Sustainable development – applied to inhabited medieval towns
Gabriel Valentin Georgescu
Rezumat/Abstract. This paper aims to present a view based on specialized literature and personal observations regarding the concept of heritage in the context of the current requirements of transforming cities into sustainable urban entities. The paper presents ways of integrating the medieval city of Sighisoara into this general trend. The development of the concepts of heritage and sustainability through the prism of specialized literature was preferred and the study comes with viable proposals of rethinking the medieval fortress of Sighisoara by highlighting successful policies implemented in several similar European cities. The main objective was to carry out an initial applicability study in Sighisoara concerning the methods and techniques used in the still inhabited medieval cities. This transformation should be thought of without affecting the heritage value. The study of techniques and methods applied at European level in cities with a similar history was also considered. For this purpose, on-site observations were necessary both in Sighisoara and in other cities that are the subject of comparative surveys, as well as discussions with local competent bodies. The results obtained led to conclusions, both regarding the measures required to be immediately applied, and the sustainable future evolution of the city of Sighisoara.
Cuvinte cheie/Key words: ecological practices, medieval cities, built heritage, eco-systems, sustainability
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54508/rsdu.2026.10
Bibliografie/References
1. Alberti, M. (2015). „Eco-evolutionary dynamics in an urbanizing planet” Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 30 (2), 114-126, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2014.11.007.
2. Amaral, R.E.C.; Buckman, M.; Drake, E.; Rice, P.; Sabbagh, C.; Voronkin, S.; Abraham, Y.S. (2020). „Waste Management and Operational Energy for Sustainable Buildings: A Review” Sustainability, 12 (13), 5337, DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su12135337.
3. Andrade, G. I.; Remolina, F.; Wiesner, D. (2013). „Assembling the pieces: a framework for the integration of multi-functional ecological main structure in the emerging urban region of Bogotá, Colombia” Urban Ecosystems, 16 (4), 723-739, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-013-0292-5.
4. Arundel, R.; Ronald, R. (2015). „The role of urban form in sustainability of community: The case of Amsterdam” Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science, 44 (1), 33-53, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0265813515608640.
5. Bardhan, A.; Bhattacharya, A. (2023). „Role of Traditional Crafts in Sustainable Development and Building Community Resilience: Case Stories from India” Culture. Society. Economy. Politics, 2 (1), 38-50, DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/csep-2022-0004.
6. Barton, H.; Grant, M.; Mitcham, C.; Tsourou, C. (2009). „Healthy urban planning in European cities” Health Promotion International, 24 (1), 91-99, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/dap059.
7. Bettencourt, L. M. A.; Lobo, J.; Strumsky, D. (2007). „Invention in the city: Increasing returns to patenting as a scaling function of metropolitan size” Research Policy, 36 (1), 107-120, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2006.09.026.
8. Bettencourt, L. M. A.; Lobo, J.; Helbing, D.; West, G. B. (2007). „Growth, innovation, scaling, and the pace of life in cities” Sustainability Science, 104 (17), 7301-7306, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0610172104.
9. Blais, J. P. (2014), „L’aménageur, roi du copier-coller?. Réflexions d’un urbaniste à partir de ses dérives professionnelles”, Metropolitiques, 26 november 2014, pag. 1-4, https://metropolitiques.eu/L-amenageur-roi-du-copier-coller.html.
10. Bullen, P. A.; Love, P. E. D. (2011). „Adaptive reuse of heritage buildings” Structural Survey, 29 (5), 411-421, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2023.102926.
11. Capotorti, G.; Orti, M. M. A.; Copiz, R.; Fusaro, L.; Mollo, B.; Salvatori, E.; Zavattero, L. (2019). „Biodiversity and ecosystem services in urban green infrastructure planning: A case study from the metropolitan area of Rome (Italy)” Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 37 (1), 87-96, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2017.12.014.
12. Chandeze, E. (research coordinator) (2023), Mobility: one in three European car owner could consider not having a personal car in the future, Ipsos, Paris, France.
13. Gaballo, M.; Mecca, B.; Abastante, F. (2021). „Adaptive Reuse and Sustainability Protocols in Italy: Relationship with Circular Economy” Sustainability, 13 (14), 8077, DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su13148077.
14. Heran, F. (2015), „La ville durable, nouveau modèle urbain ou changement de paradigme?”, Metropolitiques, 23 march 2015, pag. 1-5, https://metropolitiques.eu/La-ville-durable-nouveau-modele.html.
15. Hulsemann, J. (2014), Casa ţărănească din Transilvania. Ghid pentru restaurarea caselor vechi, Publisher Simetria, Sibiu, România.
16. Ibrahim, M.; El-Zaart, A.; Adams, C. (2018). „Smart sustainable cities roadmap: Readiness for transformation towards urban sustainability” Sustainable Cities and Society, 37 (1), 530-540, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2017.10.008.
