The first thing most tourists visit is the historical center. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult for old cities like Venice, Strasbourg, and St. Petersburg to keep pace with modernization and preserve historical cultural values.
Maintaining a balance between innovative construction and preserving the cultural identity of the city has always been a pressing issue. In Paris, the only skyscraper built in the 1970s still faces much criticism from the public. China, where more than half of the world’s skyscrapers were built about 10 years ago, has recently imposed restrictions regarding the construction of tall buildings. St. Petersburg has the same regulations. On the one hand, such measures allow preservation of the historical city panorama. On the other hand, they limit opportunities for urban transformation which makes the city feel like a giant and outdated museum. All successful international cases of the revitalization of historical buildings are united by a smart urban development strategy which considers new development trends and the need to preserve cultural heritage.

• How can we modernize cities without putting their historical spirit under threat?
• How can we implement innovative strategies in historic cities without compromising their cultural heritage?
• What are the challenges that historic superstar cities face?