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The Reconstruction of Post-War Cities—Proposing Integrated Conservation Plans for Aleppo’s Reconstruction

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  • Despina Dimelli

    (School of Architecture, Technical University of Crete, 73100 Chania, Greece)

  • Areti Kotsoni

    (Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Harvard University, Massachusetts Hall Cambridge, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA)

Abstract

The reconstruction of historic cities is a complicated challenge that has been faced using different principles diachronically. Historic cities that have suffered severe damage are areas that need to be replanned to preserve their urban characteristics and adjust to their residents’ needs. This paper aims to examine the principles of urban preservation according to the terms of Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) principles, which consider historic centers as living organisms that need to be adjusted to modern society’s needs. The examined case study is the historic center of Aleppo and its post-war reconstruction. The research focuses on the five physical elements below: the site’s morphology, geomorphology, and natural features; its built environment, historic or contemporary; its infrastructures; its open spaces and gardens; its land use patterns and “spatial organization”. It proposes policies and spatial forms for its reconstruction according to the HUL’s principles: more specifically, it proposes plans and strategies for the historic center’s regeneration in the fields of land uses, building regulations, transportation networks, and green public spaces, taking into account several factors: the inhabitants, the stakeholders, UNESCO’s regulations, and the cultural value of the built environment. Finally, it underlines the importance of community engagement for the city’s regeneration in terms of HUL.

Suggested Citation

  • Despina Dimelli & Areti Kotsoni, 2023. "The Reconstruction of Post-War Cities—Proposing Integrated Conservation Plans for Aleppo’s Reconstruction," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-16, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:6:p:5472-:d:1102424
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Joks Janssen & Eric Luiten & Hans Renes & Eva Stegmeijer, 2017. "Heritage as sector, factor and vector: conceptualizing the shifting relationship between heritage management and spatial planning," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(9), pages 1654-1672, September.
    2. Ken Taylor, 2016. "The Historic Urban Landscape paradigm and cities as cultural landscapes. Challenging orthodoxy in urban conservation," Landscape Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(4), pages 471-480, May.
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