Case study

Urban Public Space Refurbishment, Szeged City

Area characterisation:

  • Scale of the project: neighbourhood
  • Scales impacts from this NbS action should be assessed at neighbourhood and city levels.
  • Urban density in which the NbS is implemented: high (dense city center, etc.)

The Kölcsey street functioned as a parking place, it hadn't any trees or other vegetation. This street is next to Kárász street, which is the main shopping promenade of Szeged. The goal was the planting and to free the area of the cars.

Objective:

  • Mitigate heat-island effect thanks to the use of NbS
  • Priorities pedestrian approach along the very busy street of Kölcsey and at the Reök Palace Square

Szeged is a mid-size historic city in the south of Hungary, the temperature is usually higher than in other similar-sized cities in the country. The goal of this project was to reduce the effects of the urban heat island in a very busy street with a lot of cars and shops. The idea was to increase the green area, plant trees, creating a more pleasant space for the pedestrians. The project has a significant effect which stimulated the economy as well.

The project is also combined with another environment friendly solution: Bio-sourced materials

Start/end date:

Financing:

Global (estimated) cost of the project: 200k€- 1M€

FINANCIAL MODEL:
Financial cluster: cluster2 financial institution
Financial model: unknow
The 90% of cost was financed by European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), and the 10% of the cost was covered by the Szeged Municipality.

Transferability of result:

Process enablers:
Knowledge drivers → Awareness → NbS ambassadors
Governance drivers → cocreation and participation → reflective/adaptive governance
Economy drivers → Real estate 

The project implementation was coherent with the Green City Concept.

Process inhibitors:
Knowledge barriers → Uncertainty → Operation unknow
Governance barriers → Institutional barriers → Lack of coordination
Economy barriers → Perception of the benefits → Uncertain economic feasability

The owners of shops were unhappy because of the lack of parking lots, thus the shop-fitting became difficoult. It was necessary to introduce some special regulations for shops. A new parking garage was built in the proximinty of the area, but citizens needed some time to get used to the new regulations.


BUSINESS MODEL:
Business cluster: Technological
Business model: Maximize material productivity and energy efficiency
The model and the project was accurately prepared. There was a consultation with all regionally relevant authorities, thus the implementation process was fluent.

Temporal perspective

Expected time for the NbS to become fully effective after its implementation: short (immediately to few months)

Feedback: The project has already been adapted to new requisites

State of progress of the project: Project delivered (date unknow...)

Expected life time of the intervention: around 25 years

Client:

The local municipality of Szeged (Contracting authority)

Design team:

  • Ágnes Igaz dr.( SZMJV - Szeged Municipality Development Office)

Main partners:

  • Szeged Pólus Nonprofit Kft.
  • Municipality of Szeged

Other stakeholders:

  • DAOP - South Alföld OpreationalProgramme (this found on EU
    sources), Reök Palace as a cultural partner

The DAOP provided the 90% of the cost, and the municipality 10%. The project management and the realization was carried out by the Szeged 30 Pólus Nonprfit Ltd (owned by the municipality) and the Szeged Municipality Development Office. The cultural demands were defined by the Management of Reök Palace, as the main user of the renovated area in in the future. The place is in front of the cultural building of Reök, thus it became an important venue of cultural events.


GOVERNANCE MODEL:
Governance cluster: cluster1 traditional public administration
Governance model: unknow
The municipality coordinated the project and for above mentioned reasons they couldn't involve any stakeholders.

Contacts:

Ágnes , Igaz Dr. (author of the factsheet?)

hevizi.bianka@szeged.eu
Governmental agency (www.szegedvaros.hu)
Széchenyi square 10. Szeged, 6720, Hungary

NBS goals:

  • Enhancing sustainable urbanization
  • Restoring ecosystems and their functions
  • Developing climate change mitigation
  • Developing climate change adaptation
  • Improving risk management and resilience
  • Urban regeneration through nature-based solutions
  • Nature-based solutions for improving well-being in urban areas
  • Nature-based solutions and the insurance value of ecosystems
  • Increasing carbon sequestration through nature-based solutions

NBS benefits:

  • Developing climate change adaptation; improving risk management and resilience
  • Developing climate change mitigation
  • Restoring ecosystems and their functions
  • Enhancing sustainable urbanisation

Further information:

Action plan 2007-2009 by Szeged Town Municipality (Kölcsey street and other actoin area). Published Documents on Home Page of Szeged Town