Mega Sustainable Urban Development in East London and Barcelona during Hosting the Olympic Games - Term Paper Example

Mega Sustainable Urban Development in East London and Barcelona (1992) During Hosting the Olympic Games Introduction The East London borough of Newham is the site for the upcoming Olympic Games of July 25th 2012. Decades of deteriorating conditions mean that East London and the capital’s West End are centuries apart in terms of sustainable urban development. But decades of investment are starting to pay off. Similar conditions prevailed in Barcelona in 1992. A comparison of the current developmental status in the two cities is expected to be insightful. 1.1 Purpose and Scope of the Paper: The Olympic Mega-Event Strategy This paper analyses how the Olympic Games have been integrated into the spatial planning process to reach social, spatial and environmental objectives via hosting the mega- events of 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games and the upcoming hosting of these Games by Newham, East London, in 2012. It will focus on the motives for hosting the Games, on the urban development strategies to implement the formulated motives and the effects which are expected from these strategies. Based on the empirical case of Barcelona, the paper elaborates on the changing approach of spatial planning and urban governance in the integration of short-term spatial interventions and long-term urban development perspectives, from resolving problems of the past to getting ready for the future. The city of Barcelona and the city of Newham wanted to influence their destiny by using local potential and by changing their urban configurations. The socio-economic and urban effects of the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games are evaluated, in order to define the extent to which the original objectives have been realized by using the mega-event strategy and how this affected the nature of the hosting the Olympiads by London. Host cities increasingly reveal that the mega-event strategy has become a new tool of area development and urban governance. In this paper this will be illustrated using the case of Barcelona, which was the first Olympic city to implement this strategy and the case of Newham, East London which is the last. Future Olympic cities should learn and benefit from the strategies used by previous host cities. This paper will also approach the short-term Olympic event from a sustainable perspective. Increasingly the comprehensive concept of social, economic and environmental sustainability has received attention in the planning of Olympic events. 1.2. Assumptions and premises employed Mega-events – such as the Olympics – are short-term and high-profile international events. They usually which have a long-term impact on host cities. Mega-event strategies are tools for urban development. Therefore they can be considered as tools of urban governance. Host cities of such mega-events have to be accommodated by large urban programs. For example, Olympic Games host cities have to provide sports facilities, an Olympic village, a Media Park, accommodations for participants and supportive infrastructure. The scale of the size of these projects is really enormous and leaves behind huge social, economical and environmental impact on the host cities or even regions. Recognizing this, cities started to include post Olympic projects as part of strategic spatial planning 2. Study methodology This paper discusses how to undertake research on quality of life from the perspective of sustainable development. It begins with discussions of how residents perceive their quality of life and their sense of their well-being. The study and methodology of one’s appreciation of his/her quality of life differs from the study methodology of environmental quality and how both can be measured. It then discusses the methodological basis for undertaking research on quality of life with a particular emphasis on seeking a clear understanding of differences in the perceptions of the residents of the two Olympic cities of Barcelona and Newham. It ends with a description of how a questionnaire can be developed to look in more detail at these differences in the two low-income cities, and how group discussions and other measures help to develop a questionnaire. 2.1. Themes and related criteria to be investigated In the era of globalization, the potential of the Olympic Games has been considered from the policy point of view. It can be viewed as means of creating landmarks to attract global investment, facilitating fast-track development and promoting a new urban image through place marketing. Facilitating such a high-profile event can serve as a stimulus in local development in the context of limited federal aid and increasing global economic competition (Andranovich et al., 2001). Moreover, the environmental perspective has recently become a key issue for hosting the Games as a result of the environmental commitment added to InterOil Corporation - IOC Charter. This was reflected in the Sydney 2000 and Beijing 2008 Olympic Games which both made Green Olympics a core theme. They transformed polluted land and removed the sources of air and water pollution. This was in line with the long-term sustainable development goals of both cities. Based on these assumptions, the paper will develop criteria such as standard of living, unemployment, environmental and spatial criteria, etc. before, and where possible, after the Olympic mega-event. 