Reading underused urban spaces: Aberdeen views.

Zecca, Cecilia; Laing, Richard

Abstract

This paper explores the application of a combination of urban analysis methods in order to gather data and explore the implications of abandonment in a city. Nowadays, in a period of economic recession, developments based on demolitions and reconstructions, are not always suitable. The direction of this paper includes the idea of existing areas, buildings and their reuse as a main and primary starting point of the built environment sustainability. The research uses Aberdeen, Scotland, as a case study. Within the research, the concept of urban abandonment is explored across three subcategories, which enable the clarification of differences between various urban conditions and features. The aim of the paper is to demonstrate that a certain combination of qualitative methods can enable a detailed exploration of the current urban situation. This detailed information enabled to gather more empirical quantitative data based on the consideration raised from the analysis. The work is original in that it seeks to combine theories of abandonment with the spatial assessment of urban environments, and thus holds the potential to carry significance within urban design and planning practice.

Citation

ZECCA, C. and LAING, R. 2020. Reading underused urban spaces: Aberdeen views. Sustainable cities and society [online], 56, article ID 102108. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2020.102108

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 19, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Feb 21, 2020
• Publication Date: May 31, 2020
• Deposit Date: Feb 21, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 22, 2021
• Journal: Sustainable cities and society
• Print ISSN: 2210-6707
• Electronic ISSN: 2210-6715
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 56
• Article Number: 102108
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2020.102108
• Keywords: Urban; Abandoned; Reuse; Spatial; Design
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/861632