URBAN RENEWAL

U R B A N D E S I G N
P.GOPALAKRISHNAN

URBAN RENEWAL
Origin - America
Year - 1930’s
Initially referred to slum clearance and housing but has gradually evolved into a
multidimensional concept.

DEFINITION
• Urban renewal is the process by which a large area of a town, slowly renews
itself and thereby gradually changes its character to fit in with the needs of
contemporary society

• It is an amalgam of all the process which act on a town, or a portion of it

• Renewal process is one of carefully controlled change

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URBAN RENEWAL

Urban renewal is a complex phenomenon and has several aspects.

• slum clearance and improvement

• provision of housing
• provision of adequate social facilities and civic amenities
• creation of infrastructure
• road widening and traffic regulation
• improving the visual appearance of old areas and creation of better living
environment
• preservation of historical monuments / areas, etc.

URBAN RENEWAL REDEFINED

Urban renewal is a combination of the process of rehabilitation,

conservation and redevelopment. It is the nature and stage of
‘decay’ that determines the strategy to be adopted

The need for urban renewal:

The main reason is the removal of blight and urban decay from the city centers

1. expansion of the town

2. lack of modern facilities

3. traffic problems

4. outworn buildings

5. the area in themselves lack interest, color and any pleasant feeling,

6. degradation of urban areas, the abandonment of buildings and not

reconstructing buildings after damage by war or natural disaster etc

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HISTORY OF URBAN RENEWAL

1850 -1870 - Baron Haussmann supervised a program which demolished

large areas of slums and narrow, crooked medieval streets, replacing them
with new neighborhoods, plazas and traffic circles, and the broad, tree-lined
boulevards that are still the hallmark of Paris

1930 – 1970 - Robert Moses in the redevelopment of New York City and New
York State

1934 – American housing Act of 1934 -housing for poor residents of urban
areas – SLUM CLEARANCE

1937 – American Housing Act of 1937, - U.S. Housing Agency and the nation's
first public housing program -- the Low Rent Public Housing Program.

1950 – Pittsburgh became the first major city to undertake a modern urban-
renewal program

1954 – American Housing Act of 1954, added a most important tool-

conservation and rehabilitation to the urban renewal kit.

1959 – Release of a classic guidance for Historic Preservation in Urban

Renewal

1964 – By the end of 1964, there were 229 urban renewal projects in
execution

Today Urban renewal means additional building in an existing urban

environment.

Recently sites of Urban renewal have been especially former port and
industrial areas.

The reason for this is the restructuring of global economics.

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TYPES OF URBAN RENEWAL
There are three main types of urban renewal projects since world war II,

1. Rebuilding cities of the world devastated by bombing

2. Slum Clearance : Purchase of buildings and land, the removal of the uses
and inhabitants of that land, the demolition and clearance of the land, and
the building of the site

3. Abandoned sites of extensive area by their inhabitants and made available by

their owners for redevelopment

The other typical urban renewal situations :

1. Waterfront redevelopment
2. Center city (downtown ) renewal
3. Brown field redevelopment (Abandoned industrial areas and rail yards)etc

IMPORTANT URBAN RENEWAL

PROJECTS:

USA UK

• PITTSBURG • BRISTOL

• NEWARK • PLYMOUTH

• NEW HAVEN • EXETER

• NEW YORK • SOUTHAMPTON

• BOSTON • PORTSMOUTH

• PHILADELPHIA • COVENTRY
etc etc

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URBAN RENEWAL PROJECTS:
NEW HAVEN (1954 -1968)

Increasing reliance on automobiles

Old city streets, built for pedestrians and trolleys, could not support new volume
of traffic

The need for road widening and highways

substandard— slum— housing that needed replacement with new neighborhood

URBAN RENEWAL PROJECTS:

NEW HAVEN (1954 -1968)

Before renewal
Oak and Broad Streets

After renewal
Route 34 Connector
Demolished Oak Street
neighborhood

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URBAN RENEWAL PROJECTS:
PITTSBURGH (1950 -1970)

URA demolished 1,300 buildings and

cleared 95 acres in the Lower Hill District, it
was the largest attempt in the nation to
redevelop a city neighborhood

The old Wabash Terminal being

demolished for a Gateway Center office
building

URBAN RENEWAL PROJECTS:

BOSTON (1963 -1968)

Built by Kallmann, McKinnell and

Knowles

The design for Boston City Hall and

its accompanying plaza won a
national competition

It replaced a 90-acre "urban

renewal" site with Government
Center.

