Revitalising historic urban areas: lessons from Brașov and Utrecht

How can a historic city preserve its authenticity while embracing contemporary change? 

How can cities breathe new life into ex-industrial districts?

At first glance, the Romanian city of Brașov and the Dutch Utrecht don’t have too many things in common. Nevertheless, they shared a similar challenge: they needed to revitalise a historic urban area neglected in the case of Utrecht, and abandoned by locals in the case of Brașov. In both cases, a new sense of belonging needed to be generated among citizens.

Brașov: a green door to adventure

The Romanian town is the most popular destination in the country. Over the years,  tourists have replaced residents, public spaces have been overtaken by intense commercial activities, and local identity and heritage were insufficiently preserved. This is why the city is fighting neglect, museumification, and gentrification in the city centre.

Thanks to EU projects, Brașov is implementing actions to become a people-friendly destination and a sustainable example for other cities. By conducting studies, engaging in public consultations and collaborating closely with architects, urban planners and local communities, Brașov has redefined historical and cultural heritage as a living, adaptable resource.

Among the initiatives carried out in recent years, the city:

• Has rethought its public spaces to make them more welcoming, functional and citizen-friendly. Residents and professional stakeholders discussed how to improve public lighting and reorganised the spaces once dominated by private businesses with the purpose of giving them back to the people.
• Organised two summer schools that transformed the city into a living classroom. Guided by architects and specialists, students and pupils created “pretext objects” in the form of urban furniture placed in key squares within the historic center. By addressing the needs of the local community, young citizens could express their creativity and actively contribute to the city’s revival.

These bold initiatives breathed new life into the city’s historic streets and squares, placing communities back at their heart and rebuilding relationships among all stakeholders: residents, tourists, city authorities and experts.

Now, Brașov aims to become a role model for sustainable tourism.

Utrecht: how creativity can thrive in an ex-industrial district

Utrecht is a historic Dutch city that is growing exceptionally fast. The huge challenge it faced was turning the Werkspoorkwartier – an old industrial area – into an attractive place for cultural and creative entrepreneurs, as well as for citizens. A self-sustainable cultural HUB able to acquire its own financing.

Through the implementation of four impactful actions supported by EU funds, the revitalisation and business development of the Werkspoorkwartier is accelerating:

• The professionalization of the business association Bedrijvenkring Cartesiusweg (BKC) has enabled the creation of a vibrant cultural and entrepreneurial community with access to affordable workspaces and effective support. Collaborative efforts between stakeholders – the municipality, private owners, and entrepreneurs – have led to significant funding acquisitions, ensuring the long-term financial sustainability of the BKC HUB.
•  The open call for public artworks brought together artists and local stakeholders, leading to innovative installations that transformed the public space, engaging with the local cultural heritage and shedding light on issues such as traffic, lack of social meeting spaces, lack of green areas and unattractiveness of the area.
• 3 talent development programmes empowered emerging cultural businesses. Over 400 cultural entrepreneurs and artists participated in workshops, masterclasses, mentorships, group projects, exhibitions, and more.
• A governance study explored how cultural hubs can organise their governance for financial stability and long-term sustainability, balancing flexibility with accountability. Key factors for successful collaboration included setting achievable goals, robust project management with decision-making authority, and careful alignment of resources, timelines and expectations between stakeholders. 

Where bridges, trains and buses used to be built, hundreds of creative professionals now work.

Both Brașov’s and Utrecht’s experiences prove that cities can overcome issues of abandonment and neglect. With the right vision, commitment, citizen involvement, and public funds, urban regeneration is achievable, transforming cities into vibrant, thriving places to live, work, and create.

The actions carried out by Brașov and Utrecht were developed within the EU-funded project HUB-IN. The project aimed to transform and regenerate Historic Urban Areas (HUAs) while preserving their unique cultural and social identity, as well as the environment. Even though the project has ended, its legacy will endure in the future. Cities can still enroll in the HUB-IN Academy, which offers engaging, free courses to empower local authorities and technicians involved in urban regeneration, and they can join the HUB-IN Alliance network.