Territorial Systems (as discussant) (2024)

From dissensus to modernist consensus. On the irruption and reproduction of spatial orders in 20th century Guadalajara.

This paper sheds light on the interrelationship between spatial arrangements and political processes in Guadalajara, Mexico, during the first half of the 20th century. Through a structural urban analysis the path–dependency relationship between political ideologies, projects and urban transformations is presented. Space throughout this reading is regarded as a stage simultaneously framing and affected by contingent social processes. In parallel, by addressing the ‘distribution of the sensible’ –that is, the contingent ways in which society and space are arranged according to a well defined system of hierarchies, places and functions– rather than reading the urban effects of ‘industrialization’ as a political-economic regime, it is possible to distinguish a particular kind of non-democratic politics steering the precipitated reshaping of Guadalajara's city centre: that of a ‘modernist consensus’.

On Reproduction: Re-Imagining the Political Ecology of Urbanism. Proceedings of the 9th International PhD Seminar in Urbanism and Urbanization

2018

Centring space: the possibility of planning in urban community (shequ) construction in Shanghai (IPHS TU-Delft) (2016)

Proceedings of 17th International Planning History Society (IPHS) Conference - Delft 2016, 2016

China’s post-economic reform industrialization, mass-migration and accelerated urbanisation has had an impact on cities that is unprecedented in scale and in speed. Either expressed by expansion patterns of industrial-driven peripheries, planned new towns or high-densification of city centres, urbanisation is defined by a profound transformation of urban space and prior socio-spatial orders . Largely impacted is the basic socio-spatial unit of the city - the urban community (xiaoqu or shequ) - often destroyed and relocated, and which have been the homes of people and traditionally the organisers of social relations in China . Communities are centred spaces - as centring is the making of space into a place . China aims to build a new society, based on the neighbourhood unit, that can be more autonomous, responsible, and essentially more stable . In a context where both society and space are on the move - how can planning assist centring space thus creating communities? This paper is a qualitative study that explored the history of a long-established community case in the inner centre of Shanghai – showcasing the present pressures of urban renewal and realities of spatial decay, overcrowdedness and relocation uncertainty. It argues for the importance of socio-spatial permanence, which requires the action of planning collaborating with community managers that is presently fragmented and lacking both diagnosis and communication.

Energy Transition in the Nebular City: Connecting Transition Thinking, Metabolism Studies, and Urban Design

Transforming urban infrastructures is an essential part of creating more sustainable urban regions. But rethinking these complex systems requires a better understanding of their spatial dimensions and their relation with urban morphology and spatial structure. This paper addresses that gap by examining different conceptualizations of technical infrastructure and space in science, technology and society studies (STS), transition thinking, urban metabolism studies, and urban political ecology, and draws connections with the spatial perspective of urban planning and design. It illustrates and tests these concepts through the case of energy transition in the Flemish region of Belgium. Transport and supply networks have played a crucial role in facilitating, structuring, and reproducing the region's characteristic dispersed and energy-intensive urban landscape. Bringing different disciplinary perspectives together, the research broadens the conceptualization of the spatial dimension in transition thinking, and identifies useful concepts and design parameters for urban design to engage with the technical and socio-political complexity of transforming urban infrastructure. It reveals the energy transition as an inherently spatial project, and explores the spatially and socio-politically transformative potential of the transition towards a new energy system.

Historicizing Ecological Urbanism: Paul Duvigneaud, the Brussels Agglomeration and the influence of ecology on urbanism (1970-2016)

On Reproduction. Re-imagining the political ecology of urbanism. Urbanism & Urbanization Conference Proceedings., 2018

Today, design proposals like ‘Metropolitan Landscapes’ and ‘Metabolism of the Brussels Region’ aim at fusing natural and social sciences to restore the equilibrium between social and natural systems, and in extenso the urban and natural environment. However, this socio-ecological approach, typical of ecological urbanism, is often stripped down to a biological perspective. Metabolic schemes of city systems demonstrate the current course taken by the design field, by stressing that the city is a natural organism, constructed through biological flows rather than existing spaces and people. In this paper, I will invoke a historical reading of a biological approach towards the city by retracing the linkages between ecologists and planners in Brussels. Using the case of Paul Duvigneaud and the Brussels Agglomeration (1970-1980), I claim that ecology is used to both overcome political opposition and incorporate a specific (political) agenda. By performing a close reading of archival material, this historical analysis raises attention for (contested) socio-political motives and forces, thus leading to a reconsideration of the way in which ecology and design is related to political and social contexts.

