Project duration October 2002 to September 2005
Coordination City of Leipzig, Department for urban renewal
Supported by the European Commission , DG Research, Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development, Key action "City of Tomorrow and Cultural Heritage"

Objective

The aim of the project is to analyse re-urbanisation potentials and obstacles of inner-city residential areas and to develop instruments, incentives and strategies for an appropriate and long-term use of these areas taking into consideration changing demographic preconditions.

Scientific approach

Re-urbanisation is meant to be a comprehensive, socially integrative strategy aimed at the development of the housing and living conditions in the entire core city, in particular its historical residential areas adjacent the city centres. While the traditional approach towards urban regeneration and renewal was still focussed on urban growth, at present the ongoing demographic changes (low fertility rates, smaller households, aging) have to be considered as a new and decisive determinant. Therefore, re-urbanisation has to be redefined as a qualitative concept.
complexity and interdependencies of urban development require both an interdisciplinary approach and linkages between research and practice.

Outcomes

Main outcomes of the project in scientific and practical terms will be a modified theoretical model and methodical approach of re-urbanisation, an ?Environmental Atlas? and future scenarios for inner-city neighbourhoods, legal and economic instruments as well as tested communication and promotion strategies for re-urbanisation, a toolbox applicable in different European contexts, an information and monitoring system comprising small-scale data on different issues concerning inner-city areas and an international expert team on questions of re-urbanisation.

The project will contribute to improving the quality of life in inner-city neighbourhoods with respect to different age groups, social strata and life styles. It intends to involve local stakeholders, to improve the relationships between citizens and local authorities, share know-how about integrated urban development strategies, disseminate methods, strategies and result by way of European urban and science networks. Moreover, long-term impacts are to be expected: With increasing polarisation between growing and declining cities in Europe, many urban regions will be confronted with problems of demographic and overall urban change in future. The project intends to satisfy the need of transferable knowledge and best practice experiences on how to deal with inner-city decline under the conditions of demographic change.