Formerly a working-class
neighborhood

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URBAN RENEWAL IN INDIA

Major metropolises are attempting to tackle the problem of blight and decline
through renewal initiatives in india.

The significance in the Indian context is different as most of our towns and cities
have grown haphazardly over the years.

Urbanization process in India is increasing at a faster ,This in turn, has led to the
decline of older towns and cities.

Urban renewal in India had its origin in early 20th century in a different name,
it was undertaken under the City Improvement Trust

The various services undertaken by the trust were, opening up congested

areas, laying out or altering streets, providing open spaces for purpose of
ventilation or recreation, demolishing unsanitary buildings , acquiring land and
constructing buildings and for re-housing of persons of the poorer and working
class displaced by the execution of city improvement schemes.

Urban renewal projects were undertaken in DELHI, AMRISTAR , JAIPUR,

HYDREABAD, JAISALMER etc.

URBAN RENEWAL ASPECTS : PUBLIC REALM

• improving the visual appearance of old areas and creation of better living
environment

QUALITIES OF SUCCESSFUL PLACE

1. CHARACTER

2. CONTINUITY & ENCLOSURE

3. QUALITY OF PUBLIC REALM

4. EASE OF MOVEMENT

5. LEGIBILITY

6. ADAPTABILITY

7. DIVERSITY

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 1. CHARACTER

Sense of place and history

A place that responds to and reinforces locally distinctive patterns of

development and landscape

• Distinctive landscapes

• Natural features

• Locally distinctive buildings

• Streets and street patterns

• Skylines and roofscapes

• Building materials

• Local culture and traditions

2. CONTINUITY AND ENCLOSURE

Clarity of form

A place where public and private space are

clearly distinguished

• Streets, footpaths and open spaces

overlooked by buildings

• Clear distinction between public and private

space

• Avoiding gaps in the line of buildings

• Enclosing streets and other spaces by

buildings and trees

• No leftover spaces unused and uncared for

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3. QUALITY OF THE PUBLIC REALM

Sense of wellbeing and amenity

A place with public spaces and routes that are lively and pleasant to use

• A feeling of safety and security

• Uncluttered and easily maintained

• Carefully detailed with integrated public art

• Suited to the needs of everyone, including disabled and elderly people

• Well-designed lighting and street furniture

4. EASE OF MOVEMENT

Connectivity and permeability

A place that is easy to get to and move

through

• Density highest where access to public

transport is best

• Roads, footpaths and public spaces

connected into well-used routes

• Easy accessibility

• Direct routes that lead to where people

want to go

• A choice of safe, high quality routes

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5. LEGIBILITY

Ease of understanding

A place that has a clear image and easy to understand

• Landmarks and focal points

• Clear and easily navigable routes

• Gateways to particular areas

• Works of art and craft

• Signage and way markers

6. ADAPTABILITY

Ease of change

A place that can change easily

• Flexible uses

• Possibilities for gradual change

• Buildings and areas adaptable to a variety

of present and future uses

• Reuse of important historic buildings

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7. DIVERSITY

Ease of choice

A place with variety and mixed uses

• A mix of compatible uses and tenures

• Variety of layout and building form

• Diverse communities and cultures

• Variety of architectural styles

• Biodiversity

URBAN RENEWAL COMPONENTS

URBAN CONSERVATION :

It is the action taken to prevent decay.

It embraces all acts that prolong the life of our cultural and natural heritage,

It is the process through which the material, historical, and design integrity of
immovable objects are prolonged through carefully planned interventions.

