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The book I edited and co-authored deals with several means how to revitalize unused publicly owned buildings and sites. We have come a long way. From the period of state ownership, through decades of wild privatization, to the renewed search for public interest. Buildings that were once factories, schools or warehouses can find a new use today. So they don't all have to end up in disrepair or as residential areas. Can municipalities recognize other types of collective investors who could give their city or district a different, community impulse?

books, urban planningMilota SidorovaNovember 1, 2020Nová Cvernovkaarchitecture, research, urban planning, policies

Shared Cities: Atlas

The Shared Cities Atlas applies the new, global ‘sharing paradigm’ in architecture and public sphere to a site-specific situation in seven cities in Central Europe. Mapping current practices of sharing and new fields of action in case studies, it contextualizes the phenomenon in research papers, data, and photography.

The ideas of a ‘right to the city’, of common resources, or ‘the urban commons’ all of which are in vogue in contemporary architectural discourse illustrate the paradigm shift towards a sharing perspective. In ‘sharing cities’ the emphasis lies in the right to remake the cities as a form of urban social contract with a specific creative or critical agenda. The Atlas presents creative forms of sharing driven by idealistic positions and collective actions – new approaches to sharing of spaces and architecture, experience and knowledge, data, or collective histories.

booksMilota SidorovaSeptember 19, 2019urban planning, budapest, prague, br, warsaw, research

Obchodná Street Retail Study, Bratislava, Slovakia

The socio-economic retail study of Obchodna Street is the first of its kind in Slovakia and helps to identify key problems and potentials of this historically important shopping destination. The study was commissioned by the citizens' initiative Obchodna ulica a okolie (Obchodna Street neighbourhood) which brings together business owners and stakeholders with the aim to develop a long-term vision and coordinated concept for a new business improvement district in this part of the city.

The research combines qualitative and quantitative methods based on interviews with more than 120 businesses, providing an overview of the economic and social aspects of the street to inform and steer its future transformation. Engaging visual interpretation of key statistics is complemented by ethnographic profiles of selected businesses that capture the people and local character of this dynamically changing urban space. An audit of public space, access and movement help build up a holistic picture of the area's potentials.

Despite rapidly changing retail trends and new urban developments affecting the city, the study reveals that Obchodna Street has a good basis and realistic potential for positive transformation. The findings show resilience against shopping malls that aggressively expanded into central areas of Bratislava in 1990s influencing general consumer habits. The fact that almost half of the shops on Obchodna Street are independent is precisely its competitive advantage over generic experience offered by the shopping malls.

However, the content and spatial diversity of the retail offer is often negatively interpreted through formal inconsistency, lack of parking or lack of greenery. Paradoxically, diversity, inclusiveness and good public transport accessibility are fundamental qualitative parameters for long-term sustainability of this unique place.

Collaboration: Marko&Placemakers

Authors: Petra Marko, Milota Sidorová, Igor Marko

Published: November 2015