Urban Renewal from Below: 10 Public Spaces that Reclaim Neglected City Infrastructure

Urban infrastructure intended for city connectivity disrupts urban patterns and often leaves behind a series of spaces without a properly defined use. Fortunately, the notion of space beneath infrastructure is being redefined, as architects are generating public spaces nestled under flyovers, bridges, and other urban structures. 

Formerly neglected spaces, overlooked or dismissed as mere leftovers of urban planning, are now transformed into dynamic environments for community engagement and artistic expression. Architects, city planners, and the users themselves are embracing the challenge of reclaiming forgotten or underutilized areas and developing innovative solutions, integrating greenery, art installations, and sustainable elements into the urban fabric.

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Check out 10 projects below that highlight the transformative power of reclaiming and revitalizing neglected corners of urban infrastructure.

Bentway Staging Grounds / Agency-Agency + SHEEEP

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© Samuel Engelking
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© Doublespace

New Special Exhibitions Gallery / Carmody Groarke

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© Gilbert McCarragher
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© Gilbert McCarragher

Wuxiang 987 High Line Park / Ningbo Urban Construction Design & Research Institute

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© Zhang Jin Image Studio
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© Holi Landscape Photography

Eungbong Terrace / YZA

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© Kyungsub Shin
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© Kyungsub Shin

Vltavská Underground / U / U studio + RE_place

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© Jiří Kotal
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© Jiří Kotal

(Extra)Ordinary Arboretum / Emer-sys

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© Kyungsub Shin, Gunyeop Lee
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© Kyungsub Shin, Gunyeop Lee

One Green Mile / MVRDV

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© Suleiman Merchant
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© Suleiman Merchant

Mecidiyekoy Art & Istanbul Bookstore / KAAT ARCHITETURE + URBAN & caps.office

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© Orhun Ulgen Works
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© Orhun Ulgen Works

Taichung Green Corridor / Mecanoo

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© Ethan Lee
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© Ethan Lee

Infra-Space 1 / Landing Studio

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Courtesy of Landing Studio
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Courtesy of Landing Studio

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About this author
Cite: Clara Ott. "Urban Renewal from Below: 10 Public Spaces that Reclaim Neglected City Infrastructure" 24 May 2024. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1017000/urban-renewal-from-below-10-public-spaces-beneath-city-infrastructure> ISSN 0719-8884

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