THE RAILWAYS HERITAGE AND ITS REUSE FOR THE URBAN REGENERATION PROGRAMMES AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW CITY LANDSCAPE
Massimo Preite (University of Florence) Mexico, November 4 2014
NIZNY TAGIL CHARTER (2003) Definition of industrial heritage: Industrial heritage consists of the remains of buildings and machinery, workshops, mills and factories, mines and sites for processing and refining, warehouses, stores, and … transport and all its infrastructure.
THE JOINT ICOMOS – TICCIH PRINCIPLES FOR THE CONSERVATION OF INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE SITES, STRUCTURES, AREAS AND LANDSCAPES “DUBLIN PRINCIPLES” (2011) Definition of industrial heritage:
The industrial heritage consists of sites, structures, complexes, areas and landscapes as well as the related machinery, objects or documents…… and the related transport infrastructures.
TRACKS BRIDGES REPAIR WORKSHOPS RAILWAY STATIONS
PROMENADE PLANTﾃ右 (PARIS)
INAUGURATED IN 1993, 4,7 KM LONG
HIGH LINE, NY Disused
2006 LAUNCH 1째 SECTOR 2009 2째 SECTOR 2012
3째 SECTOR 2014
MINING BASIN OF NORD PAS DE CALAIS
WHL CULTURAL LANDSCAPE 2012 “Cavalier” network
MUELLE DE RIOTINTO HUELVA 1975 OUT OF SERVICE 2004 DESIGNATED
2007 REFURBISHED AS WALK WAY
ROYAL ALBERT BRIDGE
FORTH BRIDGE (EDINBURGH) NOMINATION TO THE WHL The Justification of OUV The Bridge is the first monumental scale cantilever bridge ever built in steel. Criteria applied (i) the Forth Bridge represents human creative genius. (iv) It is an outstanding example of the evolution of bridge design and the use of steel in monumental construction.
QUEENSFERRY VILLAGE
PIETRARSA RAILWAY MUSEUM (NAPLES) 1989 OPENING 2011 RE-OPENING
O F F I C I N E G R A N D I R I P A
YORK RAILWAY STATION (designed by the architects Thomas Prosser and William Peachey, 1877 )
NEWCASTLE RAILWAY STATION (1850, Grade 1 Listed Building)
EUSTON ARCH DEMOLISHED IN1961
PRAGUE-TĚŠNOV RAILWAY STATION (CZECH REPUBLIC) DEMOLISHED IN 1985
Hauptbahnhof's north wing (Stuttgart)
Hauptbahnhof's north wing
RAILWAY STATIONS REUSE AS:
- RAILWAY MUSEUMS - NEW MUSEUMS
- NEW URBAN ACTIVITIES
RAILWAY MUSEUM IN TRIESTE INAUGURATED IN 1985
GIJÓN RAILWAY MUSEUM ASTURIAS - SPAIN
MUSﾃ右 D'ORSAY PARIS
HAMBURGER BAHNHOF MUSEUM FÜR GEGENWART (MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART) BERLIN
MOSI Museum of Science and Industry- Manchester
RAILWAY STATION
WAREHOUSE
BUFFALO CENTRAL STATION (NY)
CONCOURSE
PITTSBURGH & LAKE ERIE RAILROAD STATION (1897)
ATOCHA STATION MADRID
1851 INAUGURATION 1892 REBUILT SAFTER THE FIRE 1985 PROJECT BY MONEO 1992 CONVERSION
OPERATIONAL RAILWAY STATIONS Many operational railway stations represent a new category of heritage, that of the LIVING RAILWAY HERITAGE. The target of the refurbishment plans is not only functional, because they aim to convert the structure to fulfil new tasks. The refurbished stations become a complex aggregate of new functions where retail is perhaps the most important. As Rem Kolhass already noticed for the airports, the dominant activity of the new stations is retail and all the related service functions.
KING’S CROSS AND ST PANCRAS STATIONS
Single-storey extension (1972) KING’S CROSS RAILWAY STATION
Extension removal (2012) NEW DEPARTURE CONCOURSE
ST PANCRAS RAILWAY STATION
Grandi Stazioni SpA is a COMPANY supervised by Italy’s Ferrovie dello Stato (Italian State Railways) HOLDING. It was created to rehabilitate and manage, even commercially, the 13 biggest Italian railway stations.
