Urban Qualities in Practice

Abstract

The course deals with the various aspects of urban quality. Using practical examples from Switzerland, the success factors of high-quality urban development are examined and reviewed.

Objective

The overarching aim of the course is to sensitize students to the importance of high-quality densification. The goal will be achieved through lectures, discussions with practitioners, and exercises. By the end of the course, students should be able to analyze an urban area in terms of its quality. They will be familiar with suitable spatial planning instruments that can be used for high-quality densification. Students will ...becomefamiliar with various aspects of urban quality ...discuss these critically and develop them further if necessary ...differentiate between the levels, scales and tasks of spatial planning instruments and processes ...identify, weight and weigh up the various interests in planning ...select and apply suitable (spatial planning) instruments ...acquire the theoretical, methodological and practical knowledge to investigate, clarify and solve spatial planning tasks

Content

The Spatial Planning Act (RPG) requires the federal government, cantons and municipalities to densify, “taking into account an appropriate quality of living”. The aim is to create compact urban areas that also offer quality. There is no generally valid definition of what constitutes the desired urban quality in detail. The Swiss Spatial Planning Association EspaceSuisse has identified 10 aspects based on the experience gained from advising municipalities and analyzing good examples. If these are present, the chances of a high quality is good - both in urban and rural areas. In the course “Urban qualities in practice”, these aspects are examined and further developed using specific examples - with a focus on Swiss practice. The course consists of lectures on the basics and current concepts of high-quality densification as well as exercises and on-site inspections. The lecture series introduces the relevant concepts and covers the following main topics: - Current challenges and legal foundations for high-quality densification - Analysis and further development of the various aspects of urban qualities - Method of weighing up interests and their significance for high-quality densification - Interaction of formal and informal planning instruments to create urban qualities

Resources