Papastergiou, Christos;
(2019)
Leftover City: Alternative Uses of Leftover Sites in Amsterdam (1952–1978) and Nicosia (1974–2014).
Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).
Abstract
This thesis investigates the presence of leftover sites in urban environments. I use the term ‘leftover’ to describe sites that are abandoned, underused and, usually, neglected by the dominant patterns of use in the city. To understand the phenomenon of leftover sites, I consider both the historical conditions and the mechanisms that are responsible for their production. I investigate the varied forces, circumstances and actions that create leftover sites, and I explore the similarities and differences between leftover sites from various places and eras. The thesis is divided into two parts: the first is dedicated to Amsterdam and the second to Nicosia. In the first part, I discuss the Amsterdam Playgrounds project by the Dutch architect Aldo van Eyck, which consisted of the conversion of more than 700 leftover sites in Amsterdam into playgrounds between 1952 and 1978. In the second part, I focus on a series of projects that I developed over a period of five years in architectural competitions relating to different leftover sites in Nicosia. The two parts constitute both a structural and a methodological division. In the first part, the leftover sites are explored through the adaptation of play, while in the second part the leftover sites are explored as informal gardens through the historical evidence about the role of gardens in the identity of Nicosia. Whereas the first part takes an analytical approach, the second part adopts a propositional approach; and whereas the first part acts as an archive for discussing ideas and design strategies, the second part takes the form of a laboratory in which these ideas and strategies are applied in a new context. The research question that I introduce is whether leftover sites can act as a resource for urban life by hosting temporary or alternative uses. The ‘Leftover City’ is a term that describes the possibilities that the sum of leftover sites can have for the city when they are acknowledged as resources, and when they are documented and treated as a network parallel to the dominant routine networks of the city. By exploring the concept of the Leftover City, the thesis contributes to the broader discussion about urban sustainability and, in particular, the sustainable development of cities with a localised character. It also adds to our understanding of the role of architectural design as a means of enhancing the existing identity of a locale.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Qualification: | Ph.D |
| Title: | Leftover City: Alternative Uses of Leftover Sites in Amsterdam (1952–1978) and Nicosia (1974–2014) |
| Event: | UCL (University College London) |
| Language: | English |
| UCL classification: | UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of the Built Environment UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of the Built Environment > The Bartlett School of Architecture |
| URI: | https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10073693 |
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