General Introduction

This book conceptualises and illustrates Temporary Appropriation (TA) as an urban phenomenon, evidencing the complex and the multi-scalar nature of TA in relationship to other dimensions and relevant issues of the urban landscape such as sustainability, informality, culture, inclusivity, streetscape design, homelessness, socio-spatial inclusion, building re-use and regulations controlling the use of public spaces. Some forms of appropriation can also be subversive, existing in a grey area between legal and illegal activities in the city. Since urban populations are certain to grow further, this is a key topic for understanding urban dynamics. The book intends to focus on the TA instead as a consequence of the necessity of adapting human needs of a city that deprives the population of reference points due to sudden and unexpected changes. In this last case, the temporality of appropriation becomes an essential element of flexibility, the study of which, however, still constitutes a research gap. Hence, the present book takes into consideration the assumption that the current conjuncture crisis due to the unstoppable growth of the cities imposes a reflection on their development in terms of community resilience, and therefore on the adaptation of the concept of appropriation with respect to the aforementioned phenomena of growth and change.
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