Call for a Social and Ecological Urban Planning and Design
Territorial Urbanism Now! by Aglaée Degros, Eva Schwab, Anna Bagarić, Sabine Bauer, Jennifer Fauster, Radostina Radulova-Stahmer, Mario Stefan and Alice Steiner.
Territorial Urbanism Now! calls for a paradigm shift in the conception of urban transformation. It urges us to favor sustainable systems in order to collectively tackle the challenges of climate change. Until now, urban planning and design professionals have integrated green and active mobility systems in the residual spaces available. In the reverse approach envisioned here, these systems become structuring elements of the territory, supported by a much more frugal built environment. The contributions by urbanists, artists, architects, and landscape architects in this publication come from research, practice, and teaching.
Paola Viganò, Eric Luiten, Sandra Guinand—in conversation with Ali Madanipour, Chris Younès, Christian Schmid, Eric Wieërs, and Maarten Van Acker—Stefan Rettich, Tommaso Pietropolli, Elena Andonova, Julio de la Fuente, Natalia Gutiérrez, Ward Verbakel, Claudia Bode, Philipp Misselwitz, Davide Curatola Soprana, Beatrice Galimberti, Lilli Lička, Hannes Gröblacher, Johannes Bernsteiner, Stefan Devoldere, Anselm Wagner, Susanne Eliasson, Eva Pfannes, Jesse Honsa, and Stefan Bendiks not only introduce a much-needed paradigm shift, but also show us the premises for its realization.
The book is the result of a symposium in September 2022. It presents a comprehensive examination of the concept of territorial urbanism with the aim of equitable, climate- and ecology-oriented systemic planning that addresses the current challenges of global change.
Join us for the book presentation of our newest publication Territorial Urbanism Now! and let’s elaborate on a more social and ecological urban planning and design. June 12, 2024, 5pm at Graz Museum, Sackstraße 18, 8010 Graz, Austria.
The book is presented in the frame of the exhibition Stadt Natur—Habitat Graz curated by Daniela Brasil, in cooperation with Ogül Büber-Ottitsch, Franziska Schurig, Vanessa Bednarek, Anna Monsberger and BUERO41A, in the Graz Museum.
Aglaée Degros’ introductory editorial calls for the current planning routines to be questioned and for the massive consumption of resources in urban development to be curbed. It contains eight papers by Tommaso Pietropolli, Elena Andonova, Julio de la Fuente, Natalia Gutiérrez, Ward Verbakel, Beatrice Galimberti, Lilli Lička, Hannes Gröblacher, Johannes Bernsteiner and Stefan Devoldere that discuss the urgently needed paradigm shift at a theoretical level and eight essays by Paola Viganò, Eric Luiten, Stefan Rettich, Claudia Bode, Philipp Misselwitz, Anselm Wagner, Eva Schwab, Susanne Eliasson, Eva Pfannes and Jesse Honsa that elaborate the prerequisites for the implementation of territorial urbanism. Among other things, they show how theoretical concepts can be translated into design and planning practices and which potentials and challenges need to be considered.
Davide Curatola Soprana’s photo essay offers an atmospheric glimpse into everyday life in Murcia in south-eastern Spain, illustrating the effects of climate change on the local environment. Here, a special focus is placed on the Mar Menor, an important saltwater lagoon in that region, which was recognized as a legal entity on 21st September 2022. This recognition opens up new opportunities for the protection and sustainable development of this ecosystem.
Stefan Bendiks describes student projects from the Harvard Graduate School of Design at Studio “Decarb Lux” that present speculative spatial planning approaches for territorial urbanism in Luxembourg, serving as explorative studies and demonstrating innovative, sustainable urban development approaches.
Finally, Sandra Guinand interviewed Ali Madanipour, Chris Younès, Christian Schmid, Eric Wieërs, and Maarten Van Acker, experts from the fields of urbanism, architecture and sociology that provide views into the required paradigm shift towards territorial urbanism. These interviews discuss the political, social and ecological implications of this concept and place it in the current social context.
Pre-order the book now from here. Territorial Urbanism Now! Edited by Aglaée Degros, Eva Schwab, Anna Bagarić, Sabine Bauer, Jennifer Fauster, Radostina Radulova-Stahmer, Mario Stefan and Alice Steiner