A public space regeneration strategy, aiming to balance the socio- spatial development and strengthen the identity of the city of

Sofia

PUBLIC SPACE

P1 Graduation presentation by Ana Skachokova mentor :Qu Lei

Context andProblem definition

5Tools

3.Relevance

2. Aim

1. Introduction

andproblem

statement

4.Methodology

Context andProblem definition

Based on documents by Cartographic Research lab University Alabama

Site location

0 2.5 5 10 km

Sofia capital of BulgariaPopulation: 1 232 088 inh.

source: Sofia Municipality

What are the driving forces?

The Global city, without any particular characteristics, through the eyes of a global street artist.

Change of the political regime Globalizing forces

The removal of the symbol of the communist regime - the pentagram, from the seat of the communist governance in the center of Sofia in 1989. source: Bulgarian Telegraph Agency

0 2.5 5 10 km

Suburbia

Compact city (pre 1945)City center

Housing estates

Gated communities Densification SlumsUrban sprawl

International business centers

0 2.5 5 10 km

Suburbia

Compact city (pre 1945)City center

Housing estates

Gated communities Densification SlumsUrban sprawl

International business centers

Parking Void or commerce

Nature

Infrastructure Private Disappearing

Private

1880 1938 1944 1961 2006 20111989?

Ottoman Empire Kingdom Bulgaria

Communist republic of Bulgaria Democratic republic of Bulgaria New masterplan Political change

Globalization

Free market

Urban growth

Privatization

Restricted marketPublic deveopnet only

Absence of private sector

Isolation of the western in�uence

New concepts needed for and integrated city

Intense urban changes as a result to the regime change

Fixed planing policy

Municipal strategy for Sofia 2015

0 2.5 5 10 km

Primary urban centrality

Secondary multy functional centrality

Tertiary multy functional centrality

Area with concntration of public services and centrality elements

Urban centralitiesbased on municipality masterplan for So�a (2007-2015)

Main centrality axis

Secondary centrality axis

Source: by author; based on the strategy 2015 of Sofia municipality

+ =Lack of top -down framework

Development by the private market

Problem definition

Neglect towards the public realm and public space disapearence

Public space transformation

Problem definitionPublic space transformation

#1 Privatization of the public space

source: arhitektura.bg

In socialist housing estates

In the city center

#2 Commercialization of the public space

#2 Commercialisation trends: The new public spaces

Main shopping malls in construction in Bulgaria

Shopping center The Boulevard source: arhitektura.bg

Is the next revolution taking place in a shopping mall?

So�a

Pleven

Blagoevgrad

PlovdivStara Zagora

Ruse

VarnaShumen

SlivenBurgas

Opened in 2010

Open after 2010 ( currently under construction)

Project stage

#3 Broken city structure1930: A public space network connecting important political buildings in the center of Sofia2011: A parking garrage network

For the inhabitants, the changes are perceived mainly in their lifestyle, in the way that they “use” the city: through public space network. We need to invest in the in the “quality of city’s tangible assets” (Friedmann, 2007)- quality of peoples environment in order to achieve a prosperity for the city and ensure a continuity of its iden-tity. We can do this by highlighting its strong spatial characteristics and cultural assets through public space.

Argumentation

How to make a realistic urban project in a context of fragile economic sittuation?

source: www.worldbank.org

AIM

Scheme of the project

public space transformation trends

Context

pubbbbbllllliiiic space

Analyses

Too

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esu

lts

Op

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ities

VISION

Top - down framework :

Bottom up interventions using the cultural assets as a tool:

An integrated city

Improvement of poor/ unattractive areas

city scale Regional scale

Local scale

Strengthening Identity

Aim

Public sector

Planners

General Development Plan/Genplan/

Communist planning process and structure

Post-communist planning process and structure

Private sector

Civilsociety

Public sector

Aim- role of the urban plan

Civil society

Private sectorCivil society

Public sector

Aimed role of Sofia masterplan

Research Questions

How public space and existing cultural assets can be engaged into a spatial strategy to form productive public spaces and activate the neglected social and public urban realm?

Relevance

Relevance

Social relevanceDevelopment in unattractive areas

Open space between in the housing estate

Public space in business center Sofia

0 2.5 5 10 km

Primary urban centrality

Secondary multy functional centrality

Tertiary multy functional centrality

Area with concntration of public services and centrality elements

Urban centralitiesbased on municipality masterplan for So�a (2007-2015)

Main centrality axis

Secondary centrality axis

Two public spaces, two realities, one city

Social relevanceTwo public spaces, two realities, one city

• New meaning of public space for the

inhabitants

• Strengthening Identity and building the image of the city

Academic relevance

Based on documents by Cartographic Research lab University Alabama

In the first stage of the transition of post -socialist cities ‘Urban’ literature uses western urban knowledge in order to restructure the post socialist cities.

Today problems on the agenda of the post socialist cities are similar to western cities. ‘Low cost’ urban revitalization, using the local assets can become a valuable approach for the western cities.

