenhh AG, a subsidiary of the Herlitz AG (producer of office equipment and stationery on the site). In 1999, Herlitz Falkenhh AG was taken over by RSE Pro-jektmanagment AG, which is one of the leading German real estate companies. The developer com-pany financed the majority of the revitalisation whereas the city and the EU provided only partial fi-nancial support. RSE had full responsibility for the revitalisation; added challenges were their de-pendence on the market on the one hand and on the other hand the recognition that the project needed to be approved by the public administration.

RSE embarked on a strategy to develop the site in intensive co-operation with the City of Berlin, which was essential for a successful implementation of the project. Both parties benefited from the co-operation: the developer was able to obtain approvals from the city and the city was guaranteed that redevelopment of the site fit into the Citys urban concept. The central question for the city was: How does manufacturing change in the city and how should the city react to the economic changes? The close interaction with the developer supported a better understanding of market needs.

In 1993, RSE presented an integrated mixed use concept, which was in line with the citys strategies (maintaining industry in the city, improving living conditions in the district) and with economic changes (decline of the manufacturing industry, growth of light industry and services). This concept contained the basic principals for all further planning. The main idea of the concept was to combine light, environmentally friendly industry and production-oriented services with other uses such as resi-dential, shopping, recreational and leisure to create a truly mixed use site. Am Borsigturm should become the new economic centre of north-western Berlin. Preservation of historic buildings and old structures should also play an important role. The centre or heart of the site became the Borsig-turm, a cultural heritage and landmark of the site. The history of the site was viewed as an asset and therefore as a chance rather than a burden for the revitalisation.

During the revitalisation process, further plans and concepts were developed, demand analyses were conducted, ideas and strategies were revised and adapted. Basic ideas and concepts existed right from the start and were necessary to give the whole process a direction, but the implementation was a process, which lasted more than 10 years and had to be realised step by step, always taking into account new experiences and changed circumstances.


What does the site look like today?

Figure 16: Model of the site Am Borsigturm Source: http://www.am-borsigturm.de/#

The revitalisation process has already lasted for more than 10 years and is approximately 80% com-plete. Following the principles of mixed use, the site was opened to the population and reintegrated into the urban fabric.

At the beginning of 2003, there were approximately 1,000-1,500 employees and 80-100 small and medium size companies on the site; 65,000m2 are occupied (rented), 30,000 are still unoccupied. The developer company already invested 440 Mio Euros which includes decontamination, site prepa-ration for reuse, restoration costs, infrastructure and construction costs.

Different types of uses can now be found on the former industrial site:

- Residential use (see model, nr. 5): 206 flats were built, including a day care centre, and senior- and handicapped-friendly flats

- Offices: In 1999, the first phase of construction of the office park (see model, nr. 9) was finished. Three 6-story office buildings and one hotel with 105 rooms (nr. 7) have already been constructed. The Borsigturm (nr. 8) is located in the middle of the site, and has housed the developer com-pany since 1995. Additionally, the building provides office space for service-suppliers. For the successful restoration of the Borsigturm, the building was honoured with the "Bauherrenpreis" in 1996, a special award for excellent refurbishment of old buildings. Another office building lies directly on Berliner Strae (nr. 1). The upper storeys accommodate offices, in particular for users of large joint areas. The two lower storeys of the building are oc-cupied by retail in the "Hallen Am Borsigturm".

- Trade and innovation park (nr. 4): 1998 the technology centre for new industries was opened. The third construction phase was completed in 2001. The trade and innovation park includes the incubation centre Phnix. Thematic focus of the in-cubation centre lies in the field of traffic engineering technologies. The building offers rooms suitable for small manufacturing companies as well as offices. The incubation centre was pub-licly funded to improve the economy at a regional level.

33

- Shopping centre: The shopping centre (nr. 2) (architect: Claude Vasconi) was opened in 1999 and was fully oc-cupied before opening. It contains 120 shops, international restaurants, and services. The Hal-len am Borsigturm received the real estate award 2000 and the Certificate of Merit of the in-ternational Council of Shopping Centres.

- Office and health centre (nr. 6): This building formerly housed Borsig headquarters and was preserved as a cultural heritage building with new uses. One part of the building was rebuilt to become a health centre, which houses different physicians.