2.2. Comparative framework to be used As mentioned above the comparative framework to be used as based on discussions among the residents of Newham and Barcelona regarding the developmental indices such as standard of living, employment status, life expectancy, levels of education and qualification and the relationship of these factors to the ability to hold jobs. These discussions will be the basis for the preparation of questionnaires that will allow comparing the level of sustainable development in the two Olympic sites under study in this paper i.e. Newham (2012) and Barcelona (1992). 2.3. Differentiating criteria for generic and context-specific observations/lessons Analyzing the questionnaires using the above mentioned criteria of sustainable development before and after the Olympic mega-event will allow the delineation of generic and context-specific observations and lessons learned from the pre- and post Olympic experience. 3. Literature review There are also many objectives which can motivate cities to make a bid to host the Olympics 3.1. Impacts of mega projects: role of institutional and social contextual factors The purpose and emphasis of strategic spatial planning is to promote strategic places, in order to relieve some of the economic, environmental, social and political pressures in a city (Healey, 1998). West European countries where the traditional spatial planning approach was initially used, focused on land use control through a zoning system and regulations. This, however was considered insufficient to implement a city’s planning policy.A vision, coherent actions and means for implementation were resorted to and proved to be a better approach was subsequently adopted (Albrechts, 2006). 3.2. Impacts of mega projects: role of economic and political contextual factors One of the many reasons for the renewed interest in strategic spatial planning is the promotion of ‘sustainable development’ (Healey, 2004). Sustainable development is usually defined as a pattern of resource use that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for future generations. 3.3. Impacts of mega projects: role of economic and political contextual factors Along with these new ideas on strategic spatial planning, mega-events have started to be considered as a tool in area development in recent decades and are increasingly integrated into spatial planning frameworks. The following sections of this paper will explain how this process has emerged by analyzing the Olympic city of Barcelona as the first city to start such a process. 3.4. Other impacts: role of other factors There is a wide range of literature on Olympic Games, even if we narrow the scope to motives for the Games and their effects. Broadly, we can distinguish between the motives for organizing the Olympics, the chosen strategies to implement the different motives and the expected effects of the different strategies. We thoroughly reviewed a long list of literature on Olympic Games in order to complete our proposed model.. The inter-relationship of these perspectives is essential to obtain robust sustainable development (Furrer, 2002). Broadly, one can distinguish between the motives for organizing the Olympics, the chosen strategies to implement the different motives and the expected effects of the different strategies. I have thoroughly reviewed a long list of literature on Olympic Games in order to complete my proposed model.. The inter-relationship of these perspectives is essential to obtain robust sustainable development (Furrer, 2002). “Sustainable development” is the key word now in all development efforts be it in developing or developed countries and basically means that the benefits of a development project will continue even after the project is completed. In this case, after the Olympic Games are over. Sustainable development is prepared for starting with the proposal stage and it is considered the role of the “beneficiaries” to be prepared to bear the burden of sustainability once the “investors” and development experts withdraw. 