METREX – POLYMETREX PROJECT

RINA: NORTH-SOUTH INTERFACE

INTER-REGIONAL RELATIONSHIPSTOWARDS A BETTER URBAN BALANCE

BUCHAREST - ROMANIA

ATHENS 10-11 JULY 2006

Arch. Victoria-Marinela BERZA – Director of BUMPCEng. Rodica GHEORGHE – Chief Department of Data Base and Urban PoliciesArch. Ligia-Voichita CIORCILA – Chief Department of Urban Planning

CONTENTS1. Romania in the regional initiative

2. Connectivity – transport corridors

3. Strategic guidelines of the national territory

4. Bucharest – Capital City of Romania

5. Romania – regional development

6. Bucharest Metropolitan Area

7. Inter-regional relationships

ROMANIA IN THE REGIONAL INITIATIVE

Regional cooperation represents a significant part of the Romanian diplomacy which is complementary to the process of European and Euro-Atlantic integration.

As part of the consolidation steps of its status in the integration process, Romania has actively involved in the promotion of the regional co-operation policy and programs by:•dynamic participation in all European and South-East European organizations

•constant contribution to the debate of the issues of interest for the states involved.

According to the map of the Pan-European Transport Corridors Network, Romania is an important knot of this network, being located at the crossroad of the two longest Pan-European Corridors, to wit:

The Corridor 4, on the West-East direction:Berlin/Nuremberg – Prague – Budapest – Bucharest –Constanta– Instanbul/Thessaloniki, penetrates Bucharest on the section Pitesti-Bucharest (A 1);

The Corridor 9, on the North-South direction:Helsinki – St. Petersburg – Kiev/Moscow – Chisinau/Odessa –Bucharest – Dimitrovgrad – Alexandropolis and is totally superposed in the area of the Municipality of Bucharest;

The Corridor 7 – The Danube, which is at about 65 km distance from Bucharest, including, also, the Danube – Black Sea Channel.

CONNECTIONS WITH THE EUROPEAN TERRIT

CONNECTIVITY – TRANSPORT CORRIDORS

CONNECTIONS WITH THE EURO-ASIAN CORRIDORS

CONNECTIVITY – TRANSPORT CORRIDORS

STRATEGIC GUIDELINES OF THE NATIONAL TERRITORYRomania’s readmission in Europe by assertion of the Regional-European identity and sustainable spatial development•Connection to the European and

Intercontinental network of spatial development poles and corridors;

•Urban balanced structure;

•Strengthening of trans-Carpathians connections in view of a balanced regional development;

Strategic objectives

The geographical position:• 44°24'49" Northern latitude:the same as Beograd, Geneva, Bordeaux, Minneapolis);• 26°05'48" Eastern longitude: (the same as Helsinki, Johannesburg).

BUCHAREST – CAPITAL CITY OF ROMANIAThe special location of Bucharest near the Danube

River and between the North and the South of the Continent could play a strategic role, making it an important crossroads, and a link between Western and Eastern Europe, that situation being equally important from a political, economic and cultural point of view for the future of our nation.

In view of its status, the City of Bucharest has to join the European urban centers structure in order to capitalize its own potential giving the increase of the economical competition between the European cities and regions.

The biggest Urban Agglomeration of the country:•holds structural relations with its surroundings;•first rank in the national network of cities;•10% of the country population within the heart of the agglomeration.

European Metropolis:•over 2 milions inhabitants in the city;•good geographic positioning, at the intersection of the main Pan- European transportation corridors.

European Capital-City:•Capital of Romania– political and administrative center;•Important role in the Central East European Region.

LEVELS OF IMPORTANCE

BUCHAREST – CAPITAL CITY OF ROMANIA

In view of its status, the City of Bucharest has to join the European urban centers structure in order to capitalize its own potential giving the increase of the economical competition between the European cities and regions.

STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT

• A new identity for the City of Bucharest, according with its aspiration to become an European metropolis;

• A sustained vitality and attractiveness for Bucharest as a State Capital City and as a large urban human settlement;

• A new urban development according its territorial functions as an Urban Agglomeration and the City Core of the metropolitan area, with an active role at the regional, metropolitan and national level;

• Increasing the quality of life;

• Protection of the existing resources - natural, urban and architectural one.

BUCHAREST – CAPITAL CITY OF ROMANIA

Within Member States of the European Union there is a key theme of regionalisation and regional determination. Many components of the Structural Funds are targeted at improving regional economies and reducing regional disparity. In the accession countries these themes are carried out through the pre-accession instruments SAPARD, ISPA and PHARE.

REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

In Romania there are eight development regions representing geographical areas similar to those existing in Member States at what is referred to as NUTS II level, the level at which regional initiatives take place.

INTER-REGIONAL CONNECTIONS

TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT – THE METROPOLITAN AREA

The development of Bucharest cannot be abstracted from its national context; so, the long process called transition to an open, democratic and market-oriented society that Romania has engaged in have a powerful effect on urban restructuring strategy.

The Metropolitan Area – 5,046 sq km; 2.6 million inhabitants;

The Urbanized Area – 722.7 sq km; 2.1 million inhabitants;

The City of Bucharest –228.2 sq km; around 2 million inhabitants.

BUCHAREST METROPOLITAN AREABMA

• Polycentric and balanced urban system• Development axis along the european transport

corridors• The green-yellow belt• Regional parks of activities - clusters

Extension of the BMA – connectivitto the North-South Interface

STRATEGIC GUIDELINES

1. DENSE URBANISED ARE

2. SPECIFIC URBANISATIOINSIDE THE G-Y BELT AREA

3. SPECIFIC URBANISATIOON BORDER OF G-Y BELT

The green yellow belt will improve the quality of life in the whole metropolitan area

THE GREEN YELLOW BELT

REGIONAL PARKS OF ACTIVITIES –CLUSTERS

Co-operation areas – based on common interests and created by mutual agreement of all urban actors involved in the process.Objectives:•Capitalization of the local potential;•Achieving a local identity;•Promoting local brands;•Access to the European Funds.

REGIONAL PARKS

BolintinProfessional education, Agriculture, Water Supply for Bucharest

MihailestiZootechnics and small industry related to it, Gardening, Recreation

ComanaVegetables, Natural and Historical Tourism

BudestiDepositing, Agriculture

BranestiEducation, Research, Recreation, Religious Tourism

Snagov – VlasiaSport & Recreation

BufteaMedia studious, Recreation, Depositing

CLUSTERS

CONNECTIVITY TO THE NORTH – SOUTH INTERFACE

Brasov

Ploiesti

Campina

Bucharest

Giurgiu

Communications corridor

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Population increase – transfer

Transfer of specific functions

Change of the functional profile(population increase – transfer)

Adaptation of the functional profile(stabilizing - population decrease)

Harmonizing with the network

Settlements

Settlements

Tran

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CAPITAL CORRIDOR INTERVENTIONS

CO-OPERATION AXIS BETWEEN REGIONAL CENTRES

PolycentricityStrengthening a polycentric and more balanced system of metropolitan areas, city clusters and settlements network

ComplementarityStrengthen a balanced settlements structure by building dynamic, attractive and competitive cities and urban regions.

ConnectivityDevelopment of the national transport and telecommunications system integrated in the European network

THANK YOU

FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

Bucharest

Data Sources:•Bucharest City Hall

•Urban and Metropolitan Planning Centre of Bucharest

•National Research Institute – Urban Project Bucharest

•University Of Architecture And Urban Planning “Ion Mincu” Bucharest

•Ministry of Transport, Building and Tourism