Framework for assessing streetscape in historic city centre

Historic streets in city centers, once primarily traffic corridors, are increasingly recognized as multifunctional outdoor spaces that must adapt to modern societal needs while preserving their historical character. A key finding from a study on Riga's historic center reveals that successful streetscape development hinges on identifying elements that can be transformed for contemporary use—such as mobility and green infrastructure—while strictly protecting those essential to maintaining the area’s identity, like architectural heritage. The research introduces a methodological framework combining public needs analysis with historical, ecological, and socioeconomic criteria, tested in Riga's Terbatas Street. This approach emphasizes the importance of an overarching urban development strategy that integrates mobility, green spaces, tourism, and functional-ecological links to other city areas, ensuring balanced progress without compromising heritage integrity.

Skujāne, D., Ņitavska, N., Markova, M.,. (2024). Framework for assessing streetscape in historic city centre. Landscape Architecture and Art, 25(25), 15–24. https://doi.org/10.22616/j.landarchart.2024.25.02