4. Case Study analysis The following keywords will be used in analyzing the case study of Barcelona as the Olympic City of 1992 and the Olympic City of Newham, East London 2012: Mega-event, Strategic spatial planning, Urban participatory governance, Urban regeneration Urban sustainability, Community organization 4.1 Mega-event as a Strategy in Spatial Planning In London, there is currently talk of regeneration--a governmental organizational attempt to persuade local communities that their area will be reborn, bringing new opportunities and the potential for affluence and prosperity all round. From the strategic spatial planning perspective, in Barcelona the Olympics played a role as an essential means of practice. However, this was started without the terminology or methodology of strategic spatial planning in the early stages. In London, again from a strategic spatial planning perspective was adopted to accommodate the events, the crowds, and and spectacle that the world expects of the Olympic Games. This is because a mega event that requires a massive infrastructure and huge investment by the host city. “But what happens to all of that infrastructure - and the surrounding communities - when the world goes home? In the case of the 2012 Olympics, planning teams in London have been immersed in this question years before the Games are set to begin.” 4.2 Urban Sustainability: Summary of key features of two case studies: compare and contrast analysis Olympics developments involve the improvement of transportation links, the building of thousands of affordable homes and the creation of new urban parklands. This justifies the claims being made thatbthe most sustainable games once again rely on construction practices as validation. In his book, Sustainable Urbanism, Douglas Farr explains that viewing sustainability within such a narrow framework results in "an unwillingness to engage a larger, comprehensive agenda," and Londons approach to the Olympics seems to confirm this. “By focusing narrowly on construction methods, what is being achieved is not true sustainability; its just sustainable construction.” The content of the London 2012 website does a better job of defining sustainability as defined above, with numerous articles that focus on carbon land decontamination, and the recycling of demolition waste. In fact, the content of the site and the frequency of articles that highlight building practices show that sustainable construction methods are still clearly the priority. The report, Legacy Limited?, calls for “assurances about the community-focus of the regeneration, questioning whether housing developments will be suitable for occupation by locals, and emphasizing the importance of maintaining availability of sports facilities for community use once the Olympics have passed.” 4.3 Motive for hosting the Games The motivation behind bidding for the 1992 Olympic Games came mainly from the economic urgency which arose from the crisis faced by the city in the early 1980s. The political competition factor was a significant additional incentive for the city council. Significant investments were required during that period due to the demands of a growing population, the high levels of unemployment and the severe deprivation in particular neighborhoods (Gold and Gold, 2007; Brunet, 1995). 4.4 Urban development strategies Compared with other former Olympic cities, Barcelona emphasized a long-term vision and strategic planning towards urban revitalization. Other cities resorted to specific piecemeal interventions. Many of the plans and projects for the Olympics in the 1960s and the 1970s were designed, and were not the result of new proposals purely developed for the Games. This shows the continuity of the urban strategy of the city. These strategic projects were supported by both the public and the private sector together. Although the Barcelona experience had most of the essential characteristics of strategic planning – goals and implementation being closely linked – there was still no terminology or methodology during that period (Marshall, 1996). 4.5 Expected effects and evaluation Evaluation of the Barcelona Olympic Games should be based on the level of compliance with the main objectives, as well as the real economic, social and environmental benefits. The outcome of the urban transformation was fruitful, including an enlarged airport, a new ring road and 35 kilometers of major highways, new urban centralities, renovated stadia, 4,500 new flats derived from the Olympic village, two communication towers and five kilometers of new beaches (Gold and Gold, 2007). In December 1993 the city’s unemployment figure of 11.9% was somewhat below that of Catalonia (12.2%) and well below that of Spain (16.6%). These figures also show a positive social impact by the urban development during that period, and moreover, Barcelona’s city marketing effort was not accompanied by increased social polarisation or geographic social segregation, when compared to other cities (Calavita and Ferrer, 2000). Last but not least, the environmental effects of the Barcelona Olympic Games should also be included in the overall evaluation. However, it is a challenge to evaluate the results from a green perspective, since it was not considered as the main goal, compared to the socio-economic objectives. Nevertheless, there are still voices from the environmental perspective. For example, some argue that the project was a wasteful and anti-ecological one, since too much emphasis was given to road and air transport and the urbanization process was too fast, particularly in some areas that could have been developed better, with more social benefits at a slower pace. However, it expresses a position, which is almost certainly a small minority in the city, and has been given little political voice (Marshall, 1996). 