scholarly journals Towards Design Strategies for Requalifying the Rural: A Comparative Study of Hollow Settlements in China and Italy

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerardo Semprebon ◽  
Mauro Marinelli ◽  
Ilaria Valente

Smallsettlementsincountrysideareascallforagrowingnumberofchallengesagainst the backdrop of global rural-urban transition. In this paper, we focus on the processes of depopulation and building abandonment in rural areas of China and Italy. We consider two similar experiences taking place in different contexts, and suggest useful design tools for strategies of architectural requalification. In China, we study a small village in Fujian Province as a paradigmatic example of the well-known phenomenon of “hollow villages.” The word hollow refers to the emptying of dwellings in the central parts of rural settlements, while, paradoxically, their fringe areas are the object of residential land expansion. This notion was coined in the early 1990s to describe the spatial, social and economic consequences of the combination of a rural exodus and a rampant urbanisation. In Italy, we consider a case study in the Province of Trento, where the evacuation of village central cores follow the sprawling towards the village’s outskirts. Even though the recent trends show that the demographic haemorrhage away from the village is declining, the abandonment of old houses in favour of the construction of new ones seems relentless. Such issues gather a growing interest by cultural, political and academic institutions. Never the less, little attention has been paid to the similarities of architectural experiences across national boundaries. Aiming to bridge this gap, we compare the results of our studies on the architectural requalification of rural settlements in both China and Italy. Our methodology embodies a graphic representation of our fieldwork, examines the relationships between the built form and its natural framework and analytically assesses the physical condition and use level of the existing buildings. Despite local specificities, there are significant overlaps from which these and other cases can gain insight. We observe that similar transnational issues can be stimulated by global transition processes driven by local forces and context-related patterns of spatial transformation. More specifically, the intensity and the extent of hollowing of Chinese villages stimulates the broad testing of a spectrum of methodologies and knowledges. These can be both inherited from other contexts or experimented with as innovative approaches. From this perspective, the Italian experience, where the abandonment dates backwards in time, is a fruitful source of comparison.

Author(s):  
A.I. Chernykh ◽  
◽  
O.V. Goncharenko ◽  

Rural settlements occupy a significant part of the territory of Russia, where about 25% of the population lives and significant natural resource potential is concentrated, but the level of their socio-economic development is significantly inferior to urban ones. Increasing depressiveness of rural areas and spatial socio-economic differentiation is a systemic problem and an obstacle to the balanced development of the national economy, reduces its competitiveness due to insufficient use of economic potential, creates challenges to the economic and national security of the state. A powerful tool for countering such trends is the formation and implementation of the potential for the development of small agribusiness, which is mainly based on households created in the form of peasant (farmer) and personal subsidiary associations. The article ana-lyzes the potential of small agribusiness development in rural areas.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 148-162
Author(s):  
O.D. PRITULA ◽  
◽  
S.G. DAVYDOVA ◽  
A.V. KOSTYUKOV ◽  
◽  
...  

Currently, the analysis of the causes and consequences of differences in territorial systems (municipalities, regions) by individual social, demographic and economic indicators, as well as by the totality of their interaction, is becoming more and more significant and relevant. Achieving sustainable and integrated development of rural areas is an important task of state and municipal administration. In the study, the authors focus on the effectiveness of public administration in terms of meeting the needs of the population of rural areas, and describe the tools that provide a link between the basic conditions and the final result of management decisions. The basis of the analytical study was the degree of satisfaction of the population of the municipalities of the Novgorod region with the set of implemented measures in the context of the program of integrated development of rural settlements. The authors used the approach of constructing structural groupings to characterize and justify the composition of the municipalities of the Novgorod region in the directions (spheres) and the degree of actualization of needs. The article presents the results of the ranking of municipalities in the region in order to determine the most significant territories for the implementation of the measures of the integrated development program. Thus, the authors touch upon the aspect of assessing the potential of the territory to improve the effectiveness of using public administration tools.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helena Cermeño

In Lahore, Pakistan’s second largest city, high population growth rates, decades of rural-urban migration, and rampant land and real-estate speculation have contributed to the rapid urbanization of peri-urban land and the engulfing of pre-existing rural settlements. Lahore’s spatial transformation goes hand in hand with an increasingly complex urban governance framework. Historically shaped by colonial planning institutions and decades of political instability as power alternated between military and civilian regimes, Pakistan’s governance practices have contributed to increasing levels of urban segregation and inequality. This raises questions around the in- and exclusionary role of planning in fostering or constraining residents’ access to housing and services. Comparing three vignettes and drawing upon insights gained from extensive fieldwork, this article employs the concept of ‘access-assemblages’ to analyze how access to urban resources—i.e., land, housing, and services—is experienced, disputed, and negotiated in the rapidly urbanizing peri-urban fringe of Lahore. The cases represent different spatial and socio-political configurations brought about by a variety of actors involved in the planning and development of the city’s periphery as well as in contesting development: private developers, the army, the city development authorities, and the residents of affected villages. The analysis unpacks the planning rationalities and mechanisms that reinforce inequalities of access and exclusions. Unfolding practices that enable or hinder actors’ ability to access resources sheds light on the complex layers assembled in urban planning in Lahore and serves as a basis to rethink planning towards a more inclusive approach.


