Public-space planning in four Nordic cities: Symbolic values in tension

This article takes its point of departure in the assumption that values shape planning practices and that alternatively one can reconstruct such values from the way planning interventions are argued and evaluated. We contend that planners’ discourses involve implicit value commitments that are observable in their representations of public space and implicated in the results of public-space planning. The paper builds an empirical case from representations of public space elaborated in planning documents developed by planners in four medium-sized Nordic cities. We show how these planning representations form four thematic value clusters concerning urban public space, namely leisure-play, identity-unity, power-organization and unruliness-change. Together these clusters constitute a value framework which reveals a number of central tensions relating to the way that planners seek to balance order and spontaneity in public space. The paper concludes by outlining and discussing these values and the tensions they represent.     

Urban renewal in East African port cities: Mombasa's Old Town waterfront

The urban waterfront redevelopment diaspora, formerly confined to advanced countries, is starting to impact upon coastal settlements in former colonial territories. In diverse contexts ranging from postcolonialism and globalization to cultural revival and tourism development, developing countries are seeking to revive their historic port cities. This paper reports on the experience of Mombasa, Kenya, where waterfront redevelopment is a problematic element in the conservation of the historic urban core, and relates local issues to wider policies, relevant literature and experience elsewhere.     

Characteristics of post-socialist urban transformation in East Central Europe

The development of the post-socialist city has already been characterised by substantial restructuring processes. Particular emphasis should be drawn to the take-off of the tertiary sector and the comprehensive blight phenomena in the previously industrial areas. The urban housing sector has witnessed increasing housing affordability problems, a marginalisation of communal housing stock, an increase of segregation and an intensification of the decay in the old housing stock. In all East Central European states the spatial development processes of industry and services within the cities basically show clear parallels to the pattern of urban development in continental Europe. In Hungary housing policy, tenure structure and the level of segregation already show relatively closer similarities to the neoliberal, Anglo–American pattern of development. The other ECE states show closer similarities to the corporatist welfare states of continental Europe. As far as medium-term urban development in East Central Europe is concerned, it is to be assumed that – regardless of the specific path of further development – overall solutions shall not be found for the fundamental problems which are the legacy of the socialist era – the decay of old housing stock, large scale derelict industrial areas and the extent and deficiencies of high-rise housing estates. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Barcelona's planning strategies: from 'Paris of the South' to the 'Capital of West Mediterranean'

Planning strategies in Barcelona are linked to its capital city aspirations. Like other European cities, capitals and non-capitals, Barcelona throughout the course of the 20th century has drawn upon a number of different planning strategies, directed towards reinforcing its prestige at both a national and international level. During this period Barcelona has sought to become Spain's second capital, the cultural capital, the industrial capital, capital of Catalonia, capital of the West Mediterranean, etc. Always in competition with Madrid, the aspirations of capital status ranking have been ambiguous. The dream of the great monumental Barcelona of the start of the century tried to emulate the European capital cities (especially Paris). By contrast more recent strategies emphasise the new role that Barcelona can play within a south-west European macro-region. The subject raised in this paper then is two-fold. On the one hand the continuity or not in the capital aspiration starting from the recuperation of Catalonia's autonomy, with its corresponding urbanistic and architectonic connotations. On the other hand the originality and analogies between strategies carried out in Barcelona, in relation to other European cities, capitals and non-capitals.     

Palaeozoic amalgamation of Central Europe: new results from recent geological and geophysical investigations

Multidisciplinary studies of geotransects across the North European Plain and Southern North Sea, and geological reexamination of the Variscides of the North Bohemian Massif, permit a new 3-D reassessment of the relationships between the principal crustal blocks abutting Baltica along the Trans-European Suture Zone (TESZ). Accretion was in three stages: Cambrian accretion of the Bruno–Silesian, Lysogory and Malopolska terranes; end-Ordovician/early Silurian accretion of Avalonia; and early Carboniferous accretion of the Armorican Terrane Assemblage (ATA). Palaeozoic plume-influenced metabasite geochemistry in the Bohemian Massif explains the progressive rifting away of peri-Gondwanan crustal blocks before their accretion to Baltica. Geophysical data, faunal and provenance information from boreholes, and dated small inliers and cores confirm that Avalonian crust extends beyond the Anglo-Brabant Deformation Belt eastwards to northwest Poland. The location and dip of reflectors along the TESZ and beneath the North European Plain suggest that Avalonian crust overrode the Baltica passive margin, marked by a high-velocity lower crustal layer, on shallowly southwest-dipping thrust planes forming the Heligoland–Pomerania Deformation Belt. The “Variscan orocline” of southwest Poland masks two junctions between the Armorican Terrane Assemblage (ATA) and previously accreted crustal blocks. To the east is a dextrally transpressive contact with the Bruno–Silesian and Malopolska blocks, accreted in the Cambrian, while to the north is a thrust contact with easternmost Avalonia, deeply buried beneath younger sedimentary cover. In the northeast Bohemian and Rhenohercynian Massifs Devonian “early Variscide” deformation dominated by WNW and NW-directed thrusting, records closure of Ordovician–Devonian seaways between detached “islands” of the ATA and Avalonia.     

