Revitalizing historical urban distressed areas: Innovative experiences from neigh-bourhoods Sarah camp and Gaylani camp, Baghdad, Iraq

Year, pages: 2024, 181 - 198

Specific approaches to the revitalization process of distressed urban areas has become one of the intensive focuses of the discourse of spatial and urban planners, architects, sociologists and experts from various other professions. They fully reflect the undergo-ing paradigm shift in spatial planning: going from a fully expert based professional activity to a versatile process integrating plethora of actors. Recent experiences have shown that the physical renovation of the distressed area and an interdisciplinary ap-proach based on the collaborative effort of the stakeholders is necessary to be success-ful in this effort. Historical areas with distinctive semiotics and a unique mental land-scape are especially important concerning building and further developing the placeʼs identity, cooperative communities and sustainable development. Our contribution is focused on old Armenian neighbourhoods in Baghdad (Sarah Camp, Gaylani/Armenian camp) that possess great historical value and are distinctive parts of Bagh-dadʼs urban morphology and city identity. Presented research was based upon personal interviews conducted with the employees of Baghdad Municipality (Department of Studies and Research), members of the Armenian community in Baghdad, especially in the Armenian Orthodox Diocese, communication with members of the diaspora (Armenia, Europe and America), and field visits and tours in the two study areas and meetings with the Armenians living there. The main goal of this research was to inves-tigate the opportunities of utilizing specific and innovative methods of spatial planning with regard to advancement of the civil society, social cohesion and community build-ing in these specific neighbourhoods. Preserving the urban heritage, which is a part of the community/place identity, gives a sense of belonging and security necessary for sustainable development of any community, neighbourhood or city. The coordinated effort of strengthening local communities and encouraging mutual understanding as well as preserving the social fabric and mosaic of Iraqi society (multi-racial, ethnic, religious and sect) is necessary for balanced spatial development in general.

Almalkale, F., Jaššo, M. 2024. Revitalizing historical urban distressed areas: Innovative experiences from neigh-bourhoods Sarah camp and Gaylani camp, Baghdad, Iraq. In Geografický časopis / Geographical Journal, vol. 76, no.2, pp. 181-198. 0016-7193. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31577/geogrcas.2024.76.2.10

Almalkale, F., Jaššo, M. (2024). Revitalizing historical urban distressed areas: Innovative experiences from neigh-bourhoods Sarah camp and Gaylani camp, Baghdad, Iraq. Geografický časopis / Geographical Journal, 76(2), 181-198. 0016-7193. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31577/geogrcas.2024.76.2.10

Publisher: Geografický ústav SAV, v. v. i./Institute of Geography of the Slovak Academy of Sciences