This presentation is part of the InHeriT project:

Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Development An Educator’s Handbook MODULE 3 Space, Place and Cultural Heritage SESSION 1 Contemporary Uses for Historic Buildings & Regeneration of Urban Centers This presentation is part of the InHeriT project: This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use, which may be made of the information contained therein. ERASMUS+ KA2 STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP ADULT EDUCATION PROJECT NO. 2015-1-EL01-KA204-014085 Prepared by: Michalis Sioulas, Lecturer in School of Architecture, Land and Environmental Studies, Neapolis University Pafos, Cyprus Ioannis A. Pissourios, Lecturer in School of Architecture, Land and Environmental Studies, Neapolis University Pafos, Cyprus

Introduction T.1 Historical evolution of the growth of the city of Nicosia (source: Department of Town Planning and Housing, 1959)

Introduction T.1 What constitutes the urban space? ….houses, shops, schools …., abandoned buildings, monuments, streets, squares, parks, empty plots…., smells, voices….people…

The Need for Regeneration and the possible actions T.2 Why historic urban centers often need Regeneration? • Because they can have various abandoned buildings. • b) Because they can have a lot of buildings in use that they need restoration • c) Because they can have buildings in use that should not to be there • d) Because there can be a lack of contemporary social services • e) Because their open urban spaces like roads, squares etc. may need improvements

The Need for Regeneration and the possible actions T.2 Why historic urban centers often need Regeneration? • f) Because they can experience traffic problems • g) Because important economic activities which used to accommodate there can have been declined, or mover around, or even are not existing any more • Because they are sometimes inhabited mainly by old people, or socially marginalized people • Because they are sometimes unsafe for habitation • …..etc.

The Need for Regeneration and the possible actions T.2 With what actions can we achieve Urban Regeneration? • With the restoration and reuse of buildings and Structures • With the improvement and enhancement of the public open urban space • We the provision of contemporary social services • With new traffic arrangements and with the improvement of the public transportation • … and with a series of other actions

Participation Activity A.1 Questions 1. Which are the main problems according to your personal view of the historic center of this town/city? 2. What kind of actions do you believe are most necessary for the improvement of the historic center of this town/city?

The Role of Restoration and Reuse in Historic Urban Centers T.3 Why a society should spend money for the restoration and reuse of abandoned buildings or even derelict buildings?

The Role of Restoration and Reuse in Historic Urban Centers T.3 Through restoration and reuse actions the tangible cultural heritage of a historic city center is preserved, and this is vital for the preservation of its historic continuity which forms its specific identity.

The Role of Restoration and Reuse in Historic Urban Centers T.3 With the restoration and reuse actions, we protect the multi- layered historic urban environment, which enrich spatial qualities and the every-day experiences of the citizens

The Role of Restoration and Reuse in Historic Urban Centers T.3 With the restoration and reuse actions, we allow new uses to be accommodated, enriching the uses and activities of historic urban fabric

The Role of Restoration and Reuse in Historic Urban Centers T.3 The reuse of preserved historic buildings and sites eliminates the vacant spaces

The Role of Restoration and Reuse in Historic Urban Centers T.3 With the restoration and reuse actions, Capital investments and new jobs opportunities are created

New Uses: Decisions and Limits T.4 How can we approach historic buildings and sites? What we can do in order to preserve them? What kind of uses are appropriate for each historic building? And which are the limits in the use of our cultural heritage?

New Uses: Decisions and Limits T.4 Some structures are more adaptable to new uses and some others are less. In other cases the historic use of a building or structure is protected Some areas cannot host uses that may be appropriate for the reuse of a building In some cases an appropriate for the character of the building use may is not economic efficient. In other cases a building can host some new uses but the society cannot accepted that. In some cases when a building belongs to the public sector can be reused with expenditures that cannot be economic beneficial, being instead social beneficial, while in private sector this cannot be happened.

New Uses: Decisions and Limits T.4 Each case is different and in each case we have to deal with a set of parameters: 1) The architectural, historic and other values of the historic building 2) Its authentic use or its more than one historic uses 3) Its current condition 4) Its adaptation capabilities 5) Its location (e.g. the character of the local area) 6) The perceptions and needs of the local society 7) The necessary funding and the economic efficiency of the proposed investment 8) The social benefits that can be arise 9) The legal framework

Good Practices T.5 Some Examples….

Good Practices, Nicosia Municipal Arts Centre, Cyprus T.5

Good Practices, Lanitis Carob Mill, Limassol, Cyprus T.5

Good Practices, Ibrahim Khan, Pafos, Cyprus T.5

Good Practices, Water Museum, Limassol, Cyprus T.5

Participation Activity A.2 Let’s hypothesize that there is an abandoned medieval church of 1.500 sq. meters in the historic center of a town. The municipality of the town, which is responsible for the monument has two options for its protection. The first one is to restore the monument and open it again for the public as a museum of itself spending 2 million euros and putting later on an entrance ticket, which will only cover its operational expenditure. The second one is to accept a proposal from a local entrepreneur to operate the monument for 50 years as a book shop of 2.000 sq. meters covering by himself the expenditures of its restoration and reuse which is estimated to be about 3 million euros. According to the architectural study all the interventions will be reversible in the future. Some elective members of the municipality argued in favor of the first option and some others of the second one. Please, state which can be the arguments of the two different groups of the municipal authority.

This presentation is part of the InHeriT project: