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Image and implementation of sustainable urban development: Showcase projects and other projects in Freiburg, Heidelberg and Tübingen, Germany

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The principles of sustainability are currently applied in Germany and many other countries as important guidelines for urban development. However, different forms of understanding regarding sustainable development and different approaches concerning its implementation can be found in various spatial contexts. This paper focuses on Freiburg, Heidelberg and Tübingen, three cities in southwestern Germany. These cities produce different images due to ambitious urban development plans which are based on the three pillars of ecological, economic and social sustainability in different ways. Numerous similarities between these three cities notwithstanding, they highlight different aspects of sustainable urban development and emphasise them via particularly widespread awareness of ‘showcase projects’. For Freiburg, this includes Vauban and Rieselfeld, for Heidelberg Bahnstadt, and for Tübingen Französisches Viertel and Loretto. The central questions in this paper are therefore: How do images and the implementation of sustainability differ with regard to the three pillars of sustainability? How can differences and similarities with regard to the three pillars of sustainability be explained and what consequences can be drawn for future studies in sustainable urban development? Following a classification of research perspectives on sustainable urban development, distinguishing between more practically oriented aspects, on the one hand, and theory-based critical considerations, on the other, this article examines showcase projects from the three selected cities on the basis of planning documents, websites, local newspapers and academic literature. Moreover, further projects are taken into consideration. The paper concludes with general observations and discussions concerning the image and implementation of sustainable urban development.
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1–18
Beitrag / Article Open Access
Anna Growe*, Tim Freytag
          This work is licensed under the Creative Commons

Image and implementation of sustainable
urban development: Showcase projects and
other projects in Freiburg, Heidelberg and
Tübingen, Germany


*Corresponding author: Prof. Dr. Anna Growe, 

Prof. Dr. Tim Freytag,

Abstract: 
     



            









            

Keywords:
Image und Umsetzung nachhaltiger
Stadtentwicklung – Vorzeigeprojekte und
andere Vorhaben in Freiburg, Heidelberg und
Tübingen
2 Anna Growe, Tim Freytag
1 Introduction
[S]ustainable development of human settlements
combines economic development, social development
and environmental protection, with full respect for all
human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the
right to development (UN 1996: 1).
       
        
     
    
years and decades that have followed. This trend has
     




         

  

process and not a static condition.
  
         
      
    




      
         
    
aim of encouraging political actors in their commitment
      

     


     
     
       
     

     

   
      


    
       
Zusammenfassung: 


             


           




 
 
 
          
        




Schlüsselwörter: 


3
perspective that is intended to prepare and accompany
 
on the one hand, and a second perspective that seeks to

     
      
practice projects to improve structures and processes
within and resulting from planning processes to foster
     

     



      
 
of this paper. The aim of our paper is to understand
       

       
      

projects, and we reflect on the application of measures
       
     

The focus of our paper is placed on three cities in
      
       
        
However, the implementation of measures to invigorate
      


      
These three cities are university cities located in the
    
      
to economic development, population growth and


       

      
        
        
       
      
      
         
     
      
      

city.
Our paper is organised in the following way.
        

   
      
      
three German cities that form the focus of this paper.
         
   
      




    
       

     


   
development.
2 Two perspectives on
sustainable urban development

    
    

      
first, a perspective that is intended to prepare and
     
       






       
of this research perspective, the focus is placed on the
    
    
    
4 Anna Growe, Tim Freytag
       
    
  

   
      

      
     
        

         
       
       
      
     

   
     
perspective cover a wide range of normative political

     


       


       
     
    

of different and sometimes even contradictory forms

      





        

practices, and put forward the argument that anything


       

    
     
primarily serve to place investments and to make a
profit without taking seriously the social and ecological

     
         
   
        

       
created need not necessarily correspond to what
is actually implemented and realised in the area of
     
      


        
     

     

       
how
        
understanding of what    
        
      
       
        
     
      
     

   
     
       
     

ecological, economic and social needs are considered
        
       

      
       

planning as comprehensive spatial planning at different
        


        
        
      
     
      



5


3 Selected cities and
methodology
 
and present the methodology of the empirical analysis.
3.1 Selected cities

         
      
    
phase of growth that made it necessary to implement
       

politics. Cities that met all three criteria were identified in
Germany, in the southwestern part of the country.
      


