Brownfield redevelopment in the mediterranean region: The use of inverted translational research method

• Luis Loures ^[1]
  1. [1] Universidade do Algarve

     Universidade do Algarve

     Faro (Sé), Portugal

     
• Localización: Proceedings of the International Congress on Interdisciplinarity in Social and Human Sciences.5th - 6th May 2016 / coord. por Saul Neves de Jesus, Patrícia Pinto, 2016, ISBN 978-989-8472-82-3, págs. 576-583
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • The redevelopment and reuse of brownfields constitutes a sustainable planning approach since it encourages andreinforces the positive re-use of redundant buildings and landscapes generally located in advantage positions in theurban fabric, adjacent to residential communities and often supported by existing infrastructure. These landscapes areenvironmentally impaired assets that need to be returned to productive uses, and reintegrated into the surroundingcommunity. Still, besides all the developed researches, the type of redevelopment that better fits these areas, is notconsensual.This paper addresses the urgent need to reclaim and transform these areas, focusing different perspectives towardsthree particular opportunities related to their redevelopment: the first one related to housing development, whichcontributes to increase urbanized areas; the second one related to urban greenspace development, which contributesto enhance public space and ecological areas; and the third one related to multifunctional/mixed use developments,which promote both housing and greenspaces.In this regard the research is based on the inverted translational research method, which throughout the analysisof successful Portuguese brownfield redevelopment projects, enables the definition of a set of advantages anddisadvantages for each redevelopment approach, that might inform and serve as a basis to brownfield redevelopment,according not only to municipal master planning, but also to specific needs of each individual area. Conversely to thegenerality of the planning methods, the use of a methodology based in the analysis of practical design in order tobuild specific theory, reinforces the relevance of this approach to future brownfield redevelopment.