Urban Revitalization is more than architectural design of solitary buildings

摘要

Certainly the new construction of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao by Frank 0. Gehry brought an upgrade of Spanish city Bilbao. In regard to integration within the traditional city structure, however, the architecturally spectacular building behaves almost autistic. It could be placed in almost any city as it does not develop any readable relationship to the urban history through its design. Such architectural staging does not make a sustainable urban revitalization. Countless other cities have been seduced to copy the notorious "Bilbao-effect". Belief was that a drastically appearing, seemingly unique building by a star architect, which is featured in the columns of all architectural magazines, would enhance the long-term social and economic situation. Today we know that such architectural extravagances could become quickly outdated, losing its glamour at once. In so far such cities did not go bankrupt already due to the construction of such structures, they have to carry the burden of usually enormous running costs. But cities cannot afford this kindly extra burden and are forced thus to neglect their social functions.