Methodology

Analysis : identification of deprived areas;socio-spatial fragmentation

Municipal strategy for Sofia 2015

Use of cultural assets

Methodology

Analysis : Public space meaning, structure and conditionTR

A

R

A

T

Case study Theory Research (literature; planning documents ) Analyses (mapping; observation; historical)

CS

CS T R A

Theoretical framework

Post -socialsit urban litterature

Revitalization through culture

Opportunities

Criteria

Meaning/ function in the city

Transformation trends in the public space

Good examples

Public space Tool box

Local scalePrivatizationCommercializationShrinking

city scaleFragmentation

Location of the problem in the

context of Sofia

Reserach theme

Aim

Additionalspatial analyse

Design

Site location

Theoretical frameworkCase study

Analyse through theory

Mapping and observa-tion analyse

Tools orLocal potentials

Ulpia Serdica - capital of the Roman (and later Byzantine) province of Dacia. Main characteristics of the area: Diagonal route “Via Militaris” connecting Europe and Asia Thermal sources Fertile soil Establishment of the basilica St. Sofia

0 2.5 5 10 km

XVI- XIX Sofia- capital o the province of Rumelia, Ottoman Empire. After being destroyed a tipical organic ottoman structure replaced the straight Roman urban pattern. However the city center was bult around the exist-ing thermal source and a mosque. The main street were connecting the city entrances with the important international routes Main characteristics of the area: *Remains a cultural crossroad between Asia and Europe *The thermal sources are preserved and used as public spaces *Construction of public buildings and mosques

0 2.5 5 10 km

I -VI

XVI- IXX

Theory:Meaning of the public space

Historical research on the meaning of public space in the Bulgarian context +

Ulpia Serdica - capital of the Roman (and later Byzantine) province of Dacia. Main characteristics of the area: Diagonal route “Via Militaris” connecting Europe and Asia Thermal sources Fertile soil Establishment of the basilica St. Sofia

0 2.5 5 10 km

Ulpia Serdica - capital of the Roman (and later Byzantine) province of Dacia. Main characteristics of the area: Diagonal route “Via Militaris” connecting Europe and Asia Thermal sources Fertile soil Establishment of the basilica St. Sofia

0 2.5 5 10 km

Regional thermal centers with recreation function

Traditional Spa centers

Urban leisure thermal centers

Urban thermal healthcare centers

Local potential # 1 Mineral and thermal springs

Current state of the thermal springs

0 2.5 5 10 km

Local potential # 2 Strategic location

Main international roads and connectivity to Sofia’s ring roadPan - European transport corridors

Pan-European transport corridors

Corridor N 4: Istanbul-DresdenCorridor N 8: Varna- DurresCorridor N 9: Helsinki; St.Petersburg- AlexandroupolisCorridor N 7: Vienna- ConstanzaCorridor N 10: Salzburg- Istanbul

Local potential # 3 Historical heritage

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Areas of protection of the CHHAreas with a speci�c development regulations -Serdica area

qqqqqqqqqqqqq q q q q q q qqq

q Areas with a speci�c development regulations- Boyana church

Areas with importnat CHH

Religion sites

Industrial heritage

UNESCO heritage

Speci�c landscape without a status of heritage

Protected area with speci�c urban structure

Protected area of landscape/park/landmark

Speci�c area, cointaining heritage sites

Cultural and Historical heritage: areas of protection

Gated community

Strategy: ‘productive’ public space

Socialist housing estate

Future centrality

Informal settlement

Thermal springPublic space networkImportant infrastructure

Public space network

Next steps

Oct Nov Dec Jan Febr Mar Apr May Jun Jul

P1 P2 P3 P4 P5

De�ning project Problem statement Theis plan

Literature study Post-socialist urban literature Public space theory Revitalization via culture Toolbox ‘public space’

Analysis Historical Spatial

De�ne location

Case studies Case study ‘ Productive public space’ Case study ‘cultural assets’ Tool box “culture”

Strategy proposition

Design proposition

Evaluation

Oct Nov Dec Jan Febr Mar Apr May Jun Jul

P1 P2 P3 P4 P5

De�ning project Problem statement Theis plan

Literature study Post-socialist urban literature Public space theory Revitalization via culture Toolbox ‘public space’

Analysis Historical Spatial

De�ne location

Case studies Case study ‘ Productive public space’ Case study ‘cultural assets’ Tool box “culture”

Strategy proposition

Design proposition

Evaluation

Oct Nov Dec Jan Febr Mar Apr May Jun Jul

P1 P2 P3 P4 P5

De�ning project Problem statement Theis plan

Literature study Post-socialist urban literature Public space theory Revitalization via culture Toolbox ‘public space’

Analysis Historical Spatial

De�ne location

Case studies Case study ‘ Productive public space’ Case study ‘cultural assets’ Tool box “culture”

Strategy proposition

Design proposition

Evaluation

Oct Nov Dec Jan Febr Mar Apr May Jun Jul

P1 P2 P3 P4 P5

De�ning project Problem statement Theis plan

Literature study Post-socialist urban literature Public space theory Revitalization via culture Toolbox ‘public space’

Analysis Historical Spatial

De�ne location

Case studies Case study ‘ Productive public space’ Case study ‘cultural assets’ Tool box “culture”

Strategy proposition

Design proposition

Evaluation

Oct Nov Dec Jan Febr Mar Apr May Jun Jul

P1 P2 P3 P4 P5

De�ning project Problem statement Theis plan

Literature study Post-socialist urban literature Public space theory Revitalization via culture Toolbox ‘public space’

Analysis Historical Spatial

De�ne location

Case studies Case study ‘ Productive public space’ Case study ‘cultural assets’ Tool box “culture”

Strategy proposition

Design proposition

Evaluation

Questions?