A critical analysis of urban regeneration programmes in Europe

Abstract

Urban regeneration is informed and driven by the causes and effects of globalization, climate change, the global economic crisis, and lifestyle changes. In Europe, there is currently a pressing demand to redevelop brownfields areas, inner-city heritage sites, post-conflict and post-disaster areas, and large-housing estates. Housing regeneration strategies range from large-scale to micro-scale interventions that lead to a complete change to the physical
features of neighbourhoods and the life of their residents.
This paper presents activities and cases studied in the OIKONET Erasmus Lifelong Learning Project, by highlighting that regeneration is an important issue driving the production of
contemporary housing in Europe. The presented review is part of wider research and pedagogical work aimed at identifying significant conceptual, contextual and policy changes
affecting housing regeneration demand. Examples of urban regeneration programmes on different urban areas in selected European countries, i.e. the UK, Hungary, Serbia, Slovakia
and Russia are examined. As a result of the comparison between the cases analysed, some conclusions can be drawn to inform future research and set up pedagogical programmes to
be carried out within the OIKONET project.