Examining Culture-Led Urban Regeneration Through the Lens of Temporality - the Case of Brunnenviertel, Vienna

Abstract

Culture has become a main asset in urban regeneration over past decades. This ‘cultural turn’ has happened along larger societal developments: job relocations and rise of creative industries. This shift on the labour market has influenced leisure time patterns, creating a larger interest for cultural activities. Despite these societal transformations and their relevance to culture-led urban regeneration, the temporal perspective is widely ignored in academic discourse. Recent literature on culture-led urban regeneration accommodates a wide range of analyses, but there is no discussion on significance of the spatiotemporal aspect. This paper argues that a sole spatial inquiry is insufficient for culture-led urban regeneration strategies, and suggests time studies as a method of analysis.

The purpose of this paper is to address the research gap through a case study analysis. This article illustrates the culture-led urban regeneration process of Brunnenviertel area in Vienna, elaborating the key development in the local spatiotemporal setting. Austrian capital Vienna is a cultural metropolis of global significance. Culture has offered a significant asset of Brunnenviertel urban regeneration, and the laudable cooperation between stakeholders and local government has allowed an inclusive process. The analysis follows urban time studies research and the ‘timescapes approach’ as analytical framework. The empirical data for this study consists of local expert interviews, empirical observation material and municipal urban planning documents. The paper argues that a temporal perspective to culture-led urban regeneration could offer systematic dimensions for a critical analysis. The conclusions include methods of assessment and implementation for strategic planning interventions.