Heritage and Regeneration: Moving from centre to periphery

Abstract

This paper proposes a reading of a transnational region in order to question incongruencies between theory on adaptive reuse, heritage in the periphery and transformative strategies. It analyses the Meuse-Rhine Euroregion and explores the potential and the problems of peripheral built relics and landscape fragments. This transnational region demonstrates situations of sprawl, population shrinkage and economic stagnation. Hence, many relics are situated in suburban landscapes, where there is limited poential for urban regeneration and redevelopment. A review of this case guides the theoretical exploration. A critical analysis of interdisciplinary literature, centred on building vacancy and on repurposing built structures in historical (sub)urbanised landscapes, is presented. The paper concludes by arguingthat the fields of architecture and urbanism are challenged to fill in the discovered theoretical hiatuses by selective outlining in which way settlement patterns have potential for sustainable usage, and which are alternative strategies for conservation of relics with limited potential for continued usage or redevelopment.