Summary lectures, Urban Future Lab
Contents
Lecture 1: Urban Future Lab, introduction. Long term vision- and strategy processes in a multi-actor
context...................................................................................................................................................2
Lecture 2: Spatial Planning multi-actor theories..................................................................................10
Lecture 3: Planning Support Methods.................................................................................................17
Lecture 4: Making Simulation games...................................................................................................24
Lecture 5: Strategic thinking, working with “ABCD-processes”: for structuring dialogues from global
level to local levels, for spatial planning on city level..........................................................................29
Lecture 6: Ethics...................................................................................................................................33
Lecture 7: Q&A session with teachers.................................................................................................41
1
,Lecture 1: Urban Future Lab, introduction. Long term
vision- and strategy processes in a multi-actor context
What is a good city. Personal background, who am I? All kind of vacation parks wanted to build
there, but they didn’t succeed because the inhabitants wanted to do so. The municipality wanted to
have it as an open space.
Who is building a big station in the middle of cows etc.? But they first build the station and
developed the area around it. But first developing a station and then designed the area around it. So
now they have a nice hub Amsterdam Sloterdijk.
If you want to go to politics, choose a party and try to get a party that fits with your arguments. I
learned you have to do much water by the wine, if you want to have an accepted document.
What is planning? Planning = thinking ahead and apply timing? "Let me explain the planning and
purposes of the scenario for regeneration."
A: 6 principles (UNECE) for planning:
1. Democratic
2. Subsidiarity
3. Participation
4. Integration you cannot be an expert in everything. We should have to sign the space for
different areas.
5. Proportional is your policy proportionate? Is it proportionate to say we place here 10
windmills?
6. Precautionary cultural differences between countries in US they don’t like it in EU much
more. E.g. Energy transition.
B: Roles and responsibilities in planning
C: Systems of planning
D: engaging stakeholders and protecting rights
Positive image of planning:
Useful, adding quality of life, environmental health, public support, and safeguarding democratic
principles of a just decision-making process?
Or….
Negative image of planning:
Planning used as commodification instrument by powerful people, further stretching the power
balance between powerful and powerless interest? (it is good to have this in mind, because as
spatial planners you want to protect the vulnerable in the society)
In this critical view, planning is used by elites, strengthening the voices of privileged groups in
society.
Vision making and strategic planning are inherently political
2
,Old system --> stocks in shell to stocks in sustainable windfarms --> new system
Juval Portugali
Key planning is to find the appropriate boundary between individuality and collectivity: planning has
to do with things that individuals will not do. So this is where planning has a responsibility.
John Friedman
The good city:
1. Concrete imagination of utopian thinking to propose steps that would bring us closer to a
world we would consider as just
2. Utopian tradition in planning (Do city-builders need guiding, normative images?)
3. I Imagine the Good city, theoretical
1. Whose city?
2. Process vs outcomes
3. Intention and practice
4. II Human Flourishing as a fundamental human right
5. Multipli/city as a primary good
6. Good governance
Utopian thinking exists of two interconnected moments: 1 critique and 2 constructive vision:
1. The critique is of certain aspects of our present condition: injustices, oppression,
ecological devastation. The code may be implicit or suggested symbolically by
slogans as freedom, equality, solidarity.
2. If injustice is to be corrected, we will need the concrete imagination of utopian
thinking to propose steps that would bring us closer to a world we would consider
just. It is this concrete vision, constructive vision, of the future we consider just. Such
visioning’s are always debatable, both in their own terms and when measured
against alternative proposals. That is why I call them political.
3
, The 6 criteria for performance of a system of city regional governance. Good governance of a city or
region:
1. Inspired political leadership
2. Public accountability
3. Transparency the right to information
4. Inclusiveness
5. Responsiveness --> political leaders have to respond to critique.
6. Non-violent conflict management --> I have my view and I go to court to get my rights.
Dystopian thinking as a part of vision making processes. Smart city: There is loss of privacy and
unaminity because everything is automated. Is a smart city you want or what the society and big
companies want?
African Urban Fantaties:
If you make a conceptual plan, secure the land and land clearance happens and you can sell the land
in pieces. Infrastructure provision.
Nairobi accommodation way beyond affordability of the poor
Luanda Ghost cities require huge state subsidy to support buyers.
Bryson:
Visual scheme of spatial planning process.
External environment cc, economic problems
Internal environment what is happening in our city
From strategies it goes to actions
Competitors and collaborators
4