As is the case with many cities in a post-apartheid South Africa, Pretoria’s central business dis... more As is the case with many cities in a post-apartheid South Africa, Pretoria’s central business district is in a state of decline; this persistent demise of the ‘centre’ is as a result of the preference of businesses, and more affluent parts of society, to locate themselves within the new suburban centres. High rates of violence and crime affect the image of inner cities in South Africa. A study from the year 2000 concluded that crime, and more importantly the perception of crime, must be addressed if successful development is to take place. The upgrading of the area around the Pretoria Station was identified as one of the key interventions necessary to strengthen the qualities of the inner city. The aim of this study was to investigate if the enhancement of the environment, through physical features and surveillance, has the potential to change the public perception of safety and, as a reciprocal effect, the actual safety of an area. Crime maps, based on raw data from the South African Police Services, and perception surveys were carried out along the central spine of the inner city. This data revealed that there is a contrast between the way that citizens perceive their environment, and the actual danger posed, allowing for greater understanding of the relationship between physical and social characteristics of the area. The analysis has uncovered the link between urban renewal and crime reduction, in the immediate perimeter of the intervention, but reveals also that a displacement of crime to the surrounding areas might have occurred. In order to stimulate an improvement in safety conditions, as well as enhance the quality of the living and working environment in the surrounding area, an approach to crime prevention that addresses the risk factors and encourages integration would strengthen the already essentially inherent qualities of the inner city, such as vibrancy and diversity.
This article draws attention to the urban pioneers
of L´Aquila and illustrates through original m... more This article draws attention to the urban pioneers of L´Aquila and illustrates through original material the current status quo of the recovery of buildings for residential and commercial uses. The research will look deeply into the conditions of the citizens living in these recovered houses and will consider their situation in relation to the scarcity of stores to cover their basic needs. To understand the role of the shop owners, conclusions are drawn from interviews with various entrepreneurs. Special em-phasis is placed on the living conditions of the students who are identified, along with the entrepre-neurs, as pioneers in the revitalization process of L´Aquila, which still has a long way to go.
As is the case with many cities in a post-apartheid South Africa, Pretoria’s central business dis... more As is the case with many cities in a post-apartheid South Africa, Pretoria’s central business district is in a state of decline; this persistent demise of the ‘centre’ is as a result of the preference of businesses, and more affluent parts of society, to locate themselves within the new suburban centres. High rates of violence and crime affect the image of inner cities in South Africa. A study from the year 2000 concluded that crime, and more importantly the perception of crime, must be addressed if successful development is to take place. The upgrading of the area around the Pretoria Station was identified as one of the key interventions necessary to strengthen the qualities of the inner city. The aim of this study was to investigate if the enhancement of the environment, through physical features and surveillance, has the potential to change the public perception of safety and, as a reciprocal effect, the actual safety of an area. Crime maps, based on raw data from the South African Police Services, and perception surveys were carried out along the central spine of the inner city. This data revealed that there is a contrast between the way that citizens perceive their environment, and the actual danger posed, allowing for greater understanding of the relationship between physical and social characteristics of the area. The analysis has uncovered the link between urban renewal and crime reduction, in the immediate perimeter of the intervention, but reveals also that a displacement of crime to the surrounding areas might have occurred. In order to stimulate an improvement in safety conditions, as well as enhance the quality of the living and working environment in the surrounding area, an approach to crime prevention that addresses the risk factors and encourages integration would strengthen the already essentially inherent qualities of the inner city, such as vibrancy and diversity.
This article draws attention to the urban pioneers
of L´Aquila and illustrates through original m... more This article draws attention to the urban pioneers of L´Aquila and illustrates through original material the current status quo of the recovery of buildings for residential and commercial uses. The research will look deeply into the conditions of the citizens living in these recovered houses and will consider their situation in relation to the scarcity of stores to cover their basic needs. To understand the role of the shop owners, conclusions are drawn from interviews with various entrepreneurs. Special em-phasis is placed on the living conditions of the students who are identified, along with the entrepre-neurs, as pioneers in the revitalization process of L´Aquila, which still has a long way to go.
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of L´Aquila and illustrates through original material
the current status quo of the recovery of buildings
for residential and commercial uses. The research
will look deeply into the conditions of the citizens
living in these recovered houses and will consider
their situation in relation to the scarcity of stores to
cover their basic needs. To understand the role of
the shop owners, conclusions are drawn from interviews
with various entrepreneurs. Special em-phasis
is placed on the living conditions of the students
who are identified, along with the entrepre-neurs,
as pioneers in the revitalization process of L´Aquila,
which still has a long way to go.
of L´Aquila and illustrates through original material
the current status quo of the recovery of buildings
for residential and commercial uses. The research
will look deeply into the conditions of the citizens
living in these recovered houses and will consider
their situation in relation to the scarcity of stores to
cover their basic needs. To understand the role of
the shop owners, conclusions are drawn from interviews
with various entrepreneurs. Special em-phasis
is placed on the living conditions of the students
who are identified, along with the entrepre-neurs,
as pioneers in the revitalization process of L´Aquila,
which still has a long way to go.