浅层地震和高密度电法在城市规划调查中的综合应用

探明断层位置、摸清第四系覆盖层厚度是新区规划前期需要解决的地质问题;旨在为新区可持续发展及减少地质灾害提供基础地质资料。利用地震反射波法和高密度电阻率法进行联合测量;采用两种方法的优势综合解释异常特征,优化解释效果,准确反映研究区可能存在的地质问题。表明地震反射波法和高密度电阻率法在调查断层位置和第四系覆盖层厚度方面,是可行有效的。     

四川丹巴白云母矿山公园矿业遗迹资源特征及评价

四川丹巴白云母矿是我国开发最早的白云母矿之一。在悠久的开采历史中遗存下了十分丰富的矿业遗迹,成为该公园建设的基础。这些遗迹典型、稀有,系统完整,科学价值高,组合独特,具有很高的历史文化价值。此外,公园内配套的自然人文景观丰富,旅游区位条件良好,矿业遗迹开发价值巨大。     

Urban tourism and small tourism enterprise development in Johannesburg: The case of township tourism

Urban tourism is a focus of vibrant research in developed countries. In this paper the focus is upon an element of urban tourism in a developing world city, viz., Johannesburg. Specific attention centers on an analysis of the role of small enterprise development in urban tourism. The major issues surrounding the development of small tourism businesses in two of Johannesburg's former black townships, namely Soweto and Alexandra, which are emerging as centers for so-termed ‘township tourism’ in South Africa, are investigated. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Brussels: Five capitals in search of a place. The citizens, the planners and the functions

The paper describes the different capital city functions that are accomodated in Brussels. There are in fact five different capitals in Brussels in search of a place. Their locations are conditioned by Brussels' eventful history. The analysis subsequently focuses on the rather negative relation between the local public intellectuals and the city's European capital functions. The location of the European headquarters within the existing urban fabric – unlike Luxemburg and Strasbourg – has caused residential expulsion and further confrontations with the local community during all expansions.Brussels has the most politically decisive institutions. The competition with Luxemburg and Strasbourg has in the past given rise to dubious building processes and hidden agendas regarding the further construction of the necessary space for Europe.Unlike most other capitals Brussels has a low degree of esteem from its citizens. The After-May 68- Movement reacting initially against the CIAM-realisations during the 1970s, continues its activities up until today against two highly symbolic projects: the North Station area called the Manhattan Quarter and the European Headquarters. The movement launched the term Brusselization on the international forum and continues to promote the negative image of its city – notwithstanding the complete change of the official urban planning.The article is a plea for the integration of the actual one-sided advocacy planning within a more comprehensive urban planning approach where strong and soft functions are more in balance. This can also improve the quality of the new European campus now under consideration to accomodate the entry of the East European states in the Union.     

The Alleret maar (Massif Central, France): A new lacustrine sequence of the early Middle Pleistocene in western Europe

The Alleret maar (Massif Central, France) provides a long lacustrine sequence (40.6 m) attributed to the early Middle Pleistocene. Sediment, pollen and diatoms analysis of its upper part (AL2 core, 14.6 m) indicates two temperate phases marked by high lake levels, forest development and vegetation expansion. They are separated by a cold period during which lake level drops, coarse sediment input increases and steppic and xerophilous plants develop. Pollen data suggests that this sequence belongs to the upper part of the Cromerian complex. These results are in agreement with the 557 ± 3 ka (±12 ka, including all errors) ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age obtained from an interbedded tephra layer emitted by the Mont-Dore/Sancy strato-volcano and establish that this sequence probably covers the MIS 15 substages.     

