Retail clusters represent an important spatial expression of urban vitality, yet how urban form relates to retail patterns remains underexplored, particularly at the plot scale where compositional and configurational attributes intersect. This research examines how plot-level structural and network-based contextual attributes are associated with retail density, agglomeration, and diversity in peripheral areas, and whether they correspond with retail cluster form. The Morphological Assessment Framework (MAF) weights plot at- tributes by their spatially varying associations with each retail metric, estimated through multiscale geographically weighted regression. Using municipal plot data and retail point-of-interest data, 19 peripheral clusters (5064 plots) were selected from DBSCAN-identified clusters (120, 200, and 216 m) in Ankara, Helsinki, and Vilnius. Retail diversity is positively associated with the configurational character of plots in all cities (0.13–0.60), and retail density with their compositional character, most strongly in Helsinki (0.46). The MAF indicates that these associations are configuration-led in Ankara, composition-led in Helsinki, and intermediate in Vilnius, while cluster form varies between cities rather than with plot morphology. As an analytical framework, the MAF identifies which morphological dimension is most closely associated with retail vitality in each of the three peripheral contexts, rather than assuming uniform effects.
In the wake of German reunification and the withdrawal of foreign military forces, vast tracts of former military land became available for redevelopment across the country. This paper investigates how three notable post-military sites (Bornstedter Feld in Potsdam, Scharnhauser Park in Ostfildern, and Vauban in Freiburg) were transformed into sustainable urban districts through distinct governance models and planning strategies. Utilizing a qualitative, comparative case study methodology, the research analyzes each site’s approach to governance, citizen participation, financial mechanisms, sustainability, and legal frameworks, particularly the use of §165 of the Federal Building Code (BauGB). The comparative analysis highlights that the success of post-military redevelopment depends not only on legal tools or financial models but also on civic inclusion and ecological vision. While all three projects achieved functional reintegration and urban quality, their varied outcomes underscore the importance of aligning governance structures with context-specific goals. These German experiences offer valuable lessons for cities in Korea, Eastern Europe, and post-conflict regions facing similar challenges in military land reuse. The study contributes to the broader discourse on adaptive urbanism, participatory governance, and sustainable redevelopment of brownfield sites.
The redevelopment of the Byker Estate in Newcastle upon Tyne (1969–82), designed by Ralph Erskine, is widely recognised for its serpentine wall and its participatory planning process. Yet it also deserves attention as a rare instance where architectural principles developed in the subarctic were translated into a British welfare-state context. This paper revisits Byker through the lens of Erskine’s concept for designing climatic and social thresholds that mediate between exposure and comfort. Drawing on Erskine’s own writings, comparative evidence from his other projects, and empirical evidence, the paper examines how strategies of sheltering mass, orientation, and thickened thresholds were adapted to Newcastle’s temperate climate. The analysis combines architectural reading, archival interpretation, and resident perspectives derived from field observation, a door-to-door questionnaire (n = 45), and semi-structured interviews (n = 6). The findings show that Byker’s wall-and-court morphology continues to temper wind, buffer noise, and create sunlit, sheltered spaces. At the same time, thresholds such as porches, balcony stairs, and coloured entrances remain legible and operable for residents. However, the results also suggest that comfort is often experienced at the house- hold scale rather than communally; perceptions of warmth and quietness are closely tied to concerns about maintenance and governance. The transferable lesson is not the replication of details, but the adoption of principles: manufacture microclimate at the scale of plan and section, make protective edges readable and adjustable, and sustain their operability through participatory maintenance systems. Crucially, the protecting function today must be reinterpreted not only as a historical lesson but as a future-oriented strategy.
Cartagena, Spain, is a unique Mediterranean coastal city defined by its transition from a rigid 18th-entury military stronghold to a dynamic modern center. While its ancient ruins are well-documented, the city’s later layers – specifically its modernist architecture and institutional landmarks – are often overlooked in urban discourse. This neglect creates a gap between heritage preservation and the living city, risking a “museumification” that disconnects historical sites from contemporary social life. This study posits that Cartagena’s urban identity is sustained through a “Heritage-City Synergy”. It argues that the integration of modernist aesthetics, the adaptive reuse of institutional buildings, and the performance of urban rituals act as the primary engines that transform a static historical anatomy into a vibrant, functional urban environment. The research focuses on three analytical pillars: (1) the Modernist Identity emerged from the engineering reclamation of the Almarjal lagoon; (2) the Institutional Adaptive Reuse exemplified by the Polytechnic University of Cartagena (UPCT) campus within former military barracks; and (3) the urban rituals, such as the Carthaginians and Ro- mans festival, that socially re-appropriate historical spaces. The spatial scope covers the historic harbor-front, the military fringe-belt, and the Ensanche district. The findings reveal that the “Heritage-City Synergy” has successfully prevented urban obsolescence. The transformation of exclusionary military edges into academic nodes has injected new socio-economic vitality into the core, while urban rituals bridge the chronological gaps between different historical eras. This synergy ensures that Cartagena’s identity remains a living, felt experience rather than a fragmented collection of relics. This study provides a framework for managing historical port cities by emphasizing functional and social continuity. The proposed “Anatomical Decoding” framework offers a scalable methodology applicable to diverse global port typologies, from Northern European industrial waterfronts to high-density Asian maritime hubs, providing a vital tool for balancing heritage-led vitality with the pressures of contemporary urban development and tourism.
This article reviews Tom Spector’s Architecture and the Public Good, examining the relationship between architecture, professional ethics, and the concept of the public good. The analysis situates the mono- graph within broader theoretical discussions on publicness, capitalism, and the social role of the architectural profession. Drawing on Spector’s engagement with thinkers such as Habermas, Warner, Fraser, and Rorty, the article discusses the fragmentation of publicness, the shifting boundary between public and private spheres, and the ethical implications of architectural practice under contemporary conditions. Particular attention is given to the relationship between architectural aesthetics and ethics, as well as to the profession’s position within market-driven environments. The review highlights the theoretical scope of Spector’s work and its contribution to ongoing discussions on architectural ethics, professional responsibility, and the public dimension of architecture.
