Compact CIY model relationship with sustainability in urban regeneration projects

Abstract

The ruling model of urban growth is clearly unsustainable due to overuse of natural resources and consequent environment. This had led to the discussion on urban sustainability regeneration projects from participative approaches to propose a compact city model as an alternative to the ruling model of sprawl oriented city. In practice, compact city model would be the condition of a sustainable city, because this city will consume less energy, will have more cleaner air, less traffic problems, more public spaces and will be a more livable and pedestrian oriented city. A compact city is defined as a denser, socially diverse city, with people living around neighborhoods and where social and economic activities are overcome. But this compact city perspective could be better defined, since in practice it presents different problems derived from a contradiction between urban desirability and suburban habitability, and it is discussed herein as such, showing some contradictory results. As an example, a local study of a compact city based project failure is described. © 2013 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.