2018 ◽  
Vol 98 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-120
Author(s):  
Danica Djurkin

The existing spatial organization and current demographic situation of settlements in South Banat are the result of the synchronized processes of industrialization, urbanization and deagrarization, which determined the selective transformation of urban and rural areas. The processes mentioned above led to the concentration of population in urban and suburban zones, municipal centers and functionally most developed rural settlements, but also to depopulation of their rural hinterland. The paper discusses changes in the spatial-demographic settlement organization and examines the socioeconomic conditions of settlements transformation. Changes in the population development of settlements were considered based on the analysis of the net relative change in the number of inhabitants in urban and rural settlements, for period from 1961 to 2011. In this way, four main types of settlements were determined: progressive, stagnant, regressive and dominantly regressive type. In order to show the correlation between demographic changes and socioeconomic transformation of settlements, the method of successive (alternating) coefficients was applied. By comparative analysis of these quantitative and qualitative indicators (types), with the application of geographical and historical-genetic methods, a clearer view of changes in the population development of settlements was made, which was the goal of the research.


2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 145-162
Author(s):  
Jan Kopp ◽  
Jindřich Frajer ◽  
Marie Novotná

Abstract This study is focused on the changing of areas of water bodies in selected villages of the Pilsen Region (Czechia). We researched several different types of rural settlements and three time horizons with the help of old maps, orthophoto maps and GIS tools. To capture the influence of their location within the urban system, we chose 15 places from four categories (inner suburban area, outside suburban area, rural area, periphery rural area) depending on their distance to the core of the Pilsen agglomeration. There is no significant change in the amount of water bodies between the first reference period (1838-1839) and the second period (1957-1963) in the selected settlements. However, the third period (2013-2015) is characterized by the emergence of a large number of small water bodies - swimming pools and garden ponds. Based on the results of our research we identified the declining importance of public water bodies in some of the settlements. However, we have identified a notable prevalence of garden ponds which have a more positive ecological impact than pools. The proportion of private water bodies (covered and uncovered pools and garden ponds) in the total area of water bodies in the rural settlements in most cases is less than 20%, in the suburban settlements up to 100%. Peripheral settlements have a below-average share of these water bodies. The difference between the number of pools in different settlements is related to the proportion of newly built houses there. Although there are relatively fewer pools in rural settlements, the difference compared to the situation in suburban settlements is not pronounced due to the change in lifestyle in rural areas and the change in functions of some villages to recreational areas. Influence of pools on water consumption is dependent on the individual exchange technology of water in swimming pools. Filling of the pool before the season can overload the capacity of the local water supply.


with carrying out the decentralization reform public administration mechanisms play an important role in ensuring the comprehensive development of rural areas. Expanding the use of such mechanisms in the sphere of cooperation on the state level will facilitate development and support of small entrepreneurial forms, common use of material and technical basis, emerging new working places, building social infrastructure and engineering communications, providing qualitative services to citizens and preserving rural settlements. The objective of the article is to identify constituents of the comprehensive mechanism of public administration for development of service cooperation of rural areas in Ukraine and to integrate them into a coherent system which would facilitate realization of the state strategies and programmes to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The object of the research is a comprehensive mechanism of public administration for development of service cooperation. Research methodology is grounded upon the use of general scientific knowledge methods, in particular, logical and semantic, induction and deduction for formulating definitions, systemic and situational analysis for characterizing constituents of a comprehensive mechanism and identifying their interrelations. Based on the systemic approach it has been defined that comprehensive mechanism is an integrated system which combines interrelated and dependable functioning of legislative, institutional, organisational and economic, financial and credit, information and communication as well as staffing mechanisms in the sphere of developing cooperative movement in the rural localities. It is proved that every mechanism influences its particular direction and is formed at the international, national, regional and local levels based on cooperative values and generalized system of principles. Special attention is paid to the research of international and national legislation to generalize the system of principles of cooperation, intermunicipal cooperation, public authorities and public associations’ functioning, upon which the comprehensive mechanism for public administration of service cooperation development in rural areas of Ukraine is based.