17. Jafari, A. J.; Charkhloo, E.; Pasalari, H. (2021). „Urban air pollution control policies and strategies: a systematic review” Journal of Environmental Health Science and Engineering, 19 (1), 1911-1940, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40201-021-00744-4.
18. Jorgenson, D.W.; Landefeld, J. S.; Schreyer, P. (2014), Measuring Economic Sustainability and Progress, Publisher University of Chicago Press, Chicago, USA, https://www.nber.org/books-and-chapters/measuring-economic-sustainability-and-progress.
19. Kostof, S. (1992), The city shaped: Urban patterns and meanings through history, Publisher Thames & Hudson, London, UK.
20. Lami, I. M.; Todella, E.; Prataviera, E. (2023). „A Replicable Valorisation Model for the Adaptive Reuse of Rationalist Architecture” Land, 12 (4), 836, DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/land12040836.
21. Loughlin, B. (research coordinator) (2024), What is a green city, and how is it built?, Lexicon Institute of Sustainability Studies, London, UK.
22. Miyawaki, A. (2004). „Restoration of living environment based on vegetation ecology: Theory and practice” Ecological Research, 19 (1), 83-90, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-1703.2003.00606.x.
23. Mozos-Blanco, M. A.; Pozo-Menendez, E.; Arce-Ruiz, R.; Baucells-Aleta, N. (2018). „The way to sustainable mobility. A comparative analysis of sustainable mobility plans in Spain” Transport Policy, 72 (1), 45-54, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tranpol.2018.07.001.
24. Mumford, L. (2011), La cite a travers l’histoire, Publisher Agone, Marseille, France.
25. Ostrom, E. (2009). „A General Framework for Analyzing Sustainability of Social-Ecological Systems” Science, 325 (5939), 419-422, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1172133.
26. Pache, G. (2023). „Sustainable city: Learning from the Middle Ages” Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 197 (1), 107083, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2023.107083.
27. Poddar, S. (2021). „Miyawaki Technique Of Afforestation” Krishi Science, 2 (9), 1-4.
28. Pombo, O.; Rivela, B.; Neila, J. (2016). „The challenge of sustainable building renovation: assessment of current criteria and future outlook” Journal of Cleaner Production, 123 (1), 88-100, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.06.137.
29. Porfyriou, H. (2019). „Urban Heritage Conservation of China’s Historic Water Towns and the Role of Professor Ruan Yisan: Nanxun, Tongli, and Wuzhen” Heritage, 2 (3), 2417-2443, DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage2030149.
30. Rodwell, D. (2007), Conservation and Sustainability in Historic Cities, Publisher Blackwell Publishing, Oxford, UK, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470759547.
31. Rollo-Koster, J. (2016). „Recent Trends in Medieval Urban History” Journal of Urban History, 42 (4), 794-799, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0096144216645779.
32. Runhaar, H.; Driessen, P. P. J.; Soer, L. (2009). „Sustainable Urban Development and the Challenge of Policy Integration: An Assessment of Planning Tools for Integrating Spatial and Environmental Planning in the Netherlands” Sage Journals, 36 (3), 417-431, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1068/b34052.
33. Santos-Iglesia, C.; Fernandez-Arias, P.; Anton-Sancho, A.; Vergara, D. (2022). „Energy Consumption of the Urban Transport Fleet in UNESCO World Heritage Sites: A Case Study of Ávila (Spain)” Sustainability, 14 (9), 5641, DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su14095641.
34. Smith, M. E.; Lobo, J.; Peeples, M. A.; Huster, A. C. (2021). „The persistence of ancient settlements and urban sustainability” Sustainability Science, 118 (20), e2018155118, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2018155118.
35. Stefan, M.; Jose, L. P. Jr. (2017), The ABC Method: a risk management approach to the preservation of cultural heritage, Publisher Canadian Conservation Institute, Ottawa, Canada, https://www.iccrom.org/publication/abc-method-risk-management-approach-preservation-cultural-heritage.
36. Soja, E. W. (1998). „Thirdspace. Journeys to Los Angeles and Other Real-and-Imagined Places” New Zealand Geographer, 54 (2), 48-49, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/030981689806400112.
37. Tight, M. (2016). „Sustainable urban transport – the role of walking and cycling” Engineering Sustainability, 169 (3), 87-91, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1680/jensu.15.00065.
38. Uprety, Y.; Asselin, H.; Bergeron, Y.; Doyon, F.; Boucher, J. F. (2012). „Contribution of traditional knowledge to ecological restoration: Practices and applications” Ecoscience, 19 (3), 225-237, DOI: https://doi.org/10.2980/19-3-3530.
39. Vafaie, F.; Remoy, H.; Gruis, V. (2023). „Adaptive reuse of heritage buildings; a systematic literature review of success factors” Habitat International, 142 (1), 102926, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2023.102926.
40. Yi, W.; Chan, A. P. C. (2014). „Erratum to: Effects of temperature on mortality in Hong Kong: a time series analysis” International Journal of Biometeorology, 59 (1), 937, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-014-0906-5.
Text integral/Full text