Reviving the history in town centres

Isabelle Vella Gregory gives an overview of the three-day international conference on regeneration of historic urban cores held between last Sunday and Tuesday

The historic urban core is a feature of many towns and cities. This core can either be left in decay or turned into an economic, social and cultural asset. The regeneration process raises a number of questions and issues common to many cities, but it also highlights the different needs of each city.

The international conference entitled "Regeneration of Historic Urban Cores", organised last week by the World Urban Development Forum (INTA), the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) and the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) at the Corinthia San Gorg, had around 40 speakers from Malta, Europe and the Maghreb.

The contributors shared their knowledge and research. Malta was a full participant and this country's commitment to the regeneration of historic urban cores was amply shown.

The conference consisted of a series of thematic workshops which tackled specific planning tools for regeneration in historic cores; the architectural and conservation factors; tourism and leisure as a stimulus for regeneration; management and legal instruments; and accessibility and maintenance in historic urban cores. The conference also included a public debate on urban regeneration in Malta.

Nature and importance of urban regeneration

Urban communities are deliberate creations and are an expression of the diversity of societies throughout history. The historic core is not merely a historical document, it is a living place, an expression of an urban culture and urban values. Many such areas are under threat and poverty and degradation are a common feature of historic cores. As a result of various factors, many cores have faced, and continue to face, cultural, social and economic losses, often of an irreversible nature.

The visible results of degradation have a long history behind them and there is no simple, magic formula for tackling these problems. Before tackling one historic core, it is necessary to hold a series of detailed and methodical studies, where professionals in their field can identify the problems, target the most urgent and come up with a viable plan of action. Such projects require financial, human and technical resources. They also require dialogue with the public, especially with residents of these cores.

Experiences from Malta and beyond

The conference had ambitious aims and it is worth looking at some common themes and case studies. The conference highlighted a myriad needs, experiences, approaches and solutions, while also emphasising that approaches and solutions are context-specific.

The papers also demonstrated the need for public-private partnerships, a joint effort and a strategic plan of action - regeneration cannot be done ad hoc. The conference also showcased the necessity and success of a holistic approach, a welcome move away from a strictly monuments-based approach to the problem.

Historic cores are not a museum showcase, the places are alive and one cannot ignore their human element and the various practical problems they face. A low standard of living is a problem most cores face; for example, Christian Badaut, from the Caisse des Dépôts, Paris, explained the situations in Medinas, highlighting the various social problems faced by the inhabitants. In Morocco, people moved out of Medinas into new towns. The remaining residents are very poor and there is a reluctance to invest in a Medina, resulting in an acute spiral of decay.

This exodus is a common feature of many historic cores; however, it does not always result in decay. Denis de Lucca, chairman of the Mdina Rehabilitation Committee, explained that Malta's Mdina is currently a prime residential enclave, although it has not always enjoyed this status. To the Knights of St John, it was simply a ruin and a defensive hazard.

Mdina is currently a special tourist resource, a living museum of an island's history. It attracts both Maltese and foreign visitors. The aim of the Mdina Rehabilitation Committee is to inject new life into the city by implementing a comprehensive action plan. The committee has already addressed various issues, including the removal of unsightly wires, employing archaeologists to recover Mdina's past heritage, and encouraging house owners to embellish their façades following committee guidelines.

Alexandria, Calvià in Mallorca and Naples are another three interesting cases of regeneration. Alexandria, one of the most notable ancient cities, is Egypt's main port, a tourist centre, and a centre of archaeology, history and culture. The city was in dire need of restoration, and the government initiated a programme which involved renovating the port, improving the transport and communication system, implementing an effective waste management system, and restoring and preserving historic buildings.

There have also been international projects, the most notable the revival of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and a Franco-Egyptian venture to explore and survey the seabed, which is rich in archaeological heritage.

Calvià has seen a series of impressive changes, from a poor agricultural municipality, to a period of massive tourist growth which resulted in a period of decay. The huge human pressure on the coastline threatened ecology, tourism and the livelihood of the inhabitants. In the 1990s, a process for regeneration was started, with the aim of containing human pressure, controlling growth and protecting the heritage and residents of Calvià.

In both Calvià and Alexandria the local communities were enthusiastic participants and contributors to the regeneration process. In Calvià, almost 30 per cent of the adult population gave its backing to the project, demonstrating that citizens are indeed the force that drive a project.

Naples is a city with a long and rich history which is facing several problems. The aim is to transform Naples as a new centre of attraction in a Euro-Mediterranean context.

