Regeneration processes activate stable regimes of interaction and interdependence among the architectural, economic, cultural and social sub-systems in settlements. The thesis of this paper is that in order to progress towards sustainable and inclusive cities, urban governance should widen the decision-making arena, promoting virtuous circular dynamics based on knowledge transfer, strategic decision making and stakeholders’ engagement. The historic urban landscape is a privileged la b for this purpose. The paper adapts the Triple-Helix model of knowledge-industry-government relationships to interpret the unexpected regimes of interaction between Local Authority and Cultural Heritage Assets triggered in the late 90es by the establishment of a knowledge provider such as a Faculty of Architecture in the highly degraded heritage context of the city of Syracuse, Italy. Following this approach, the authors explain the urban regeneration happened over the last 20 years in the port city of Syracuse, based on knowledge sharing and resources’ protection that promoted processes of social engagement and institutional empowerment for both new residents and entrepreneurs.

The built environment faces challenges in all three dimensions of sustainable development—economic, social, and environmental. The increasing loss of functionality is a cross-sectional issue affecting buildings and settlements and their layering of social, spatial, and cultural processes. Based on a critical review, this paper aims to bridge the gap between international charters and ongoing research for built environments losing their original uses. Three emerging challenges to sustainability in repurposing are outlined from the debate, checking their incidence on research: (a) values preservation, (b) resources optimization, (c) systems effectiveness promotion. Experiences of conversion and regeneration in Japan, the Netherlands, Australia, Hong Kong City, and the USA are taken into account with the aim of comparing approaches, methods, and results. The discussion highlights three key entry points for future research on built environments: (1) communities involvement: new alliances between stakeholders, (2) the potential of technologies: combining resources’ protection and affordability, and (3) renewed productivity to preserve values and uses.

The paper debates the results of a research carried out by the Department of Architecture of the University of Naples “Federico II” (DiARC), as part of the Creative Europe 2018 Artists in Architecture, Re-activating modern European houses program (entitled EACEA 32/2017 and EACEA 35/2017; scientific coordinator: Maria Rita Pinto; project manager: Serena Viola). The research investigates the relationships between creativity and sharing as tools of a new form of social sustainability. These elements can induce positive effects on the settlement qualities of the places, acting as engines of the custody of the settlement values and the collaborative regeneration of the built environment. The methodology is based on participatory approaches able to restore the levels of cohesion, care, and creativity that the experimentation typology of the Artists Residencies is able to trigger on the territory and on the communities who inhabit it. The results return in the form of the complex process of the artist exhibition reception a significant strategy of sustainable development, capable of influencing the community by entrusting it with the role of custodian of the existing heritage and of renewing local entrepreneurship with innovative productions.

The paper debates the results achieved in the Sanità district of Naples within the funded research project Play_ACT by the Department of Architecture, University of Naples Federico II. The research investigates community engagement processes in built heritage design for repurposing. Based on a mixed deductive and inductive approach, this paper frames the built heritage in the following ways: (a) a record of historical development and way of life, a linking capital between community and context; (b) the enabler of community engagement, representative of creative skills and work of humankind; and (c) a driving force for growth. The paper analyses several community-driven repurposing practices experienced within European programs. Supported by the ISO 37104: 2019 and UNI 11151-1: 2005 standards, the paper focuses on the replicability of community engagement in built heritage repurposing processes, outlining the commonalities in terms of strategies, actions, and actors involved in: (1) discovery; (2) negotiation; and (3) sharing. Focusing on the Sanità district of Naples, the research experiences the sustainability of community-led repurposing, observing long-lasting spillover effects on the physical, economic, cultural, and social subsystems. Finally, with the support of a heritage case study, Cristallini 73, future key challenges for a durable and inclusive community engagement are outlined: A activation of collaborative networks; B promotion of inclusive dynamics of long-life learning; and C creation of cultural and creative industries.

The article addresses the contemporary debate on urban and environmental regeneration, investigating the need to establish new criteria to implement the defence of coastal ecosystems by climate problems. The research looks at coastal vulnerabilities, starting with the environmental fragility of flooding, as an opportunity to regenerate waterfront ecosystems. The research aim concerns the analysis of US advanced regeneration practices to learn and transfer the principles derived from them to the European context. This transferability takes place through the construction of regeneration criteria for the coastal ecosystems rebalancing. The regeneration criteria are resulted from an ecosystem reading of the winning projects of the Rebuild by Design competition. These practices represent in the scientific literature an exceptional example of a holistic response to the problem of post-disaster intervention. These cases offer an integrated response in terms of processes, investments, the duration of the design and realization. In addition, these cases simultaneously address multiple vulnerabilities, making it possible to extrapolate from their analysis specific directions to replicate in contexts where even just one of the critical issues exist. The methodological analyses exploit the focus emerged from the scientific literature on environmental vulnerabilities, technological innovation, and stakeholder involvement. The results are regeneration criteria able to verify the appropriateness of ecosystem anti-flooding strategies. Comparing the results with the most recent US and the EU strategic documents, the regeneration criteria demonstrate their relevance and coherence with the international priorities as well as their potential transferability to the European context.