广西桂林市规划中心城区岩溶发育特征及分布规律

弄清规划中心城区岩溶发育特征及其分布规律,对于岩溶地区规划中心城区建设布局,特别是建设场地工程地质勘察具有重要的指导意义。桂林市规划中心城区,属于岩溶发育分布区。论文基于前人研究成果,采用资料收集、地面调查、高密度电法及钻探相结合的方法,开展桂林市规划中心城区岩溶地质调查,分析了岩溶发育类型与岩性及岩性组合、水文地质单元、埋藏深度及地质构造的关系,总结提出了桂林市规划中心城区岩溶发育特征及分布规律。研究表明,桂林市规划中心城区岩溶发育主要以浅表的融县组、桂林组为主,在褶皱轴部,或断层影响带内,在垂直节理裂隙和缓倾斜层面裂隙组成的裂隙系统中,岩溶发育较强;可溶岩与非可溶岩接触地段岩溶发育强;在低平谷地中的分水岭处岩溶发育亦较强烈;在水文网长期摆动的地段地面以上岩溶发育程度强烈。     

Urban integration of Israeli immigrants in the 1990s: a comparison of Be'er Sheva, Ashkelon, Kiriat Gat

As a result of the opening of the borders of the former Soviet Union, Israel has been the destination of numerous immigrants. This article deals with the impact of immigration between 1989 and 1994, upon three towns in the south of Israel, Be'er Sheva, Ashkelon and Kiriat Gat. These towns correspond to three socio-economic levels of urban area in the southern region. On the one hand, the immigrants from the former Soviet Union arrive with specific demands, on the other hand the political, economical and social context in Israel is very unusual. The sucessful integration of immigrants and the constructive development of the host country depend on the conformity of these demands and proposals. What the government offers in terms of housing, reception and employment in each of the three towns plays a key role: the town's social and economical heritage influences the integration of the new population while at the same time the arrival of a new workforce influences the development of the local area. Every town wants to grow and reinforce its position in the region, but only the large town, Be'er Sheva, is able to offer a certain diversity and therefore answers more fully the needs and wants of this new population. Government decisions and policies are not made to oppose the liberal economic system and to suppress the spacial inequalities despite some measures aiming at a more equal balance. The importance of heritage and the lack of communal development schemes within regions together ensure the continuation of qualitative inegalities in the south of Israel and even accentuate the problem. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Re-orientation of the city plan: Strategic planning and design competition in China

Rather than being abandoned along with the demise of the centrally planned economy, city planning as a profession is flourishing in China. New hybrid plans such as strategic development plans (concept plans) have been invented, and the planning procedure has become more flexible. Design competition and planning consultancy are widespread. This paper examines the development of new strategic development plans and design competition. It is argued that city planning has been re-orientated from a technical rationale, i.e. allocating state development projects to the city, to the imperative derived from market-oriented development, i.e. consolidating competitiveness during inter-city competition. The contradiction between market and planning is that while the status of city planning has been raised and its approach is becoming more strategic, the actual functionality of city planning has become more instrumental.     

Facing the challenge of shrinking cities in East Germany: The case of Leipzig

In the early 20^th century, the East German city of Leipzig seemed well on its way to become a metropolis of international importance. The city was expected to grow towards over one million inhabitants in 2000. Seventy years later, Leipzigs population has shrunk to less than 500,000 inhabitants instead. The German partition after World War II took away most of its national administrative and economic functions and much of its hinterland. The socialist GDR regime worsened the long-term development perspectives and living circumstances of the city. The German reunification brought new development chances, but like most East German cities, Leipzigs hopes soon became disappointed. The local politicians faced a difficult redevelopment task: apart from the question how to revive the local and regional economy, they also had to deal with a housing vacancy rate of 20%, a huge need for renovation in the older neighbourhoods as well as in the socialist high-rise areas, the negative effects of urban sprawl on the city core, and various environmental pollution problems. After briefly describing the development path of Leipzig until the 1990s, the paper will discuss the current attempts of the city government to give Leipzig a more positive post-industrial future. On the one hand, Leipzig is developing a strategy to downsize the citys built environment and infrastructure to adapt to a probably lastingly smaller population. On the other hand, many growth instruments well known from the international scientific and political debate are tried to put Leipzig back on the (inter)national map. The paper will discuss these development strategies in the light of the international debate on the question how to fight the shrinking city, with specific attention for post-socialist cities.     

Signs of power: Fascist urban iconographies in Ethiopia (1930s–1940s)

The aim of the present paper is to compare two different patterns of urban iconographies in Ethiopia during 1930s: the one of the Amhara – the traditionally Ethiopian dominant ethnicgroup – and the one of the Italian fascism. The paper gives an historical account of the structure of the Amhara settlements, focusing on the ways the power of their politico-military chiefs, being they the Negus or the Ras, shaped the spatial order of these settlements. When the Italians conquered military Ethiopia in 1936, they started re-shaping this spatial order, erasing the signs of the previous power and imposing their new iconographic apparatus. This was mainly done through urban planning which was devised to `write' the Fascist concepts of progress, order, hierarchy, and racial segregation on the territory. Owing to the short duration of the occupation, the poor material conditions of the colony and the lack of financial resources, such town-planning projects turned out to be just a political rhetoric exercise.     

