Former Industrial Spaces as Drivers of City Resilience

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to examine former industrial spaces as a strategic resource for urban regeneration and city resilience. The research is based on a systematic review and analysis of domestic and international literature addressing former industrial spaces, industrial heritage, and industrial brownfields. The methodology includes a comparative analysis of terminology, spatial scales, values, constraints, and regeneration models. The results reveal terminological inconsistency and conceptual overlap, while highlighting the potential of former industrial spaces to support cultural continuity, sustainable land use, social cohesion and urban development. The findings indicate that the activation and reuse of these spaces enhance city resilience by enabling multifunctionality, reducing land consumption, and supporting responses to economic, social, and environmental change. The paper concludes that interdisciplinary approaches, stakeholder participation, and context-sensitive regeneration strategies are essential for urban regeneration. This study contributes by synthesizing knowledge and positioning former industrial spaces as key assets in resilient urban planning and architectural practice.