Industrial Brownfields as Restorative Environments: the Possibility of Transformation and Reactivation of the Abandoned Industrial Heritage

Changes in the needs of modern society, as well as technical and technological developments, have led to an increase in the number of abandoned industrial buildings in cities, thereby disrupting existing urban areas. Although in recent decades the well-known practice of urban revitalization of abandoned industrial heritage buildings has been recognized as a successful method for urban revival, these types of properties in Serbia, although being the former symbols of prosperity and the power of the state, have been left to physical decay. Restorative environments, unlike industrial heritage buildings, are designed to contribute to the health and well-being of people, especially by alleviating mental fatigue and stress, through the people's contact with nature. As restorative environments are predominantly tied to open spaces and natural settings, it is important to consider the possibility of applying this concept to indoor environments. The aim of this paper is to research the possibility of applying the principles of restorative environments in the processes of transformation and reactivation of abandoned industrial heritage buildings, which have been placed under state protection as cultural monuments. Through an extensive literature review, including different theoretical concepts and analysis of good practices, this paper examines the possibilities of transformation and reactivation of the abandoned industrial heritage on the territory of Belgrade such as Sugar Plant, the Milan Vapa’s Paper Mill and the Power and Thermal Power Station “Power and Light”, through the implementation of the concept of restorative environments. The aim of this paper is to examine the possibility of transforming abandoned industrial heritage into healthy environments while adding cultural, social, and economic value. Application of this concept could lead to the formation of new potential for increasing public health within the urban tissue, as a new form of a public good, as well as to consider the possibility of wider use of restorative environments