2013 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 33-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Goran Rajović ◽  
Jelisavka Bulatović

The paper analyses tourism potential and rural tourism of the Municipality of Andrijevica. Existing tourism and recreation supply is not sufficiently developed and affirmed nor organized and connected both within the scope of the Municipality and with the neighbouring municipalities. One of the prerequisites for tourism development might be good transport infrastructure. However, in the territory of the Municipality of Andrijevica is not adequate. On the territory of the Municipality of Andrijevica, natural and anthropogenic values are distinguished group deployment and characteristics of complexity and complementarily. Natural values are particularly come to the fore, if we know that modern tourism trends emphasize the value of untouched nature. Marketing affirmation of the Municipality of Andrijevica is one of the most important processes that represent a momentum for its tourism development. In this sense, all kinds of tourism propaganda must be enhanced, which affirmed the value of tourism (for example the eco-pasture Štavna), which would lead to a more comprehensive tourism development that would provide a profitable economic performance. Particularly it is very important to encourage and support rapid development of economic activities in rural areas and development of human resources. Furthermore, the economic progress and independence rural settlements of the Municipality of Andrijevica must be improved in accordance with the ecological principles and sustainable development in rural development. In finding a new identity and direction of development of the rural economy, the Municipality of Andrijevica must accept new trends in Europe and the countries that have been through a period of transition, in terms of adapting and complementing so far the role of villages and rural areas within diversified supply and the introduction of tourism as one the essential activities. Such guidelines already exist in spatial and urban plans of the Municipality of Andrijevica, starting as of 2010


2003 ◽  
Vol 44 (159) ◽  
pp. 159-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marija Nikolic ◽  
Marija Maksin-Micic

European countries have been reaffirtmating the role and the significance of agricultural multifunctionality for rural areas development. The transition countries have to make the assessment of their weaknesses and opportunities before facing the necessary significant investments in agriculture, rural settlements and deprived rural areas. Overall economic development should provide for further agriculture employment reduction, along with taking measures for the agriculture farms modernization and changes in the structure of agriculture production, within the process of integrated rural development. Declining population at mountain areas might be a prerequisite for intensified farm restructuring, namely through development reorientation, achieving more balanced agriculture economy, along with rediscovering comparative advantages in the development of new activities linked to social changes and changes in lifestyle - green tourism, leisure activities, health care, as well as to forestry, traditional crafts etc. Subsequent to European experience in maintenance of the necessary level of spatial development in sparsely populated and neglected rural areas, the development of priority mountain areas in Serbia should be defined at national level, and the new system of support should facilitate the preparation and the implementation of different projects for integrated rural development of this priority areas.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberto Bianchi ◽  
Roberto Ruggiero

The paper presents the ongoing results of a design research carried out at the School ofArchitectureandDesign” EduardoVittoria”of Ascoli Piceno(SAAD)of the university of Camerino. Thespecificobjectiveoftheresearchistodevelopaninnovativeandreplicabledesign methodology, and to experiment new design strategies devoted to the sustainable, compatible and innovative-construction after natural disasters in rural areas and low-density urban systems. The research is based on a “local-to-global” approach: it refers to Italy as a case study but it aims to achieve general results applicable in different geographical contexts. Thespecificcasestudyrelatestotheearthquakethatin2016/2017affectedasignificant area of Central Italy and that strongly hit a large part of the so called “Italian village system”, i.e. a peculiar environmental and productive urban system that is still now in real emergency. As in most of the international reconstruction experiences, this reconstruction will certainly require along process which,still today,is full of unknowns. The massive damage caused by this disastrous event, the constraints imposed by regulations and the need for and adaptation of the buildings stock to the current housing standards, exclude the possibility of applying design strategies focused on a “where it was/as it was” model. This awareness, which increases the uncertainty about the future of the ”earthquake” communities, requires an innovative approach in relation to apparently incompatible aspects: the preservation of the identity of lost places and the upgrade of building performance often explicitly required by the population and however connected to a new housing demand. In relation to worldwide territories with a high level of disaster risk, this scenario can nowadays be considered a global issue which concerns both cultural and technical aspects. The design methodology pursued is based on a scientific approach to re-construction that focuses on a “systemic” and “design to build” approach that concerns also productive and technological aspects in relation to purposes of low-cost performance, constructive simplicity, cost-effectiveness of the interventions. This approach aims also at the introduction of the lightweight building system in contexts of traditional and massive construction, according to an idea of a construction site as an “assembly point” of prefabricated parts, light and modular, with a controlled life-cycle.


Author(s):  
Sevgi Öztürk ◽  
Özge Vural ◽  
Kaan Meydan

The planning and management of landscapes have been reviewed in the European Landscape Convention (ELC) and the need to identify landscape character areas has been emphasized. The determination of Landscape Character Types (LCT) at the local level is of great importance in order to ensure sustainable development in rural areas, correct management of the shelter values and determination of usage strategies. In this study, which aims to evaluate rural settlements with character determination and sustainability approach, the landscape variables of Kastamonu-Gölköy settlement and its immediate surroundings are mapped and analysed with Landscape Character Analysis (LCA) approach. For this purpose, the geology, large soil groups, geomorphology, slope groups, are a usage maps of the area were digitized with Geographic Information Systems software and character types were determined by synthesizing them. As a result of the study, 133 landscape character types were determined. It is thought that the acquired character types will serve as a base in rural planning and landscape management studies carried out at the national and local level and will contribute to the formation of landscape policies.


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