Placing People at the Heart of Urban Regeneration

Seun-sangga Regeneration Project Seoul, South Korea

The Sewoon Shopping Centre in Seun-sangga district was the electronics hub of Seoul until its decline in the 1990s. After residents resisted initials plans to redevelop the area into modern superblocks, a new approach was taken to prioritise their opinions instead. The result are new skywalks and the repurposing of underused spaces for tech startups and creatives. These initiatives have led to higher pedestrian mobility in the district and also strong buy-in from residents.

Source: Centre for Liveable Cities

Source: Centre for Liveable Cities

Grand Canal Regeneration Hangzhou, China

Amidst the explosive urban growth in Hangzhou, there are ongoing efforts to regenerate the dilapidated riverside districts along the Grand Canal, many of which are culturally rich and historically significant. The challenge of balancing development and conservation was complicated by the need to resettle residents. However, sensitive and flexible resettlement policies that safeguarded the livelihoods of locals ensured sustainable development was achieved.

Source: LovePik

Source: Norsez Oh

M-30 & Madrid-Rio Madrid, Spain

Previous car-centric planning policies resulted in Madrid often in gridlock and suffering from poor air and water quality. By removing roads and redirecting heavy traffic to underground tunnels, new green areas, footpaths and cycling lanes could be introduced to the city instead. This is part of a larger drive by the Spanish capital to reclaim roads for people, including exploring ways to prevent cross-city car travel and reducing lanes for cars.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Source: Madrid Destino Cultura Turismo y Negocio

Klushuizen DIY Houses Rotterdam, Netherlands

For decades, there have been numerous failed attempts to renew Rotterdam’s working-class neighbourhoods that had become synonymous with drug use and crime since the 1970s. This initiative successfully revitalised the Klushuizen neighbourhood by selling empty homes at €1, on the condition that the new owners renovate them. By offering extensive room to customise housing configurations, the owners gained a greater sense of ownership in their homes. The success of DIY Houses has led to 500 similar projects being implemented across Europe.

Source: Hulshof Architecten

Source: Annie Gray

About the Author

Deborah Chan

Deborah Chan is a researcher at the Centre for Liveable Cities. Her research focus includes urban planning for an ageing population and social diversity. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Geography from the National University of Singapore.