Topic Editors

1. Art and Architecture Department, School of Architecture, University of Malaga, 2, 29071 Málaga, Spain
2. CIAUD, Research Centre for Architecture, Urbanism and Design, Lisbon School of Architecture, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-004 Lisboa, Portugal
1. CIAUD, Research Centre for Architecture, Urbanism and Design, Lisbon School of Architecture, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-004 Lisboa, Portugal
2. Alasala College of Architecture and Design, Dammam 32324, Saudi Arabia
CIAUD, Research Centre for Architecture, Urbanism and Design, Lisbon School of Architecture, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-004 Lisboa, Portugal

Contemporary Waterfronts, What, Why and How?

Abstract submission deadline
30 September 2025
Manuscript submission deadline
28 February 2026
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1190

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cities and water have a long history of interaction, and waterfront spaces have been the living spaces that bear witness to this relation. Since the advent of industrialisation, the accelerated changing of socio-economic paradigms and the continuous emergence of new societal and environmental problems introduced periods with different degrees of tension. The sequences of the production and regeneration of waterfront areas over time reflect this dynamic, testifying to the implementation of new agendas, policies, spatial plans, and urban projects, these frequently being the laboratories of urban/industrial phenomena. In recent decades, waterfront studies from multiple perspectives reveal both the richness, complexity, and representativeness of these areas. Today, new agendas follow each other, overlapping priorities and coexisting with unfinished previous ones: climate change adaptation and rising sea levels; light mobility; ecological and nature-based approaches; port/industrial heritage and memory values; the repurposing of waterfront sites; the coexistence of previous and new economies, in a complex productive system; touristification; the circular economy; new port–city conflicts, such as cruise impacts; new and more intensive forms of leisure and recreation; social conflicts. The waterfront space is the object of a complex system of conflict dynamics, combining transversal perspectives, none less important than the others. Values need to be discussed again, as several need to be combined simultaneously in the same spaces. "Contemporary Waterfronts: What, Why and How?" opens up a reflective discussion about the shared problems of the contemporary waterfront. “What” addresses what those problems are; “why” addresses what they are due to; and “how” addresses how have or can cities deal with them. This Special Issue seeks spatial diversity, allowing for the confrontation of experiences at waterfronts all over the world. It covers a broad time range, looking at the recent past, the present and the future, since practices from the past frequently inform present and future solutions. Over time, waterfront areas have addressed common problems via shared experiences. Today, this practice is even more relevant. We invite you to join and discuss, with support from empirical material and local practices, the contemporary waterfront: what, why and how?

Dr. Maria José Andrade Marques
Dr. Francesca Dal Cin
Prof. Dr. João Pedro Costa
Topic Editors

Keywords

  • waterfront
  • city and water
  • city and port
  • coastal areas
  • urban regeneration
  • climate change adaptation
  • port heritage
  • tourism
  • cruise shipping
  • fluid territories

Participating Journals

Journal Name Impact Factor CiteScore Launched Year First Decision (median) APC
Atmosphere
atmosphere
2.9 4.1 2010 17.7 Days CHF 2400 Submit
Coasts
coasts
- - 2021 33.8 Days CHF 1000 Submit
Land
land
3.9 3.7 2012 14.8 Days CHF 2600 Submit
Sustainability
sustainability
3.9 5.8 2009 18.8 Days CHF 2400 Submit
Water
water
3.4 5.5 2009 16.5 Days CHF 2600 Submit

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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23 pages, 18955 KiB  
Article
Identification of Critical Areas of Openness–Vitality Intensity Imbalance in Waterfront Spaces and Prioritization of Interventions: A Case Study of Xiangjiang River in Changsha, China
by Zhaoyu Zhou, Fan Yang, Jiayu Li, Jiale Li and Zhuojun Zou
Land 2024, 13(5), 686; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13050686 - 14 May 2024
Viewed by 237
Abstract
To alleviate the contradiction between high-density urban spatial environments and high-frequency citizens’ activities, it is vital to determine the degree of openness of waterfront space, figure out the matching relationship between spatial openness and vitality intensity, identify imbalanced spatial zones and divide the [...] Read more.
To alleviate the contradiction between high-density urban spatial environments and high-frequency citizens’ activities, it is vital to determine the degree of openness of waterfront space, figure out the matching relationship between spatial openness and vitality intensity, identify imbalanced spatial zones and divide the order of intervention, and compensate for the limitations of subjective judgment in traditional planning decisions. This paper uses the Changsha Xiangjiang River waterfront space as a research sample based on multi-source data. It constructs the evaluation indicators system and research framework for the degree of openness of waterfront space. Then, by evaluating the openness and vitality intensity of the waterfront space and adopting the quadrant division method, waterfront space zones with a mismatched openness and vitality intensity were identified. Finally, planning interventions are prioritized based on a priority index. The results show the following: (1) The openness and vitality of the waterfront space of Xiangjiang River show the spatial distribution characteristics of “high in the middle and low in the north and south” and “high on the east bank and low on the west bank”. (2) Fifteen low-quality waterfront spatial zones with “low vitality intensity and low openness” and one with a severe imbalance of “low openness–high vitality intensity” were identified. These waterfront spatial zones cannot meet the requirements for the high-quality development of waterfront space. (3) The study delineates five priority levels for planning interventions. Among them, three waterfront space zones belong to priority V, mainly distributed north and south of the Xiangjiang River. Five waterfront spatial zones belonging to priority IV are concentrated in the middle of the Xiangjiang River. The above areas need to be prioritized for improvement to accurately promote the overall balanced development of the waterfront space. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Contemporary Waterfronts, What, Why and How?)
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