Shaping neighborhoods and nature: Urban political ecologies of urban waterfront transformations in Portland, Oregon
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Introduction: Portland planning and waterfront redevelopment
Nearly everyone loves Portland, Oregon. It is beautiful, has a mild climate, progressive politics and strong environmental ethics. Common stories of Portland circle around outdoor activities, unique civic spaces and institutions, and a variety of transit options including: light rail, streetcars, a soon to be completed aerial tram, walkable neighbourhoods, an award winning bus system, and bicycle friendly streets. In a word, it’s liveable. Organizations such as Partners for Liveable Communities
Staging of urban nature: The River District and North Macadam District in Portland
Established at the few areas of flat land along the lower Willamette River, the historic waterfront was the heart of Portland’s early economic activity. It became separated from this function as transportation technology shifted scales and the harbour moved downstream to wider, deeper portions of the river. Until recently, railroad yards, barge works and salvage operations dominated the historic riverfront, but over time, new configurations for this ‘grey zone’ of older buildings and lots
Conclusion
Planning for liveability in Portland has sought to capitalize on and reinforce particular forms of nature, linked to specific types of marketable urban revitalization and reflecting desires for post-industrial knowledge-based economic development amid the uncertainties of deindustrialization and globalization. Considering waterfront redevelopment through the discourse of liveability planning in Portland presents an opportunity to move beyond blanket assessments of gentrification, while
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Influence of built environment and user experience on the waterfront vitality of historical urban areas: A case study of the Qinhuai River in Nanjing, China
2023, Frontiers of Architectural ResearchWhat influenced the vitality of the waterfront open space? A case study of Huangpu River in Shanghai, China
2021, CitiesCitation Excerpt :Aimed at empirically testing Jacobs' ideas, X. Delclòs-Alió and Miralles-Guasch (2018) analyzed urban vitality throughout a systemized approach, whose factors include accessibility, concentration, diversity, contact opportunity, need for aged buildings and border vacuums. The existing literature on waterfront factors includes discussion of nature (Hagerman, 2007; Sairinen & Kumpulainen, 2006), function (Breen & Rigby, 1996; Evans, 2005), culture (Hurley, 2006; Moe & Wilkie, 1997), accessibility (Che et al., 2012; Sairinen & Kumpulainen, 2006), economic (Desfor & Jørgensen, 2004; U. Lehrer & Laidley, 2008), and others (Bassett, Griffiths, & Smith, 2002; Desfor & Jørgensen, 2004; Saito, 2003) (Table 1). These studies provided the basis for the subsequent selection of factors of waterfront vitality.