Page 124 - ΝΑΥΤΙΚΑ ΧΡΟΝΙΚΑ - SEPT 2025
P. 124

Mission

          The reinvention of European waterfronts







                                           by Dr Ilias Bissias


                          From docks






















                                           The riverside transformations
                                           in Cologne
                                           European metropolises are eagerly
                                           seeking to develop – or rather, create –
                                           their public image: a new image that will
                                           attract and charm foreign visitors while
                                           also reflecting the everyday life of their
                                           citizens.
                                           Within this context, it is no coincidence
                                           that many cities in Western Europe,
                                           by taking advantage of European and
                                           regional funding, are focusing on rede-
                                           velopment projects and neighbourhood
                                           improvements, with the aim of turning
                                           them into points of attraction for both
                                           visitors and residents.
                                           In cities where water is – or should be –
                                           a dominant element, such projects tend
                                           to focus on the areas in which the sea,
                                           river, or lake serves both as a landmark
                                           and as a point of historical and cultural
                                           reference. So far, media attention has
                                           primarily focused on the redevelop-
                                           ment of waterfronts in Lisbon, Barce-
                                           lona, Southampton, and Rotterdam.
                                           However, particular interest also lies
                                           in the efforts of German cities, which
                                           are trying to develop their own model,
                                           highlighting riverside areas that once
                                           functioned as trade centres and can
                                           now become hubs of entrepreneurship
                                           and tourism development.
                                           The cities along the Rhine are no excep-

          122                                                                                             NX
   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129