Abstract:
In the last few decades, urban decay has increased within the city urban fabric;
due to the deterioration of the inner city and increase in population. High income
citizens abandoned their houses demanding a better quality of life outside the
city fabric, leading the old city to be occupied by poorer households or left
vacant. Urban decay is linked to suburban sprawl as the economic life is pulled
out of the city, instead of a previously developed urban site within the old city
fabric. Infill development is the new development of vacant, abandoned, passed
over, or underutilized land within built-up areas of existing communities, where
infrastructure is already in place. It is a solution to filling gaps in existing
communities and playing a critical role in achieving community revitalization,
land conservation and alternatives to sprawl development. Taking advantage of
existing infrastructure, increasing walkability by contributing safe and attractive
pedestrian environment, creating new opportunities for mixed use that recapture
the “sense of place” that is largely missing in development projects. Infill
development is a solution to enhancing the character, viability and function of
the old city. The aim of this research is to articulate the potential and limits of
infill development. It focuses on factors that influence decisions to introduce
infill development as an approach to smart growth and a solution to urban decay.
This is achieved by analyzing international and local examples of infill
development to identify the different land use of vacant land in different urban
contexts. An analytical comparison is carried on the examples, to achieve broad
recommendations for infill development in different urban contexts.