The potential market of these stations can be estimated on these figures: • more than 700 millions of people in transit per year; • 1.500.000 m2 the total surface to be developed; • in 2012 Grandi Stazioni realized investments for 45 milioni di euro for programmes aimed to redevelop the 13 stations. The Grandi Stazioni project was that of transforming Italy’s 13 most important stations into comfortable, secure and accessible places with the dual role of multi-modal transport hubs and city “piazzas”, rich in commercial services and opportunities.
ROMA TERMINI RAILWAY STATION (1950)
CENTRAL RAILWAY STATION MILANO (1931)
FROM SINGLE PROPERTIES TO RAILWAY HERITAGE AS A SYSTEM Railways as World heritage Sites (A. Coulls, Icomos, 1999).
Railways are above all socio-technical systems in which it is ultimately impossible to separate out the ‘social’ and ‘technical’ aspects. Railways as socio-technical systems means that they are not only the product of technological engineering, but even the product of political, financial and managerial creativity. The social organization, and the wider historical context of railways’ development have as much importance as individual elements like stations, bridges and mobile properties (locomotives) Heritage protection policies that perceive railways as fully contextualized sites are recommended.
SEMMERING RAILWAY, AUSTRIA, INSCRIPTION IN 1998 Criterion (ii): The Semmering Railway represents an outstanding technological solution to a major physical problem in the construction of early railways.
Criterion (iv): With the construction of the Semmering Railway, areas of great natural beauty became more easily accessible and as a result these were developed for residential and recreational use, creating a new form of cultural landscape.
MOUNTAIN RAILWAYS OF INDIA INSCRIPTION 1999 Criterion (ii): Outstanding examples of the technology interchange and of the impact of an innovative transportation system on the social and economic development of a multicultural region.
Criterion (iv): Outstanding examples of access opening to the plains and plateaus of the Indian mountains. They are emblematic of the technical efforts for loosen mountain populations through the railway.
GREENWAYS: Definition (Lille Declaration, 2000): "Communication routes reserved exclusively for non-motorised journeys, developed in an integrated manner which enhances both the environment and quality of life of the surrounding area. These routes should meet satisfactory standards of width, gradient, and surface condition to ensure that they are both user-friendly and low -risk for users of all abilities. In this respect, canal towpaths and disused railway lines are a highly suitable resource for the development of greenwaysÂť.
1998 Foundation of the ITALIAN GREENWAYS ASSOCIATION 2001 The Italian FERROVIE DELLO STATO Company charges the ITALIAN GREENWAYS ASSOCIATION with a project for the valorization of the disused railways as greenways.
INVENTORY OF THE ITALIAN DISUSED RAILWAYS:
• 8.000 km reusable;
• 5.100 no more operational • 2.700 insufficiently used
IDENTIFICATION OF THE AREAS OF INTEREST BY MEANS OF GIS TECHNOLOGY According to preestablished criteria have been defined the main areas of tourist interest and identified the disused railways to be employed as greenways.
This reconversion concerns only 3.850 km.
FROM RAIL TO TRAIL: FORMER “ORA – PREDAZZO” RAILWAY AS NEW GREENWAY
FROM RAIL TO TRAIL: FORMER “ELSA – POGGIBONSI“ RAILWAY AS NEW GREENWAY
GREENWAYS IN EUROPE • VOIES VERTES (France)
• CHEMINS DU RAIL (Belgium) • VIAS VERDES (Spain)
• ECOPISTAS (Portugal)
THE PRINCIPLES 1. Railway Heritage is a complex system of values: technical, historical, cultural, environmental and landscape.
2. Disused rail tracks can be an important resource in the urban regeneration plans for derelict area within the cities. 1. Disused railways can be reused as tourist transport service for entering and move within nature parks, protected environment sites, etc. and so create a greenways network.
1. Greenways network can give a powerful drive for the development and revamping of the local-regional economic according to the principles of sustainability.
THE PROPOSALS The Railway Heritage should not be dismembered: all its components (tracks, engineering structures, equipments, mobile elements, etc.) must be preserved as a whole system. The integrity of disused railways must be protected through their designation as cultural properties and purchased when they run the danger to be dismantled. The reemployment of disused railways must be integrated into the development plans for urban and rural areas. The reuse and restoration of railway infrastructures and equipment as aid greenways developmen should be fostered by local authorities. Small railway stations in disuse should be appointed to non profit associations even for temporary reuse (exhibitions, events, etc.)
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION