Dynamics and planning of the city centers for the following decades - towards centralised or decentralised schemes?

Abstract

Similar to the past and the present the city centers -despite their several crises- is believed to continue also in the future their primary role, not only in development aspects but mainly in cultural, social and communication ones. Their future is tied up with the future of the cities themselves in which several competitive relationships will exist between the following "scenarios": a) The continuation of existing identities and frameworks, b) The innovative schemes, and mainly c) The subversive tendencies for existing situations. A mention in the case of the capital of Greece shows the diversity but also the ineffectiveness of the existing proposals for the organization of the city and its urban centers. There is a need to ensure the feasibility of the planning. The "urban governance" is a hope towards this direction. The essential planning model for the development of the centers in every city will be exclusively designed for the city itself and is directly related to the special conditions, the planning of the city, and mainly the human aspect (politicians, urban planners and the people).