Geographica Timisiensis, vol. XXIII, nr.1, 2014 (pp.

33 – 42) ●

MAPPING OF INDUSTRIAL LANDSCAPE AND

ANALYSIS OF URBAN BROWNFIELDS:
TIMIŞOARA PERSPECTIVE

Liviu JIGORIA-OPREA
West University,Timişoara, Department of Geography, Romania
Email: liviuji@yahoo.com

Flavius Sebastian IGNEA

West University,Timişoara, Department of Geography, Romania
Email: flaviusignea@yahoo.com

Abstract. Started between 1970-1980 in the well-developed countries, the de-industrialization

process covered Timisoara after 1990s. In most cases, industrial activities were suspended and spaces
were abandoned or converted for other functions (residential, commercial etc.) There are some cases,
where the industrial activities were refurbished, keeping the industrial function of the places. For the
current research, all the industrial spaces from Timisoara were investigated using GIS techniques and
from observation at the scene the main types of industrial landscape were established. From all, the
brownfield type landscape, considered representative for the functional reconversion of the city, were
analyzed. They represent an important land reserve, with obvious operational perspective and
economical development.

Keywords: deindustrialization, conversion,urban regeneration, industrial district, GIS analysis.

INTRODUCTION
The 20th century represented a time of great changes for the entire world, a
succession of events which lead to social, economic and technologic development. Human
settlements considered important changes, which influenced both the geographic areas and
the communities. The most important process was the industrialisation process which
started at the end of the 18th century and determined important changes of the urban areas.
At the end of the 20th century started the reversed phenomenon – the deindustrialisation.
34● Mapping of industrial landscape and analysis of urban brownfields

1. CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION AND THE STAGE OF

KNOWLEDGE
Deindustrialization represents both an economic and cultural transformation, being
one of the most visible processes that have affected the majority of the urban centres. It is a
process of shifting from an economic system based on industry to an economy of services
and information. This process should be seen as an evolution and a progress of the society,
as a new stage in the evolution of humanity. However, the effects of the deindustrialization
are still visible and are often accompanied by certain negative consequences that redound
upon both the human society and the environment (Bluestone, Harrison, 1982;
Lever, 1991; Popescu, 2000; Vertova, 2006).
One of the main questions that appears in the deindustrialization process is what
happened and what is happening to the areas that were once used by industry? To name
these areas, in the last decades more terms have appeared, some of them being industrial
landscape, brownfield or frishe. All these terms are used in the professional literature of
different countries (brownfield – USA, frishe – France), and have some common elements,
but also they employ some peculiarities that distinguish them from each other. If the
industrial landscape has a larger significance and reffers to the natural or urban territories
that preserve essential components of the production process of one or more industrial
activities (Law 6/2008, Chapter I, Article 3f.), the brownfield reffers to the contaminated or
potentially contaminated industrial fields that are abandoned at the present time (EPA,
2002), and the term frishe represents the areas that were used in the past, but are not used
anymore, or are abandoned at the present time. Consequently, we will use the term of
industrial landscape when reffering to all areas which are still used or have been used for a
long time for industrial activity and the term brownfield when reffering to the areas which
were used by industry in the past, but which are abandoned, unused and possibly
contaminated in the present.
Using either the term industrial landscape or brownfield, the Romanian and foreign
professionals have intensely debated the issue of the fields affected by the industrial
activities in the last period of time, a series of works being produced: Ianoş, 1997; Parker,
1998; Popescu, 2000; Davis, 2002; Page, Berger, 2005; Chelcea, 2008; Lichi, 2011; Mirea,
2011; Wu, 2012 etc. Nevertheless, the term brownfield is not sufficiently tested and
unanimously accepted yet. The main characteristics, that are generally accepted for a
brownfield, are the following (Page, Berger, 2005):
 It has an industrial origin and represents the result of old industrial activity;
 It presents environmental problems, being contaminated or possibly contaminated as a
result of previous industrial activities;
 It affects generally the urban environment, being predominantly localised inside or at
the periphery of the cities;
 It represents the result of the adverse politics in the past and the unfriendly laws
regarding the environment.
The perspective from which the brownfields are viewed is also very important. They
can raise the worry of those concerned of the environment condition, or a certain
melancholy from the people that were employed in the companies that functioned in the past
 Liviu JIGOREA-OPREA, Flavius Sebastian IGNEA ●35

