Suburban Atlas

The Atlas of Suburban Building Stock is the outcome of COST Action TU0701. It presents a thumbnail index of all case studies reviewed in the Action, making it possible to interact, explore and survey them in an electronic manner on line, through an interactive map. This is accessible through their GPS (Global Positioning System). Their geographic position is given through specific coordinates that can be entered in any information system, typically through a Google Earth© web portal. The text and images in this booklet are to serve as quick reference source, backing the electronic media. Beyond the Atlas, it is possible to follow the full proceedings of the COST action documented separately in a number of publications, launched at the mid-term conference in Malta (May 2010) and the final conference in Ferrara (April 2012). The diversity of suburban building stock from the twenty-two participating countries is represented by the respective case studies, highlighting a broad spectrum of issues and possible solutions to improve the quality of the suburban town fabric. This was carried out under the six different tasks of the COST action. However in addition to these, further suburban case studies have been added to the Atlas in order to compound the full building stock, thus perhaps giving a better overview of the European situation. Thus by exploring the multi-faceted diversity of suburban building stock, the Atlas initiates and prolongs a continuing and extended survey of such typical case studies. The on line interactive process of switching from one case study to another without boundaries is intended to give the viewer different ‘aerial’ positions of the cases studies, thus revealing the vast range of suburban building stock and its distribution. In an overall view it surmounts both historic and political borders, both within and out of Europe. This signals the visionary, constructive as well as practical and functional qualities of the suburban building stock. Nevertheless, the amount of cases zoomed-in, focuses attention to the importance of strategic planning, production and economy, and the quest for quality and social welfare. Although not graphically revealed, it springs to mind other aspects related to infrastructural systems, logistic procedures and laws. In the long run the surveyed stock even brings to the forefront the necessity to identify the suburban building stock as assets of qualities and cultural heritage. As the case studies of the suburban building stock are analysed it is possible to characterize them both as standard (expected) typologies as well as surprising singularities (unexpected). The mere attention paid to the existence, context and processes of the suburban building stock calls for qualified survey of the quantity as well as means to identify the diversity of quality and possible actions to improve the suburban building stock. Hence a section of the Atlas puts forward impressions of suburbia, leaving their interpretation with the reader/user of the interactive exercise. Through the tasks of the COST action aspects of technical, social, aesthetic as well as legal terms and best practice are elaborated and compared. With respect to the significance and precision of this work and through discussions and experiences chaired during meetings and excursions and as workshop character of the Action, the Atlas may also serve as a thematic reference point for h different aspects tackled – hence the introduction of a section with keywords. Thus the Atlas broadens the scope of the Action through keywords and impressions; as existing qualities, terms of reference, publicconcerned, legal references, and impact on the strategic environmental assessment of the quality of suburban building stock.