In a recent issue of Town Planning Review we asked this question and explored it from the perspective of US and German cases. We found that perception/awareness plays a major role when it comes to dealing with urban shrinkage.
See link below
http://online.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/abs/10.3828/tpr.2017.3
What are your experiences either informed by practice or applied research?
Looking forward to your answers!
Karina
Lots of things... but surely peoples ´opinions on redevelopment, rehabilitation and reclamation potential are crucial things...
I would say, using the pragmatist principle of consequences, that subjects awareness of all practical consequences is what gives us a good sense of the definition or the concepts of shrinking cities.
First, thank you for the interesting article.
If the question is about special planning, adapted to the particular conditions in shrinking cities, then, in my opinion, the main drivers are the negative consequences of shrinkage in combination with a presence of a strong actor(s) interested in the situation’s change. Of course, awareness plays a very important role, but without clear evidence that the situation is irreversible, nothing will be changed in planning. In Russia we have a specific situation: many cities experience population and economic decline and might be labelled as “shrinking cities”. However, they continue their extensive development due to the current lack of housing and infrastructure without consideration the future decrease in the city’s needs. In this case, I would say, on the contrary, planning drives future urban shrinkage.
understanding of the causes and effects of urban shrinkage is difficult to obtain. In this writing, the causes and effects of urban shrinkage are identified and classified in order to provide a baseline global understanding of the phenomenon. Furthermore, the causes and effects are situated within a larger conceptual framework to demonstrate the feedback mechanisms present in many shrinking cities. The first step to helping cities stabilize is to develop an understanding of what caused them to decline.
I think the first important step is the acceptance of the fact that the city or region is shrinking. On that basis you are able to find strategies and instruments to deal with the situation. From a german perspective most of the planning instruments were created in a time characterized by urban growth and an administration equipped with sufficient staff and finances. So in the context of shrinkage it takes creativity, as well as a network of different stakehoders (from the political sector, the civil society and the economy) to develop effective strategies of planning.
I agree with most of the visions but, most shrinking cities are experiencing problems in their productive system, which generally is associated with dereliction and/or abandonment.
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