in those fields. Another perspective from which the brownfields are viewed can be an
economic one, seeing the potential of the properties, and therefore it was opted for the
reconversion and re-usage of those areas (Davis, 2002).
The reconversion of the industrial areas is a process that has appeared as a solution
to reorganize the areas that once were occupied by industry and implied the destination
change in the favor of commercial and residential projects. This process raised the interest
of the professionals from more fields of study (Geography, Architecture, Urbanism,
Sociology, History), beginning with the 70s when the developed capitalist countries (USA,
Great Britain, France, Germany, etc.) shifted from the Fordism to the post-Fordism, that
represented the basis for the deindustrialization and the abandonment of the industrial areas.
The solutions that were found in these countries were generally successful, the reconversion
taking place in the context in which the entire economy evolved toward the tertiary sector.
After the fall of the communist regime, urban entrepreneurial islands emerged in Romania,
too, which represent sources of urban revitalization and regeneration, and a solution to the
problems created by the deindustrialization (Popescu, 2000, Chelcea 2008).

2. AIM AND METHODOLOGY

The objectives of this paper are the identification, localization and representation of
the main types of industrial landscapes from Timişoara city employing digital models and
the analysis of the actual condition of the industrial landscapes, of the main types of
reconversion and of the industrial areas of brownfield type.
In order to achieve the objectives of this study, the first undertaking was represented
by the study of the professional literature. After that, for the identification of the industrial
landscapes of this city, a study of the cadastral and topographical plans, the historical maps
and the satellite images from various years was considered.
The second stage of the study resided in the field-work analysis of some industrial
landscapes and brownfields from Timişoara, and recording their actual condition. Based on
the field observation in conjunction with the GIS techniques, I have realized digital models
that represent the cartographic support of this article.
The final stage referred to the processing of the data collected from the field-work
and from the existed bibliography, as well as the analysis of the satellite images. Based on
the information collected during the first stages, I have created a database that contain 70
factories and companies, founded in different periods of time and localized in 8 industrial
areas of Timişoara city. This database was created using ArGIS programme, and thus the
digital models that consist in maps of the evolution and transformation of the industrial
landscapes were completed. After the cartographic materials were realised, the
interpretation of data and of the cartographic fund highlighted the transformation of the
industrial landscapes in time, and especially, the changes produced within the industrial
areas along with the deindustrialisation during the post-communist period. Then, I
determined the main types of reconversion, taking into account the actual condition of the
abandoned fields (of brownfield type).
36● Mapping of industrial landscape and analysis of urban brownfields

3. TERRITORY OF STUDY

The territory studied in this research is represented by the area of Timişoara city that
has known in time an intense and varied developement of industry, being one of the first
cities of Romania that has asserted itself in the industrialisation process (Popa, 2007;
Ancuţa, Muţulescu, 2012).
Traditionally, the industry of Timişoara city was localized mainly in two very well
individualized areas: Fabric district and Iosefin area, where the largest factories in
Timişoara were located. The localization of the industrial units were conditioned both by
the vacant fields that the city administration had available ans the transportation routes,
being known that the level of accesibillity is one of the most important factors in the analisis
of the localization of an industrial unit. The great advantage of localising the factories in
Josefin areas was the Bega Canal (navigable since 1732), and also the railway between
Szeged – Timişoara that was inaugurated in 1857. The industry has begun to disperse on the
entire surface of Timisoara city in time and along with the development of new ways and
means of transport.
The main stages of the industrialization process in Timisoara are:
 The Habsburg (1716-1867) and austro-hungarian (1867-1918) administration: it
represents the start period of the industrial development in Timisoara. During this
period were founded several factories: Beer Factory (1718), Cigarette Factory
(1846), First Alcohol Factory and Refinery (1869), Shoe Factory „Turul”, Wool
Factory ILSA etc.;
 The interbellum (1918-1944): represents a stage characterized by political changes
and the development of the city industry, new factories being developed: Battery
Factory „Dura” (1920), Electrobanat (ELBA – 1921), Shoe Factory „Guban”
(1937) etc.
 The communist period (1944-1989): represents an industrial acceleration period
that produced the migration of labor force from rural to urban settlements. The
number of inhabitants is growing rapidly and also a lot of spatial changes are
present. Also, new industrial platforms are opened (Industrial Platform Freidorf,
Buziaş etc.) and new industrial units (AEM, UMT, Spumotim, Electrotimiş,
Electromotor etc.).
 The post-communism period (after 1989): this period is characterized by a deep
restructuring process of the country’s economy, dominated by the transition from
centralized (planned) economy to market economy. The majority of factories are
privatized, relocated (from city center to peripheral areas) or abandoned. For some
abandoned industrial landscapes (brownfields), a reconversion process has started).
 Liviu JIGOREA-OPREA, Flavius Sebastian IGNEA ●37

