CZ-6 :: Regeneration of urban space and current urban spatial risks

Contemporary cities are facing dynamic changes not only as for their widening to open landscape (see above), but also as for processes, which are occurring within their inner structures (e.g. gentrification, ghettoization, re-urbanisation etc.). While during communism one of effects of feigned egalitarianism was housing in housing estates of majority of population groups, after introduction of market economy in early 1990s inequalities are increasing. This tendency is in urban space expressed by suburbanisation, displacement and increased segregation of poor population within contemporary cities. As specific example shrinking cities might be mentioned as cities, which are significantly losing their population and are also decreasing as for their economy (e.g. cities in industrial regions, mining cities etc.). Pressure of investors causes decreasing of public space in favour of individual private ownership.
Specific research questions (following the conceptual model of INSPIRATION):
Net Impacts:
• Relations of population to public spaces in cities need to be more researched to learn more
Why: How to work with public spaces in times when individualism is one of leading motivations of urban people?
Demand:
• Marketing of cities/urban regions is the topic, which needs more attention. This is mainly case of rather smaller cities.
Why: Cities need to communicate their attractiveness to potential tourists, but also problems to be solved to local population. Such communication flow, which enables participation of local population in public matters, is still quite underestimated.
Land Management:
• Alternative to the suburbanisation could be concept of the compact city, which can be achieved by several methods – by increase of average high of buildings (cities should grow up) or by new building development on the previously develop lands.
Why: The research activities focused on experiences with concept of compact city in the Czech Republic are missing.