Shortage in the midst of plenty: Labour strategies in four Central and Eastern European cities

Labour shortage was an integral feature of the communist system of economic management and one that seemed most unlikely to persist in the face of systemic transformation. A casual examination of the unemployment rates that have emerged throughout most of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) during the course of the past decade might suggest that this early assumption was correct. However, within the region the aggregate rate of joblessness, as well as the behaviour of national output, mask the fact that certain, major urban centres appear to have weathered well the storms caused by exposure to western markets and stringent fiscal and monetary policies. In these centres transformation has meant, to a greater or lesser degree, industrial modernisation and this begs the question of whether the human capital portfolios of the inherited labour force match up to the requirements of the new environment. This paper examines the meaning of the concept of labour shortage and presents the findings from a survey of employers in four leading cities of three major CEE economies designed to elicit if, and how, manpower requirements are being met in the present climate. The results indicate that, somewhat paradoxically, labour shortage persists in the more flexible markets of the post-communist era and that firms do not expect the situation to change radically in the near future. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Multi‐proxy study of Holocene environmental change and human activity in the Central Apennine Mountains,Italy

This paper describes a multi‐proxy palaeoecological investigation undertaken in conjunction with an archaeological survey of the Upper Sangro Valley in the Abruzzo National Park, Central Italy. Despite being a biodiversity hotspot and regarded as a near‐pristine area, the pollen, spore and diatom data all show major changes in the vegetation extending to over 2000 m a.s.l. during the mid to late Holocene. Although there are changes in ecological composition earlier in the Holocene they are different in type and magnitude from the changes which began about 800 cal a BC. The pollen and diatom evidence do not correlate well with regional palaeoclimate data, or on‐site isotopic evidence, but do appear to be related to Samnite (later Iron Age) clearance and upland grazing associated with transhumance and later annexation (and centuriation) of the lower slopes by Roman surveyors. The greatest change in vegetation was during the period c. AD 500–600 and corresponds with the Byzantine–Gothic Wars, and Lombard–Carolingian settlement reorganization into nucleated hilltop settlements which managed upland grazing. This pattern of intensive land use at all altitudes persisted until the early 20th century and only changed following rural depopulation after World War II. These data illustrate how cultural factors had a profound effect on this mountainous region which, in this case, far outweighed the effects of climatic fluctuations which are known to have occurred from both this study area and the region. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

开发区建设过程中的生态环境影响研究——以长春高新开发区为例

以长春高新开发区为例,从植被变化、生物物种变化、地表覆盖层变化、能流变化等几方面进行了开发区建设前后生态系统的变化分析。采用景观优势度方法,分别计算了缀块密度、频率、景观比例和景观优势度值。优势度排序绿地最高为23.78%,其次为工业用地20.42%,表明开发区规划合理,在建设过程中高度重视环境保护工作。在建立由社会环境、自然环境和污染环境3个方面共7项指标组成的生态满意度评价指标体系中,明确各指标关系的基础上,对区域生态环境和功能给人们生活、工作带来的满意程度进行了评估。评估结果表明,全区除集中供热率为基本满意外,其他指标均达到完全满意的程度。     

Earthquake swarms in continental rifts — A comparison of selected cases in America, Africa and Europe

The occurrence of earthquake swarms is typically related to magmatic activity in volcanoes, yet swarms are also common in other intracontinental regions such as continental rifts. We present here a summary of geophysical observations that have been made in earthquake swarm areas of the Rio Grande, Kenya, and Eger rifts, focusing on characteristic parameters for the origin and generation of the swarm earthquakes.Our compilation of seismological parameters such as spatial distribution and focal parameters of hypocenters, magnitude statistics, and the location of the swarm centres in the rift environments reveals major similarities. The earthquake swarms take place at shallow depth between 0 and 10 km. The maximum magnitudes are mostly less than 4.5. The b-values, indicating the magnitude frequency relation of the seismicity, are about 0.8. They are hence not deviating from a normal non-volcanic intraplate environment, but are considerably lower than those of volcanic earthquake swarms. Focal mechanism studies give uniform pictures of stress field orientation and faulting style for the swarm areas. In all three rifts, the centres of swarm activity seem to be restricted to rift valley sections that may be influenced by large-scale fracture or shear zones that intersect the rifts. We conclude that these deep-reaching zones of weakness allow intrusions of upper mantle material into crustal layers, where magma-related fluids or fluctuations of the magma bodies themselves cause the generation of earthquake swarms.