Neighbourhood transition towards collective use of vacant spaces ROADMAP FOR LEZHA magazine INCLUSIVE CITIES FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES Revitalizing the vacant spaces in Lezha developed by: Wonderland, ETMI, Kreative Räume Wien, SHARE Architects and the Council of Lezha. INCLUSIVE CITIES FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES Revitalizing the vacant spaces in Lezha ROAD MAP FOR LEZHA CONTENT 1. INTRODUCTION 9 1.1 Aims of the roadmap 12 1.2 Scope of the project 14 1.3 Selected exchange-experts for the project 16 1.4 Actions of the project 18 2. THE LEZHA CONTEXT 21 2.1 Lezha urban area and surroundings 22 2.2 Information about Lezha 24 2.3 Stakeholders in Lezha 25 2.4 Vacancy in Lezha 26 2.5 Examples of vacant spaces in Lezha 26 3. INSPIRATION FROM VIENNA AND BEYOND 31 3.1 Vacant spaces: from problem to potential 32 The field of action 35 3.2 Taking care of vacant spaces: Kreative Räume Wien 38 Benefits of vacant spaces activation 40 The field of action 42 3.3 Best practice: Creative Cluster Margareten 44 3.6 Nordbahn-Halle Vienna 48 3.7 Urban regeneration with vacancy 50 3.8 PlaceCity – a school transformation in Oslo 52 3.9 Open Heritage – reactivation of a vacant market in Bratislava 54 4. DEFINING THE FIELD OF ACTION 59 4.1 Synergy potentials 60 4.2 Local multipliers 60 4.3 Case studies as starter 61 4.4 Distanced working on two case studies 63 5. VACANT SPACE I : GYMNASIUM 65 5.1 Ideas and recommendations for case study I 66 5.2 Conclusions for case study I 67 6. VACANT SPACE II: RESIDENTIAL BUILDING 69 6.1 Ideas and recommendations for case study II 70 6.2 Conclusions for case study II 71 7. NEXT STEPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 75 8. GUIDELINE FOR THE ROADMAP 81 9. SUMMARY 85 about Wonderland 88 about Blind date 89 about SHARE Architects 90 about Kreative Räume Wien 91 about ETMI 92 about the Lezha Municipality 93 masthead 94 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Our society and the need for spaces are in a constant process of change. Each development, whether it be technical or economic, opens up new requirements and needs in terms of the availability and usability of spaces and buildings. Urban planning, development and regeneration is therefore, a process that has to reflect on the changes taking place in society. Contemporary urban management needs to find an adequate solution for each phase of the city’s transformation. Our cities are never ready, never finished, but the also never old and never outdated. Moreover, with every implementation, they can be the best version of themselves. We believe every spot on earth can become a WONDERLAND for its users. Even the best places need to adapt to upcoming and future challenges and needs. Therefore, this process of constant adaptation needs visions, ideas, best practices and a multiciplicity of actors to become what we deserve. For this Blind Date exchange between Austria and Albania, we choose experts with extensive knowledge and experience. Silvia Forlati is one of the founding members of the wonderland association, founder of architecture office SHARE Architects and researcher at TU Wien. She’s managed or worked in transition processes both for small towns and big cities such as Vienna alike. Ulrich Fries has worked on numerous urban transition projects dealing with urban vacancy. He brings his knowledge about and experience with Vienna’s vacancy management organisation, kreative Räume, to this unique project. Bahanur Nasya, Head of organisations at wonderland, utilizes her experience with European activation projects in managing the exchange between the experts and guiding the development of the project roadmap. 9 Neighbourhood transition towards collective used of vacant spaces // The re-use of spaces and buildings opens up regeneration scenarios and challenges that need to be managed in an integrated manner by administrators, companies, associations, and citizens. In Europe, we have numerous positive experiences of effective temporary or permanent re-use of places to draw from. We need to contribute to urban regeneration through the occupation of new spaces and the development of new participatory processes while public administrations carry the responsibility of deciding and facilitating re- use and developing policies that ensure such adaptations on on-going basis. In Lezha, the concept of re-use cannot yet be considered to be at a developed phase as neither the city administration nor the inhabitants have visions or concepts that embrace vacancies. But the effects of vacant spaces, such as the diminishing of the local population and the recession of the town, a loss of brain power as well as urban vitality and diversity is evident. When paired with the diminishing value of property, it results in all citizens being affected by the vacancy in the city. With this awareness, we hypothesized that the creation of a process for activation could facilitate urban regeneration and the circular re-use of unused buildings and spaces. Current needs could be addressed through the involvement of citizens and local stakeholders. The transformation of existing buildings and adaptive re-use strategies could assist in making Lezha and other cities and towns more sustainable and resilient, resulting in promoting and favoring citizen well-being and a better quality of life, strengthening local identities, memories, and culture, fostering respect for the environment as well as social inclusion and economic growth. 