Buildings and properties under conservation may have

• ARCHITECTURAL
• HISTORICAL
• ARCHAEOLOGICAL
• CULTURAL
• SCIENTIFIC TECHNOLOGICAL VALUES

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URBAN RENEWAL COMPONENTS

URBAN CONSERVATION :

HISTORIC DISTRIC OR HERITAGE ZONES:

Geographical area or site containing significant concentration of historic buildings, monuments,
structures, sculptures etc. Streets and Building layouts with a unique character and style, and
street furniture and landscaping were unique of an age or period will be worth preserving.

ORIGIN:

•Viollet-Le-Duc (1817 – 1879) was a pioneer who undertook most of the early restoration of
historic monuments in France.

•Opposition to the French concept of restoration and unity of style began in England.

URBAN CONSERVATION :

ORIGIN:

• In 1848, John Ruskin (1818 – 1900) criticized against restoration as ‘the most
total destruction which a building can suffer

• William Morris (1834 – 1896), the founder of the Society for the Protection of
Ancient Buildings, He suggested the concept of ‘conservative repair’

CHESTER - ENGLAND

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Major principles laid down on an international basis guarding Conservation are: -

MAJOR PRINCIPLES IN THE CONSERVATION OF HISTORIC TOWNS:-

1. The conservation of historic towns and other historic urban areas should be
an integral part of coherent policies of economic and social development and
of urban and regional planning

2. Qualities to be preserved include the historic character of the town or urban

area and all those material and spiritual elements that express this character,

• Urban patterns as defined by lots and streets;

• Relationships between buildings and green open spaces;

• The formal appearance, interior and exterior, of buildings as defined by scale

,size, style, construction, materials, colour and decoration;

• The relationship between the town or urban area and its surrounding setting,
both natural and man-made

• The various functions that the town or urban area has acquired over time.

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MAJOR PRINCIPLES IN THE CONSERVATION OF HISTORIC TOWNS:-

3. The participation and the involvement of the residents are essential for the
success of the conservation programme

4. Conservation in a historic town or urban area demands prudence, a systematic

approach and discipline

5. New functions and activities should be compatible with the character of the
historic town or urban area.

6. When it is necessary to construct new buildings or adapt existing ones, the

existing spatial layout should be respected, especially in terms of scale and lot
size.

7. Traffic inside a historic town or urban area must be controlled and parking areas
must be planned so that they do not damage the historic fabric or its
environment.

8. Specialised training should be provided for all those professions concerned with
conservation.

URBAN CONSERVATION IN INDIA :-

Historic Preservation legislation is undeveloped at the Governmental level.

ORGANISATIONS:

Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)

originally founded during the British period, has control and is charged with the responsibility of
preserving designated ancient monuments of National importance

INTACH – national level

Forum for Indian Heritage and Conservation – regional level

Environmental Planning Collaborative - regional level

EPC completed Ahmedabad Walled City Revitalization Plan, with a grant from the U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID).

Aga Khan Trust for Culture - Humayun’s Tomb in New Delhi

(landscape restoration project )

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URBAN CONSERVATION IN INDIA :-

ORGANISATIONS:

World Monuments Fund, a New York based Foundation, is involved with conservation projects in
in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.

PROJECTS
HYDREABAD :
The regeneration project for the historic walled city of Hyderabad is based on improving
• sanitation,
• regulating billboard displays
• diverting overhead cables into underground conduits,
• zoning parking and creating landscaped areas.
• New street furniture is made of granite, drawing on local resources and craftsmen's skill

URBAN CONSERVATION IN INDIA :-

PROJECTS IN INDIA
Jaisalmer Streetscape Revitalization Project
Heritage Architect :-INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage)

• Jaisalmer Streetscape Revitalization Project was designed to restore and revitalize two
landmark residential streets Dhunda Para and Kotri Para, within the historic fort of Jaisalmer

• Project aim was to restore the streetscape’s original appearance, the project managers removed
modern, incompatible additions and materials and replaced them with original materials

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