Fig. 1 – Industrial landscape of Timisoara from different period of time

4. DISCUSSIONS AND RESULTS

After the processing and the analysis of the data obtained on the field-work, I have
remarked that half of the industrial units either have changed their destination, and become
commercial, residential or services areas, or become abandoned areas, while the other half
maintained its industrial function (Figure 2a). Nevertheless it must be specified that the
surface of the areas where industrial activities are still present is still larger than the surface
or the abandoned areas or of those that are in the process of functional reconversion (Figure
2b). Thereby, if the reconversion process has transformed 22% of the total industrial units,
the total surface of these units represent only 8% of the total industrial landscape. It is still
alarming that the dimension of the brownfields is very large (35% of the total industrial
landscape). Concerning these areas, no measures were undertaken, and the negative effects
over the environment and the society are still felt.
38● Mapping of industrial landscape and analysis of urban brownfields

Fig.2. Percentage of various types of industrial landscapes (a) and their

surfaces (b) (2014)
In an analysis on the timescale we have remarked that the most companies were
founded in the communist period, when the industrialization process was forced and
imposed from the central government. Thereby, from the total of 70 industrial units that
were included in the hereby study, 30 were founded in the communist period, 18 in the pre-
war period, 15 in the inter-war period, and 9 in the post-communist period (Figure 3). At
present, the majority of the industrial units that were founded in the past suffered
transformations, with the exception of those that sprung in the post-communist period, still
continue to maintain their industrial function. Some of these multinational companies that
have emerged lately were placed on the location of old companies from the industrial
platform that were inaugurated in the communist period (Ex. Continental company on the
UMT platform, Pădurea Verde industrial area).

Fig. 3. Present state of industrial units established in different periods of

time

In each industrial area, except the central area, there is at least one functional industrial unit
(Figure 4). The disappearance of the industry from the central area of Timişoara city is due
to both the deindustrialization and reconversion processes and the relocation processes.
Thereby, some industrial units have been moved from the central part of the city to the
periphery (ex. Modatim was relocated from 700 Market area to Calea Şagului area) where
there is more space for the horizontal development, while the territory from the central area
can be capitalized in other ways.
 Liviu JIGOREA-OPREA, Flavius Sebastian IGNEA ●39

Fig. 4 - Main types of industrial landscapes in Timisoara (2014)

Consequently, the most processes of reconversion are found in the central areas,
where the industrial areas have been transformed in commercial, service and residential
areas, respecting in this way the general trend that characterizes the modern cities.
Brownfields still cover large areas of the within incorporated areas of the city,
having a share of 28% from the total industrial units that number a total of 2.1 square km.
The knowledge of this type of landscape may have a special importance in the future urban
development of Timisoara city. The reconversion of the industrial-urban landscape or the
rehabilitation of the abandoned industrial units can provide major economic, social and
environment benefits. There are several types of brownfields transformation, according to
the architectural and landscape changes that are produced:
 Total transformation, that implies the demolition of the industrial units;
 Partial transformation, that implies the keeping of some buildings of major
importance;
 The rehabilitation of the industrial buildings, with or without the change of the
functional profile.
From the total of 70 industrial units, 25 of them have suffered significant
transformations according to the above categories. In many cases, in the context of
permissive laws and of almost nonexistent input of the local community towards such
transformations, it was called for the total transformation and the demolition of the
industrial units. In their places, the most frequent solution chosen was the functional
40● Mapping of industrial landscape and analysis of urban brownfields

reconversion (Figure 5). Therefore, in 36% of the cases in which industrial landscape was
transformed, it was opted for the demolishing of the old industrial units, and in most cases a
reconversion toward services, commercial and residential areas was brought about.

