Transformation of Grown City Centers

Abstract

Urban district centers are key in supporting community life in European cities. The vitality of these centers is essential for the functionality not only of the districts but indeed the entire city. Many established city centers suffer a high adjustment pressure; formerly vital centers experience a loss of importance. In order to explore the hypothesis that the required transformation of those centers can only be positively affected by strategies of different actors, especially local actors, researchers conducted four case studies in German cities. The city centers examined throughout the study offer various challenges and opportunities, specific constellations of actors and different development options. The article analyses the role of transformation research, real-world laboratories and social innovations in the transformation of urban district centers.