This paper aims to contrast the idea that the future of historic centres in today contemporary cities is to become ‘thematic parks’ oriented to a touristic urban economy. This idea is the epigonic legacy of a banal functionalism, the limits of which were highlighted since the Sixties of the last century by the criticisms against the schematic and poor application – i.e., the abuse – of the zoning town-planning techniques, and a reductive notion of living space. To conceive and set up the contemporary city as a patchwork of thematic parks and highly specialised urban parts will produce the effects of a relevant loss of its real habitability conditions. On the contrary, historic centres can play a meaningful, plural and complex role as ‘urbanity infrastructures’ in the cities of today.

Not Only for Tourists: The Historic Urban Landscape as Infrastructure for Livable Contemporary Cities

BONFANTINI, GIUSEPPE BERTRANDO
2016-01-01

Abstract

This paper aims to contrast the idea that the future of historic centres in today contemporary cities is to become ‘thematic parks’ oriented to a touristic urban economy. This idea is the epigonic legacy of a banal functionalism, the limits of which were highlighted since the Sixties of the last century by the criticisms against the schematic and poor application – i.e., the abuse – of the zoning town-planning techniques, and a reductive notion of living space. To conceive and set up the contemporary city as a patchwork of thematic parks and highly specialised urban parts will produce the effects of a relevant loss of its real habitability conditions. On the contrary, historic centres can play a meaningful, plural and complex role as ‘urbanity infrastructures’ in the cities of today.
2016
historic centres, urban heritage, urban planning principles, urban regeneration, contemporary city, habitability
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11311/997979
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