Palimpsests : biographies of 50 city districts : international case studies of urban change

What benefits do city districts offer their users? Knox’ in-situ studies present 50 especially significant city districts from the whole of Europe in words and pictures. His field research focuses on typologically outstanding city districts that have developed a high degree of individuality. Cities are the symbiosis of diverse districts: the smaller units serve to provide an important identity function: business centers and amusement districts such as the City and the West End in London, technology and science quarters (Adlershof in Berlin), designer districts such as the Zona Tortona in Milan and the Fashion District in New York. Two other factors that play a major role are the conversion of industrial wastelands and new districts colored by a supranational capitalism or a sustainable or dubious planning – such as the Vauban residential quarter in Freiburg in South Germany or the Lower Ninth District in New Orleans. Paul Knox also always analyzes how and why these districts have turned out the way they are: outlining their visible and also their hidden and often blurred "biography". A fascinating journey through space and time! * A special kind of urban travel guide * Inspiring typologies for architects and urban planners * Featuring examples from Paris, Edinburgh, San Francisco, Washington, amongst others Preface Introduction: Cities and Their Districts Abandoibarra, Bilbao (Regenerated district) Adlershof, Berlin (Science & Technology district) Ancoats, Manchester (Industrial suburb) Belgravia, London (Elite district) Boundary Estate, London (Social housing district) Bournville, Birmingham (Garden suburb) Bryggen, Bergen (Historic waterfront) Cary, Raleigh (Boomburb) The City, London (Financial district) Dorchester, Boston (Streetcar suburb) Eastern Harbour, Amsterdam (Waterfront district) Encino, California (Sitcom suburb) False Creek, Vancouver (Postindustrial district) Fashion District, New York (Garment district) Forest Hills Gardens, New York (Garden suburb) The Ghetto, Venezia (Ethnic district) Grands Boulevards, Paris (Retail district) Greenbelt, Maryland (New Town) Hollywood, Los Angeles (Media district) Hoxton, London (Neobohemia) Hufeisensiedlung, Berlin (Social housing district) Isle of Dogs, London (Regenerated district) Kentlands, Gaithersburg (Neotraditional subdivision) The Kuip, Gent (Altstadt district) La Défense, Paris (Office district) Levittown, New York (Fordist suburb) Little Saigon, Los Angeles (Ethnoburb) The Loop, Chicago (Central Business District) Lower 9th District, New Orleans (Ethnic district) Le Marais, Paris (Mixed-use district) Mission District, San Francisco (Ethnic/Gay/Gentrified district) New Town, Edinburgh (Planned residential district) Old Town, Alexandria, Virginia (Historic district) Pike Place Market, Seattle (Market district) Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin (Gentrified district) Quadrilatero della moda, Milano (Semiotic district) Riverside, Chicago (Railway suburb) Scharnhauser Park, Stuttgart (New Town) Schöneberg, Berlin (Gay district) Shaw, Washington, D.C. (Ethnic district) South Beach, Miami (Destination district) SouthPark, Charlotte (Affluent suburb) Spitalfields, London (Transitional district) Temple Bar, Dublin (Cultural quarter) Theatreland, London (Entertainment district) Trastevere, Roma (Medieval suburb) Tysons Corner, Virginia (Edge City district) Quartier Vauban, Freiburg im Breisgau (Green district) Zähringerstadt, Bern (Altstadt district) Zona Tortona, Milano (Design district) Index

Knox‘ Untersuchung vor Ort bringt 50 besonders signifikante „City Districts“ aus ganz Europa und Nordamerika in Wort und Bild zur Darstellung. Seine Feldforschung konzen-triert sich auf typologisch herausragende Stadtteile, die eine ganz ausgeprägte Individualität entwickelt haben.
Städte sind die Symbiose von verschiedenartigen Quartieren: die kleineren Einheiten erfüllen für die Bewohner eine wichtige identitätsstiftende Funktion: Geschäfts- und Unterhaltungsviertel wie etwa die City und Theatreland in London, Technologie- und Wissenschaftsbezirke (Adlershof in Berlin), Designerviertel wie die Zona Tortona in Mailand und der Fashion District in New York.
Auch die Umwandlung von Industriebrachen und Neugründungen, geprägt durch einen übernationalen Kapitalismus oder durch eine nachhaltige, beziehungsweise fragwürdige Planung – etwa das Vauban-Wohnquartier in Freiburg in Breisgau oder das Lower Ninth District in New Orleans –, spielen eine große Rolle. Paul Knox analysiert immer auch, wie und warum diese Stadtteile zu dem geworden sind, was sie heute sind – ihre sichtbare und oft auch versteckte, verwischte „Biografie“. Eine spannende Reise durch Raum und Zeit!

Main description: Knox' in-situ studies present 50 especially significant city districts from the whole of Europe in words and pictures. His field research focuses on typologically outstanding city districts that have developed a high degree of individuality. Cities are the symbiosis of diverse districts: the smaller units serve to provide an important identity function: business centers and amusement districts such as the City and the West End in London, technology and science quarters (Adlershof in Berlin), designer districts such as the Zona Tortona in Milan and the Fashion District in New York. Two other factors that play a major role are the conversion of industrial wastelands and new districts colored by a supranational capitalism or a sustainable or dubious planning - such as the Vauban residential quarter in Freiburg in South Germany or the Lower Ninth District in New Orleans. Paul Knox also always analyzes how and why these districts have turned out the way they are: outlining their visible and also their hidden and often blurred 0biography0. A fascinating journey through space and time! Paul Knox is University Distinguished Professor and Executive Director of Long Range Planning at the College of Architecture and Urban Studies at Virginia Tech, in the United States. He is also co-author of the successful Birkhäuser publication 0Small Town Sustainability0(2009) "Knox's in-situ studies present 50 especially significant city districts from the whole of Europe in words and pictures. His field research focuses on typologically outstanding city districts that have developed a high degree of individuality. Cities are the symbiosis of diverse districts: the smaller units serve to provide an important identity function: business centers and amusement districts such as the City and the West End in London, technology and science quarters (Adlershof in Berlin), designer districts such as the Zona Tortona in Milan and the Fashion District in New York. Two other factors that play a major role are the conversion of industrial wastelands and new districts colored by a supranational capitalism or a sustainable or dubious planning-- such as the Vauban residential quarter in Freiburg in South Germany or the Lower Ninth District in New Orleans. Paul Knox also always analyzes how and why these districts have turned out the way they are: outlining their visible and also their hidden and often blurred 'biography'"--Provided by publisher