5. CRITICAL REFLECTIONS AND CONCLUSIONS Mega-events – such as Olympic Games – have increasingly been considered as a deliberate strategy of spatial planning and a new tool in area development and urban governance. This started with the case of Barcelona, when for the first time in history Olympic projects were aiming at the promotion of the strategic development of the city and its region as a whole. This has generated new forms of urban governance that seek the opportunities brought by global forces. Here, the aim is to materialize a vision for the future of the city, with the support of various stakeholders, including economical, social and environmental objectives for sustainable development. The results of the Barcelona case are fruitful, in terms of both the resolution of past problems and preparing for the future. Most direct and indirect investments of the Olympic Games were in civil construction projects and infrastructure, with an aimed legacy in urban transformation and economic restructuring. Barcelona was transformed from the 1980s city, with large deficits in services and infrastructure and in the midst of a deep economic crisis, to a restructured, dynamic and outward-looking metropolis (Marshall, 1996). We evaluated the items in the evaluation framework for the Barcelona case in order to show whether we can speak of a sustainable approach of the Olympics in which social, economic, spatial and environmental perspectives are balanced as a result of a long-term vision on urban development. It is advisable to integrate organizing the Olympics and the post-Olympic use of event facilities and urban development in the post-event period. As there are usually conflicts between event requirements and post-event usage of Olympic facilities, strategic appraisal of the initiative in the pre-project stage is necessary. This should include proposals on how to re-integrate the event heritage into urban networks in the future. Generally speaking, for the aims of mega-event strategies and the nature of strategic spatial planning, the distinction,, between publicly provided social objectives and privately produced economic opportunities has blurred. Works Cited Albrechts, L., “Bridge the Gap: From Spatial Planning to Strategic Projects.” European Planning Studies, Vol.4, No. 10, pp. 1487-1500, 2006 Andranovich, G.,M.J. Burbank and C.H.Heying. “Olympic cities: lessons learned from mega-event politics”, Journal of Urban Affairs, Vol. 23, No. 2 pp. 113-131, 2001, Brunet, F., “An economic analysis of the Barcelona’92 Olympic Games: resources, financing and impact”, in “The Keys to Success: the social, sporting, economic and communications impact of Barcelona’92”, Miquel de Moragas and Miquel Botella eds., Barcelona, Servei de Publicacions de la UAB , pp.203-237, 1995. Chen, Y., L. Qu, and , R Rooij. “Realizing Olympic Games in the Netherlands”, The Architecture Annua l2007-2008, Delft, Delft University of Technology, pp. 60-65 pp. 60-65, 2009. Furrer, P., “Sustainable Olympic Games, A dream or a reality?” Bollettino della Società Geografica Italiana, Serie XII, Vol. VII, No. 4, 2002. Gold, J. and Gold, M., “Olympic Cities: City Agendas, Planning and the World’s Games, 1896-2012”, London, Routledge, 2007. Harvey, D., “The urban experience”, Oxford, Basil Blackwell, 1989Healey, 1998 Hiller, H.H., “Mega-events, urban boosterism and growth strategies: An analysis of the objectives and legitimateness of the Cape Town 2004 Olympic bid”, International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Vol. 24, No. 2 pp. 439-458 (2000),. Marshall, T., “Barcelona and the Delta: metropolitan infrastructure planning and socio-ecological projects”,Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Vol. 37, No. 4 (1994), pp. 395-414. Marshall, T., “Barcelona – fast forward? City entrepreneurialism in the 1980s and 1990s”, EuropeanPlanning Studies, Vol. 4, No. 2 (1996), pp. 147-165. Monclús, F-J., “Barcelona’s planning strategies: from ‘Paris of the South’ to the ‘Capital of West Mediterranean’”, GeoJournal, Vol. 51, No. 1-2 (2000), pp. 57-63. Mullins, P., “Tourism Urbanisation”, International Journal of Urban and Regional Research No. 15 (1991), pp. 326–342. Munoz, F., “Olympic urbanism and Olympic Villages: planning strategies in Olympic host cities, London1908-London 2012”, The Sociological Review, Vol. 54, No. 2, pp. 175-187 (2006). Ministerie van Volkshuisvesting, Ruimtelijke Ordening en Milieubeheer [Ministry of VROM],“Structuurvisie Randstad 2040; naar een duurzame en concurrerende Europese topregio” [Randstad 2040; toward a sustainable and competitive European top region], The Hague. Read More