Speakers
Description
Since the late 20th century, coastal cities worldwide have initiated efforts to regenerate and redevelop their waterfronts. This was driven by shifts in the maritime industry, particularly the rise of containerization, which left many former industrial and port areas characterized by underutilized land and infrastructure (Bruttomesso, 2001; Girard et al., 2014; Hein, 2016). In response, major port cities have leveraged these changes to improve their environmental conditions and create more livable urban spaces (Carta and Ronsivalle, 2016).
In recent decades, European port cities have emerged as key examples of waterfront transformations, implementing solutions that prioritize improved livability, water quality enhancement, and climate responsiveness (Smith and Ferrari, 2012). This paper conducts a spatial planning analysis of five case studies in Denmark to compare and identify the urban planning and design solutions that contribute to higher urban resilience.
The research highlights how Danish port cities have enhanced urban livability by transforming them waterfronts into vibrant urban spaces that integrate residential, commercial, and recreational functions. The findings also indicate that some ports have actively pursued strategies to enhance environmental conditions and water quality, including measures to address sedimentation of pollutants and relocation of port activities away from densely populated urban areas. In terms of climate actions, Danish ports are also aligning the city’s climate adaptation strategies where possible, while developing various design solutions to mitigate the risks of sea-level rise and storm surges. By analyzing these case studies, the paper aims to provide insights into the intersections of urban regeneration and climate adaptation in Danish port cities, offering valuable lessons for port cities around the world striving to improve their resilience and livability.
References
- Bruttomesso, R. (2001) ‘Complexity on the urban waterfront’, in R. Marshall (ed) Waterfronts in Post-Industrial Cities , Spon Press, London and New York, NY Waterfront Regeneration : Experiences in City-Building, edited by Harry Smith, and Ferrari, Maria Soledad Garcia, Taylor & Francis Group, 2012.
- Girard, L., Kourtit, K. & Nijkamp, P. (2014) Waterfront Areas as Hotspots of Sustainable and Creative Development of Cities. Sustainability, 6, 4580-4586.
- Hein, C. (2016). Port cities and urban waterfronts: how localized planning ignores water as a connector. Wiley interdisciplinary reviews. Water, 3, 419-438.
- Carta, Maurizio. & Ronsivalle, Daniele. (eds.) (2016) The Fluid City Paradigm : Waterfront Regeneration as an Urban Renewal Strategy. 1st ed. 2016. [Online]. Cham: Springer International Publishing.
- Smith, H. (Harry C. ) & Garcia Ferrari, M. S. (2012) Waterfront regeneration : experiences in city-building. 1st ed. [Online]. Abingdon, Oxon [England] ; Earthscan.
| Keywords | Port-cities; climate adaptation; urban regeneration; resilience |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | No |
