Barbara Engel Book order

Harnessing large urban housing estates in former socialist countries as a resource for the future housing supply requires innovative and practicable strategies and concepts. What are the challenges to be overcome? How can the often mono-structural estates be altered, and how can spatial and cultural identities be reinforced? Which role does the community play in these former socialist neighborhoods? The contributors to this volume present perspectives from different disciplines, both in academia and practice. The exchange of international experiences creates the base for further debate and learning and provides insight into the multiplicity of challenges and approaches today.

Mass housing in Germany, Russia, and Ukraine represents an enormous volume of housing today and therefore a huge resource for the future development of cities. But transformation of these districts is needed due to the functional, societal, and technical problems and challenges they face. How can sustainable, socially compatible, ecological responsible, and economically efficient development be achieved? The book summarises the results of a three-year research project. Based on the selected case studies, it points out the qualities and values as well as the problems and potentials involved in spatially transforming prefabricated housing estates from the 1960s and 1970s. The specific features and characteristics of the socialist city are evaluated with respect to their potentials and difficulties, and with regard to the requirements placed on future district planning and development. Hence this book contributes to the on-going discussion and serves as a valuable basis for developing planning strategies.

All around the world, new city districts are being realized that draw on historical typologies and form languages. In inner cities, new buildings in a historical style are increasingly replacing established existing buildings, in order to bring back long-lost historical ensembles or sought-after images. The phenomenon of retro districts is complex, with different motivations, constellations of involved parties and forms of expression. Apart from the reconstruction of lost buildings, historical structures are simply copied and placed in a completely new spatial and socio-cultural context. This publication examines the phenomenon of historicizing construction, based on 14 international case studies, including the Dom-Römer area in Frankfurt, the Elbing old town in Poland, Hallstatt in China, Poundbury in England, or the Old Town in Dubai. It presents the developmental history and status quo of the projects, as well as the socio-political backgrounds and the debates sparked by the conflicting interests of those involved. Renowned experts define key terminology in a glossary section, supplementing the book that has numerous plans and illustrations.

A lively introduction to Russia's dramatic history from its origins to the present, this volume concisely describes how its peoples overcame constant challenges, including devastating foreign invasions, to become an ethnically and religiously diverse land empire, the first communist society, and a major world power.