10 // REVITALIZING THE VACANT SPACES IN LEZHA We’re collaborating with Meivis Struga, founder of ETMI for this project. Melvis not only does he have extensive local knowledge, but the capacity to act as a multiplier within the country to promote knowledge of the roadmap and its re-use in other parts of the country. Fatlinda Struga is an experienced architect also teaching at the University of Tirana. Various municipal departments in Lezha were represented in this project to ensure the ongoing implementation of the project ideas. Petrit Marku (Municipality of Lezha, Albania) is the director of Planning and Development Department, Zef Zefi, Klevis Marku and Alban Marku (Municipality of Lezha, Albania) are specialists in charge at Planning and Development Department, (Municipality of Lezha, Albania). INTRODUCTION 11 Neighbourhood transition towards collective used of vacant spaces // 1.1 Aims of the roadmap This roadmap can be a useful tool to kick- In fact, the activation of disused and start an overall strategy that looks at a underutilized spaces and buildings in new model of urban re-use management, European towns and cities can create regardless of whether it’s driven by the opportunities for new jobs, promote a municipality of the citizens themselves. collaborative economy, spearhead social innovations and support start-ups. This collaboration project created a mix of actions that are also tackling other SDG requirements, such as: The aim of this project is to support Goal 4: Ensure inclusive the cities in reaching the “Sustainable and equitable quality Development Goals” of the UN (the education and promote so-called SDG’s), which are defined lifelong learning for all nations to ensure no city, town opportunities for all; or village is left behind. Since 2017, the wonderland Blind Date series has been supporting various actors through organizing international exchangeand ensuring transparent Goal 8: Promote sustained, and democratic access to knowledge. inclusive and sustainable We believe this has fostered an economic growth, full and opportunity to embrace current productive employment challenges and create opportunities and decent work for all; for emerging experts. Thse topic “urban regeneration and re-use of buildings” presented in this roadmap covers SDG 11 (“Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, Goal 12: Ensure resilient and sustainable”) and SDG 15 sustainable consumption (Life on land) concerning land saving. and production patterns. 12 // REVITALIZING THE VACANT SPACES IN LEZHA Synergies with other Actions: The project creates important synergies within the country and supports the achievement of the national goals. The national program for urban renaissance, as well as the program for the urban transformation of cities throughout the country is initiated by the central government of Albania. This project can be utilized as a model to be replicated in other cities, withinin the frame of those programs. The objective of the Action: The goal of the project is to usher in a new way of thinking when it comes to the revitalization of unused space in the Lezha Municipality. This will be achieved through the transference of know-how and good practices to public authorities and other relevant stakeholders such as scholars, communities and local businesses. In the first chapter, a background overview of Lezha is presented. In the second chapter, urban re-use examples are presented. Chapter 3 mainly focuses on the models for Lezha and explains the roadmap, with case studies. This book ends with recommendations and next steps for the presented scenarios. 13 Neighbourhood transition towards collective used of vacant spaces // 1.2 Scope of the project Through this project, Austrian partners Source: Silvia Forlati, SHARE Architects plan on creating a new way of revitalizing vacant spaces to Lezha (Albania). This will be achieved through the establishment of new practices and know-how transfer involving public authorities and other relevant stakeholders. The interdisciplinary action aims to remove the inefficiency of unused spaces, thereby changing the perspective and offering more sustainability. The approach is a mix of cultural affairs and economy, finance, city planning and development. The revitalisation of vacant spaces has sustained and inclusive economic growth, a revolutionary impact on the lives of full and productive employment and citizens. By using already built spaces, the decent work opportunities for all. It also act ensures inclusive and equitable quality ensures sustainable consumption and education and promotes lifelong learning production patterns while increasing opportunities for all.