Integrated Planning and Design for Sustainable Urban Peripheries in Europe Urban Landscapes from Erasmus to Bruegel: Brussels 2014

RESTRUCTURING OF A COASTAL TOWN SINCE THE EARTHQAUKE IN 1957: FETHIYE, TURKEY

International Planning History Society Proceedings

In ancient times, cities were not durable to the catastrophic devastations such that many of which were abandoned to their own fate. However, in modern times, with technological progress, the physical fabric of the cities is rebuilt, socio-economic and cultural structure is quickly resurrected against natural or human-induced disasters. It is the modern technology that provides the reconstruction of a city after a catastrophe; however, the resilience and recovery of a city is not just physical rebuilding. It is an adaptive and evolutionary process that absorbs all the impacts of hazards. Moreover, it includes the human endeavor and struggle, cooperation, self-reliance and sense of belongingness. The social and cultural scope of the resilience is the defining features of the cities, which sustain its essence and the urban fabric. The case area of this paper, Fethiye has a profound history with its coastal settlement dates back to Lycians. The name of the first known settlement in the town was Telmessos. Many earthquakes damaged the region since the ancient times and people had to seek for new and secure inhabiting destinations therefore, there are very few remains from ancient settlements except for rock tombs. Today, Fethiye is a modern coastal town in Turkey. It is significant with its touristic port, harmony of ancient and modern urban fabric, everlasting tourist industry and agricultural production. Many severe earthquakes have been recorded in Fethiye throughout history. The first planned urbanization started with the recovery works after the damage of earthquake in 1856. However, the town had been demolished again with the earthquake in 1957. Since then, it has been rebuilt with a modernist understanding and technique. This natural disaster formed a basis for the first legal regulations and organizational structure related to natural hazard areas, which was generated and ratified in 1959 in Turkey. Thus, the urban fabric of Fethiye is restructured according to modern lifestyle and new legal regulations for urbanization on natural hazard areas. A new district with the name of Karagözler is created. In the meantime, geographical advantage of the town, the coastal strip, which led to the initial settling, helped the resurrection of the town. However, with the popularity of sea holiday and growth of mass foreign tourism in 1960s, the wetlands in Fethiye were filled to make room for massive residential development. Fethiye is trying to enhance resilience with respect to the challenges of earthquake, rapid growth, eradication of natural resources, and touristic overpopulation especially in the summer months. The aim of this paper is to present the restructuring process of the coastal town Fethiye which absorbs the impacts of the abovementioned various hazards since the earthquake in 1957. It evaluates the positive and negative consequences of this restructuring process in terms of both resurrection of the town with tourism potential and loss of wetlands and natural resources.

PRESERVING THE HISTORIC CULTURAL LANDSCAPE OF KARABAGLAR, TURKEY

International Planning History Society Proceedings

Historic cultural landscapes are formed with collective activities of the inhabitants; they are part of a collective identity, shared set of meanings and a local culture. With their unique natural and man-made qualities, they have been the cultural representation of the society in history. In this respect, they are natural and cultural heritage that must be preserved. The case area of this paper, Karabaglar is a historic cultural landscape located at the periphery of Mugla town. There has been a seasonal cyclic movement (transhumance culture) between these two settlements for centuries that set up an interdependency and interaction. Karabaglar served to house economy as far as recreational needs of town residents. The cultural landscape of Karabaglar is composed of one-five-acre regular horticultural flatlands on which scattered traditional cubic houses situated. Land use, social and cultural practices of the residents and their relations with the environment have given form to the landscape of Karabaglar throughout centuries; therefore, its spatial organization is an outcome of socio-cultural formation. Some landscape components and character defining features specific in Karabaglar have been invented by initial inhabitants, reproduced through daily uses, and transmitted through time as socio-cultural practices. They were structured with a great sensitivity to the environment. Therefore, spatial organization in Karabaglar asserts the existence of coherence between human activities and environment, wholly reveals the uniqueness of Karabaglar. Karabaglar has made testimony to the practices of changing society throughout the history. Karabaglar landscape witnessed the past and present interaction of the community with the environment. In this respect, Karabaglar keeps the cultural history of initial inhabitants and presents cultural richness. The history of Karabaglar dates back to the 17th century when the first sedentary settlement movements started with Turcoman nomads. Until 20th century, Karabaglar provided a noticeable amount of agricultural contribution to the town economy. However, with modernization, especially after 1950s, socio economic and technological dynamics have altered the significance of Karabaglar for town economy and social life. After 1960s, the technological developments especially in transportation have been effective in the restructuring of Karabaglar pattern. The cultural landscape of Karabaglar started to transform into new residential area of the town as a result of urbanization. In the recent century, developments in the economy, technology, and transportation have changed the preferences of people that influence the lifestyle and the building practices in Karabaglar. Hence, the original character, natural and cultural qualities could not save their existence. This paper aims to search preservation strategies against the deterioration of historic cultural landscape of Karabaglar. It first explains the natural and cultural values of Karabaglar in line with its historic existence, then determines the changing circumstances with modernization, later goes on to explain the transformation process of Karabaglar within urbanization. Finally, it discusses the preservation tools and techniques assessing the historic cultural landscape and its cultural heritage in integrity and providing the perpetuation of Karabaglar’s being.

Lost in Translation: Colonial Heritage and Amnesia in an African City

I International Congress Colonial and Postcolonial Landscapes, Architecture, Cities, Infrastructures, 16th-18th January, 2019, Lisbon, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Book of Abstracts, 2019

UpCycle Barcelona - Cogenerative Design Strategies for a Sustainable Urban Metabolism

This publication presents the results of a two-week Erasmus Intensive Programme organized in Barcelona’s Zona Franca during spring 2014 in order to explore potential convergences between urbanism, urban metabolism and industrial ecology for planning sustainable European cities.