The rehabilitation project is very extensive and is targeting various issues pertaining to the vast historic core, including the restoration of urban quality and the rehabilitation of the slum areas known as the bassi Napoletani. This project comes with a series of incentives designed to make rehabilitation functional and viable.

Accessibility is another major problem. This was tackled and discussed from the residents', workers' and visitors' perspectives, taking into account private and public transport.

Perhaps, the ideal Western European solution can be seen in Vienna. Andrea Kreppenhofer, from the Department of Urban Design in Vienna, gave a detailed and interesting paper on how the issue was tackled there.

The core contains various pedestrian zones, a loop system of one-way streets, a heavy vehicles ban, various underground, multi-storey car parks, and a strong system of rule enforcement. Vienna also has an efficient system of public transport, which helps immensely in making such an initiative viable.

The Valletta and harbour area projects

Malta's contribution focused greatly on Valletta and the harbour area. A team of local and foreign professionals have been working on this project for over 10 years. Many results are already visible, other projects are still in the pipeline. The aim is to plan for regeneration by adopting an integrated approach to management.

MEPA senior planning officer Malcolm Borg explained the nature of urbanisation in the area which is connected to colonisation, both by the Knights and the British.

The area suffered greatly during World War II and the pace of urban decay was accelerated in the post-war era, which saw an exodus into newer towns and the abandonment of historic cores.

Post-war solutions to the problem focused mainly on slum clearance and social housing. The 'demolish and rebuild' policy has left an indelible effect on the urban fabric and resulted in a decimation of historic centres.

The integrated approach is thus a comparatively recent mode of action. However, significant advances have been, and continue to be, made, as MEPA's Marguerite Camilleri explained. There is now a drive to promote efficient use of land and buildings, improve socio-economic conditions, upgrade the physical environment and protect the heritage.

Hermann Bonnici, senior architect at the Infrastructure Ministry's Works Division, explained the flexible approach to regeneration that is now being adopted in Valletta. This includes emergency restoration interventions, the paving of St John's Square and Republic Street, and the restoration of St Catherine's church, which triggered off other projects.

The Master Plan for regeneration also aims to tackle the Royal Opera House site, as part of a wider project dealing with City Gate, the bus terminus, Freedom Square and St James Cavalier; St Elmo and the Connections Project, a plan which aims to link Sliema, Valletta and Cottonera by ferry. The latter is still on paper and forms part of the waterfront development plan, which aims to maximise resources and rehabilitate the area.

Giampiero Cuppini and Laura Baratin, from Bologna University, are members of a team working towards the preservation of Valletta and Floriana's impressive and extensive fortifications, a project which targets them as a historical document.

Their project started off with detailed and necessary cartographic documentation. Their multimedia Geographic Information Systems product not only contains a great deal of information, but can also be integrated with programmes containing results from other surveys, giving a more comprehensive knowledge.

This impressive amount of information has been complemented by data from archival research, which showed that Valletta is an adaptation of Sforzinda's geometric city, the ideal Renaissance city. This team's aims include the preservation and management of the fortifications and a proposal for a communication system between Valletta and Floriana.

Need for integrated approach

The historic core is a dynamic entity which has a unique, socio-cultural dimension. There is no single solution for the regeneration of historic cores. Conservation, although vital, is only the first step towards regeneration.

One cannot ignore the social aspects. There is a need for an integrated process which involves community participation at grassroots level, strong public-private partnership, a solid legal framework, and the determination and belief that the historic core is an asset, not a liability.

Dr Ugo Mifsud Bonnici, chairman of the Committee of Guarantee, began his concluding address with: "I live in a degraded town" - an extremely provocative statement from a former President.

He spoke as a former politician, a culture vulture, and most of all as someone who was born and still lives in a historic urban core. He noted that there have been many attempts at regeneration, not all of which were successful.

He stressed that urban regeneration cannot be left in the hands of the elite; urban cores are a resource that cannot be wasted. A regeneration culture needs to be nurtured to address physical and social degradation, which leave an image that lingers in the collective memory.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici stressed that regeneration cannot happen spontaneously - we need to consciously take appropriate measures. There is too much at stake for a concerted effort not to be made. He noted that experience has shown the need for wide-ranging co-operation by various entities; however, the government's role cannot be abdicated, neither can local authorities be ignored.

He also pointed out that there was a "need for poetry" and implored everyone not to stifle the poetry of a place's spirit. He noted that regeneration is a matter of metamorphosis. We cannot bring back the past; however, we should not change historic cores into an artificial creation. It is our responsibility to preserve them for future generations.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici encouraged participants to convince politicians and the public of the duty and utility of regeneration. He concluded by urging the delegates to meet again.