The Physical and Social Changes in the Urban Residential Areas Redeveloped by Urban Renewal Projects in Germany : A Case Study of Nuremberg since the 1970s

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  • ドイツにおける都市更新事業に伴う住宅地域変容 : 1970年代以降のニュルンベルクを事例として
  • ドイツ ニ オケル トシ コウシン ジギョウ ニ トモナウ ジュウタク チイキ ヘンヨウ 1970ネンダイ イコウ ノ ニュルンベルク オ ジレイ ト シテ

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Abstract

This study uses the case of Nuremberg to investigate the change of urban residential areas redeveloped by urban renewal projects from the standpoint of physical and social change in Germany since the 1970s.The city authority has introduced urban renewal projects legally based on Stadtebauforderungsgesetz (the Urban Construction Subsidy Act) in 1971 for the sake of rehabilitation of urban decay areas, since the number of deteriorating housings had gradually increased in some parts of urban residential areas in those days. The prototype project starting in the 1970s led to radical and dramatic changes in the area owing to reorganization of lots, patterns of streets and to construction of some public institutions, after many old buildings had been destroyed. Additionally, it financially supported many land-and housing owners to reconstruct and renovate their housings through the subsidy or accommodation of funds. Especially, it succeeded in increasing the amount of floor space per flat and improving the standard of residential functions in a short period of time, while many original residents had to move out from the area because of destruction of their old flats. These measures led not only to dramatic changes in the population movements and in demographic structure, but also to the slow but steady increase in the number of the new flats with large floor space and with modern residential functions for the long period of time, into which Germans and foreigners have moved. At the same time, I point out the increasing ratio for single households and young couples, owing to remaining several small flats in the area after the project. A large part of them move their flats after several years. Because of carelessness in regard to the historical identity of residential areas and destruction of neighborhood networks, the prototype projects were criticized after the middle of the 1970s. Since the 1980s urban renewal projects have paid much more attention to the utilization of existing buildings and the spatial potential for re-use. Main targets of the project after the 1980s were old deteriorating buildings, which were functionally and externally renovated by the financial support through subsidy or accommodation of funds. There were only a few old buildings to be removed for reconstruction. The effects on improving standards of flats were not small, but not enough, when we compare them with those of the prototype projects. These facts mean the existence of many remaining old flats with small floor space and substandard residential function, whose rents tend to be cheaper than the modernized flats. As a result, the ratio for foreigners, single households and young couple with their child or children increase in number for a long period of time. However, the fact that many of them tend to move out from the area after several years means the neighbors could not have long term contact in this area. In this way, utilization of existing buildings makes it possible to maintain the old flats with low quality and low rent, into which low income people can move. This fact also means that the measures of social rehabilitation remain to be done in the new urban renewal projects after the 1980s.

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