Fig. 5. Transformations in industrial landscapes in Timisoara

One eloquent example of total transformation of a brownfield is represented by the

reconversion of the former “Fructus” factory from the central area of the city that was
abandoned after the year 2000. Afterwards, the property was purchased, the buildings were
demolished, then the place was cleaned and transformed in mixed functionality areas –
residential and services (see figure 6). The same thing happened in two other cases of
industrial units from the central area of the city: the Bread Factory and the Milk Processing
Plant, which have been replaced by new commercial buildings.
At present, a similar process occurs in the context of the Industria Lânii (Wool
Industry) company (ILSA) where the old building was demolished, and on the emptied field
started the construction work for a residential compound named “The New Timişoara.”
Although the project should have been finished until now, only a part was accomplished,
and the rest of the field is in danger to remain at the brownfield level.
From the category of the partial transformation, I have identified two industrial units
that are in the reconversion process, where only some buildings with architectural value
were preserved: Stockings factory and communal Slaughter-house. In the first case, the
reconversion is made towards the commercial sector, maintaining the old building body that
was declared a historical monument. A similar case is also the communal Slaughter-house
where it is intended the construction of a commercial centre. The architects proposed the
integration of the heritage buildings into the new commercial areas.
From the last category, the one in which the former brownfields were completely
rehabilitated, the most eloquent examples are those in which large multinational companies
have been placed on the industrial platforms of the city in the post-communist period. These
companies modernized the old industrial halls and buildings of the former companies
continuing hereby the industrial activities in the old facilities. One example in this case is
the Comtim company from Freidorf area. After a period in which the old industrial units
were in decline and abandoned, the new owner rehabilitated the old industrial compound
making it functional again. Another example of complete rehabilitation belongs to the
Optics Factory from Buziaş industrial area. In this case, it was a functional reconversion in
which the old industrial unit was rehabilitated and transformed in office area.
 Liviu JIGOREA-OPREA, Flavius Sebastian IGNEA ●41

Fig. 6. Transformation types in industrial landscapes of Timisoara

a. total transformation – Fructus, past and present; b. partial transformation – Sock
Factory convertion into comercial spaces; c. building rehabilitation – Optica
Factory converted into services ; d. brownfield, no actions – Solventul
(Sources: www.flickr.com (Szekely, 2005); maps.goole.com; wikimapia.com; opiniatimisoarei.ro)

Although the reconversion processes have started to be more intense lately, the
number of brownfields that are not under any undertaking is still very large (20 brownfields)
being spread in the whole city. Most of these areas are still localized in the old industrial
areas that are situated close to the city centre (the central industrial area, Iosefin industrial
area, Fabric industrial area). The tendency of moving the industry toward the periphery of
the cities in the last decades has left behind even in Timişoara many of these abandoned
areas that are in a continual process of degradation.

CONCLUSION

After the study was carried on, it was highlighted the actual situation of the industrial
landscapes from Timişoara, as well as the importance of the reconversion undertakings over
the areas of brownfields type. These areas that come after the deindustrialization processes
still cover a very large surface from the total of the industrial landscape (35%), and number
20 brownfields. The only processes that can change the fate of these areas are the functional
reconversion and the reintegration in the industrial sector. Concerning the areas located in
the central area, the best process would be the functional reconversion.
The reconversion processes have transformed only a reduced number of industrial
units up until now, occupying only a very small area (8% of the total industrial landscape).
The intensification of this process and the decommission of these areas would bring benefits
both to the environment, that would not be affected any longer by the pollution from the
contaminated areas, and to the social and economic environment, because these fields could
be used by the community (new workplaces, residential areas, green area, etc.).

Acknowledgment
This work has been supported from the strategic grant POSDRU/159/1.5/S/133391,
Project “Doctoral and Post-doctoral programs of excellence for highly qualified human
42● Mapping of industrial landscape and analysis of urban brownfields

resources training for research in the field of Life sciences, Environment and Earth Science”
cofinanced by the European Social Fund within the Sectorial Operational Program Human
Resources Development 2007 – 2013

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