Design in historic urban quarters

Abstract

Since the late 1980s, historic urban quarters have emerged as a focus of many conservation and regeneration eff orts. Clearly these important areas of cities have an endowed identity and character but have usually lost any economic viability and new activities and sense of place needs to be created. This paper will outline how urban design and planning needs to draw upon the local context to inform new design and thereby achieve a continuity of local character, historic fabric and street patt ern. The paper argues that new design in historic urban – quarters should respect context in its eff orts to breathe new life into these historic legacies. A long-term and sustainable revitalization that involves physical renewal complemented by new economic activity is also advocated to create a new sense of place that builds upon a quarter’s physical, socio-cultural and economic dimensions.