Reloading 21st century cities with cultural energy: The transformation of gas factories into cultural hotspots in Amsterdam and Athens

The last decades have seen our cities affected by exponential developments, pressing for the reinvention of their physical and social environment. Heritage-led-regeneration is a key strategy employed for this transformation. The aim of this paper is to reveal the inspiring potential of industrial heritage-led-regeneration to reload the character of European cities with new cultural energy. The subject will be examined through the critical analysis of two cases of transformed gasworks: the Westergasfabriek in Amsterdam and Technopolis - Gazi in Athens. The background, the decision making process and the reuse outcome of the posed examples will be discussed and linked with their physical, cultural, social and financial impact. This study provides an important opportunity to advance the understanding of the issue of industrial heritage-led-regeneration, highlighting its multiple merits while addressing related problems and challenges.