The project studies how quality objectives are defined in practice and how these objectives change between political definition, their application in the planning process and their implementation in urban development projects.
Background
Who is creating our landscape? This question is vital both for science and for politics. It is not individual players such as politicians, planners or economists that influence Switzerland‘s landscape, now, more than ever, spacial development is being characterised by transport infrastructures, labour and land markets, new means of communication and global logistics chains. Switzerland‘s landscape can no longer be thought of in terms of town and country and criteria for evaluating spatial quality must be further developed accordingly. This project is learning from the practical implementation of quality objectives in the planning process and in urban development.
Aim
The aim of the project is to better understand how quality objectives change between their political definition, their application in the planning process and their implementation in urban development projects. The project focuses in its method on urban events resulting from large infrastructure projects. How are quality objectives adapted when their basic principles are questioned? As urban events affect suburban municipalities in particular, they are most in demand. The success of interventions in hybrid landscapes is not only dependent upon the flexibility of the quality objectives but also on the capacity of the actors involved to look for new challenges and to establish closer links between their own areas and others.
Significance
The results are relevant for all the players involved in spatial development. The direction of their thinking is being examined and made more transparent. The instruments available for managing spatial processes are not tested against their objectives but on what they actually produce and how they are utilised. On the basis of these findings, they are being modified within the framework of their application, such that they are beneficial for the development of urban quality. The results of this project are, however, also relevant for the sciences: political science, geography and sociology are not only being linked with disciplines such as urban development and architecture in a constructive dialogue, but they are also being developed further.
Original title: Urban events, local interventions: perspectives on suburban planning
Grant: CHF 603'629.-
Duration: 36 months
Project leaders
- Prof. Joris Ernest Van Wezemael, Lehr- und Forschungseinheit Geographie, Universität Freiburg (Teaching and Research unit, Department of Geography, University of Freiburg)
- Prof. Dietmar Eberle, Department of Architecture, ETH Wohnforum – ETH CASE
- Prof. Daniel Kübler, Department for Political Science, University of Zurich