- Parking: The indoor parking garage (nr. 3) provides 1,600 parking spaces.

- Motorola: Motorola (nr. 10) was attracted to the site, but bought the land it occupies due to a special deal with the city the city paid for the decontamination and commissioned a major order).

Aspects of sustainability Improvement of the ecological situation:

- Clean up of contaminated site

- Compliance with environmental requirements: Impervious surfaces had to be removed from 20% of the site additional tree plantations took place and court yards were constructed. Only 50% of rainwater can be discharged into the pub-lic waste water system, the rest has to be infiltrated therefore infiltration ditches had to be built. Builders had to comply with emission requirements throughout the construction phase.

Through improving the ecological situation, the site increased in value and was opened for new uses. The site was no longer restricted to only industrial use, but developed into a mixed use area. Thereby, integration into the urban fabric was markedly improved. The site is now accessible to all residents and improved the quality of the whole district.

Although the revitalisation affected a radical restructuring and modernisation of the site, historical features were kept alive. Monuments were restored and maintained as land marks (e.g. the Borsig-turm). This facilitated building a sense of identity among residents for the new site.

Lessons learned Pitfalls

After the fall of the Berlin wall, Berlin had to cope with rapidly changing economic conditions. It was a big challenge to adapt to completely new market conditions in the span of a few years. High expec-tations were present on the real estate market and at first the City of Berlin reacted with restrictions and regulations to the new situation. But soon Berlin had to realise that it made no sense to con-serve prior conditions and adapted its strategies and plans to the changes. This was a necessary step to enable modernisation of the urban economic structure.


The revitalised 14 ha site Am Borsigturm offers high quality living and working conditions and im-proves the value of the whole district. RSE was able to establish such harmonised structures, be-cause the company owned the whole area and had a holistic concept for the site. Transforming large, old industrial sites to modern, vital living and working places, needs a vision, a concept and ownership of the site.

Balance between public and private interests

Many different stakeholders are directly or indirectly affected by and involved in a revitalisation proc-ess when it takes place in the middle of an urban area. Often like in this example - the revitalisation is conducted by a developer company who mainly has economic objectives and not social or eco-logical priorities that would be in the interest of the city or neighbouring residents. However, finding a balance between private and public interests is essential for a successful re-integration of an aban-doned site into the urban fabric.

Therefore, close co-operation and contracts between the developer and the city were very important in the successful revitalisation of the site Am Borsigturm.

Co-operation

Key factors

- Willingness of authorities to cooperate with the developer

- Direct communication with representatives of decision-making authority

Formal base for the co-operation between officials and the developer were 2 contracts: one for the housing project (e.g. to include a day-care centre, senior- and handicapped-friendly flats etc.); the second contract was regarding street furniture and infrastructure of the site to improve access. All streets, bicycle lanes, and sidewalks had to be financed by the developer and not by the city. These important infrastructure elements guarantee integration into the existing urban fabric and improve the quality of the whole district.

Environmental regulation

RSE had to comply with environmental regulations and requirements such as providing for at least 20% green areas on the site. The city in turn also had an obligation to fulfil. In 1996, the city adapted the land use designation plan, whereby the Berlin Senates restrictive concept of allowing industrial use only in certain areas was softened.

Site image

In order to improve the sites image, maintenance of historical buildings and design on the entire site were very important issues. To that end, the Senate and the developer company conducted an ur-bandesign competition to obtain the best design solutions. The main buildings were designed by the following architects: Claude Vasconi (shopping centre), Axel Schultes (office park), Walter Rolfes (trade and innovation park). Accepting the history of the site as a brand and not a burden improved quality and acceptance of this new quarter.

35

Figure 17: Before revitalisation Source: Birk and Engel, 2000

Figure 18: After revitalisation Source: Birk and Engel, 2000

Ownership

One of the key issues in any successful revitalisation process is land ownership. In this example, the developer company RSE owns the land, which enables the company to devise a development con-cept for the whole site. Only the Motorola site is owned by Motorola and could not be included in the development plan.

Funding issues in long-term processes

In many cases, revitalisation is a long term process with many ups and downs. For the realisation, a vision and a visionary are needed, people who believe in the projects future success and are willing to move through the cycles of the process. Initial financia

arcsys masurin sourcebook finalreport

Documents