LINKS - Old European cities as a key for sustainability

For the past decades historical centers have been suffering from an important loss of interest, whereas old european cities met THE sustainable urban model, thanks to urban density, high architectural quality, diversity and proximity of urban facilities. The LINKS project aims at reconciling patrimonial and environmental qualities to get a sustainable and desirable housing environment in the heart of the cities for a diversified population. 

The cities involved in LINKS project aim to replace their historical cities into a dynamic of residential attractiveness while preserving the architectural identity cultural heritage and historical values. The challenge is to improve quality of life in old centres and to create a comfortable, affordable and sustainable housing seeking out a good balance between preservation requirement and evolution need.

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Project launch :
10 December 2009
End of the project :
2012

Lead Partner

City of BAYONNE urbact@bayonne.fr

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Frédérique CALVANUS, the LINKS Lead Partner

She recently joined the department Sustainable Development of the Municipality of Bayonne after several years in the town planning department. She has an experience in Urban planning and legal framework for heritage protection and has a pragmatic approach of sustainable development.

Partners

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Lead Expert

Antonio BORGHI (for the implementation phase)[CV]

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Antonio BORGHI studied architecture at the University of Florence until 1989 and became a scholarship at Technische Hochschule Darmstadt. In 1992, he made a stage in the Architecture Faculty of Budapest and, after many working experiences in Darmstadt, Wiesbaden and Berlin, he finally graduated in Darmstadt as diplom Ingenieur in 1996.

In 2009, he became a PhD degree in Urban Projects and Policies at the Politecnico di Milano, with a dissertation on the physical dimension of European urban policies. The dissertation was published in Italy in 2009 and became the starting point of his blog at www.welldesignedandbuilt.wordpress.com

He has been involved as architect, space and urban planner in large projects at european level, working for international firms such as Mario Bellini Associati, Degw plc, David Chipperfield Architects, Hans Kollhoff Generalplanung and currently at studio Ivana Invernizzi.

Besides professional activity he carried on teaching activity at the Politecnico di Milano and at the Stuttgart Town Planning Institute, organising and participating to international workshops and conferences that have been documented in several national and international publications.

Since 2000, he is member of the International Affairs Committee of the Italian Chamber of Architects (CNAPPC) and in 2003, he has been nominated Chairman of the Word Group Urban Issues of the Architects' Councils of Europe.

Between 2005 and 2007, he was appointed as thematic expert for the Hous-Es URBACT Network, dealing with the regeneration of a large housing estate in old and new member states.