  

      
       
     
   
      


     
       
     


         
     
developed on former military sites in German cities.
         


metropolitan regions gained increasing importance, and
        


   
was promoted and implemented in the course of
       
in prospering cities. The increasing importance of
    
    
strengthening of environmental politics and the Green
party in several cities in Germany during the past few
        
      


        
      

numerous municipal initiatives and documents, such as

and in many other cities, the guidelines and goals for
      
development plan.
      
that have already achieved a certain level of international

Characteristics Tübingen Freiburg Heidelberg
   
City area 111 k m 
   
City founding   
University founding   
   
   

6 Anna Growe, Tim Freytag
   
Furthermore, we considered cities that are characterised

        


Finally, we decided that the selected cities should
  
located within the same state in order to limit potential
differences with regard to the overarching political
         

All three of the selected cities were founded in the
         

and they served as important markets and commercial

      
was typical for other cities and metropolises at the end
   



population over the past ten years. The three selected
cities show similar patterns in terms of their structure and


3.2 Empirical-methodological approach
          
    

      

Our analysis is organised in the following two steps.
        


development. Part of this step is a focus on showcase
projects, as these projects play a crucial role in shaping
the image of the selected cities. Secondly, we focus
      
projects in these cities and analyse the measures that

      
considered here.
The main aim of the first step of our analysis
is to identify the image of the cities with regard to
      


       
        
    



Figure 1:


7
     
for references to one or more of the three pillars of

on this first step of the empirical analysis which focuses
on the images of the selected cities, a second step of
    
     



   

To analyse the implementation of measures to
     
      
 
       
       
who systematises indicators according to the following
      
support of the ecological pillar, social diversity and local
     
local value creation and employment for the economic

      
development projects has the aim of allowing a variety
       
Thus, our analysis focuses on the degree to which the


       


       

that would tell us if and how measures to support

        

       
relevant measures were only analysed in the case of

their planning phase. This allowed us to ground our
analysis on coordinated plans. Only the criterion of
      
projects, since the location of the projects was already
known prior to the completion of the planning phase. As
  
      

        


        
      
       
      
         


        

Figure 2: 
Table 2: 

 land recycling
utility infrastructure
transportation system
 
 

8 Anna Growe, Tim Freytag
the temporal dimension of the projects, we distinguish
       
implementation phase. The planning procedure includes

       
 
projects were certainly discussed in the cities prior to the
initiation of the planning procedure, the starting point of
  
       
      

of the planning procedure are physically implemented
       

4 Guidelines for sustainable
urban development: Image
and showcase projects in the
selected cities
      
 
       
         
      

          
images, we can identify supporting showcase projects in
each of the selected cities.
4.1 Tübingen
       

particular focus on inner development and revitalisation.
     
        
relevant measures is mainly directed at the conversion
      

     

      
seen as showcase projects, and have received wide

      
        
   
       
        
        


the integration of residential and commercial spaces
     
   
        
    
      
      

   
    
      
       

       
    
has a clear focus on the social dimension of
      
     
        
       
      
social dimension emerges very clearly in the showcase
       
        


4.2 Freiburg
          
       
 

  

   

    
     

       
      
     


9


       

      
identifies and reconstructs the “development of a ‘green’
   

        
and reinforced in the following years, thus making a

      
      




       
     

       
  
to complement them with advancements in ecologically

       
and service facilities in terms of waste removal, energy
      


        
        
     

      
        

    
       
of participatory processes in the showcase projects.
      
development is primarily associated with civic
      
     
      
    
    
movement that prevented the construction of a nuclear

an important part of the collective memory and identity of
the activists and politicians who are currently engaged
     

4.3 Heidelberg
     
particularly strong dynamics during the past few years.

       
withdrawal of the American armed forces and the closure
 

      
        
      
       

projects.
      

formerly used as a goods station, including the adjacent

   
research, and commercial activities within an attractive
setting of green and open spaces. An architectural
       

     
      
its focus on scientific communities and the knowledge
      
  
        
     
      
         



      
      
       

       


        
largest passive house estate worldwide. Therefore, this
      
10 Anna Growe, Tim Freytag
     
      



      
    
       
      
city and its university. Here, the main idea is that the
     
        
       
    
   


      

 
    
       
   
        

      
    
  
    

5 Implementation of sustainable
urban development beyond the
showcase projects
      
     
projects in the three selected cities. As pointed out in the
previous section, each of these cities has a particular
  
      
through relevant showcase projects and corresponding


prominent showcase projects and related images. Since

       




development projects in the three cities, which have
       
      
 


5.1 Tübingen

     
     
    

        
     

       
         
developed on conversion areas the ecological dimension

      
 

      


     


use project was developed, in which the costs of area
       

    
housing units was neglected in favour of advancements in

       

5.2 Freiburg
      
        
prominent showcase projects were planned in the
        


11

   
      

        
      
       
    
      
     
the motivation was rather to respond to an increasing


     
      
   

       
        
  
concept of Gutleutmatten, roughly half of the housing
       
   
      
     
rainwater infiltration areas.
Figure 3: 
12 Anna Growe, Tim Freytag
5.3 Heidelberg
 

   

  
development projects were planned on industrial and
      


      
        
first plans for the larger military conversion areas in
       

       
     
    
     
       
       
      

        
        
       
       

      

      
      

Turm project. This project was developed on a former
industrial site with the aim of providing new space for
Figure 4: 


13

numerous infrastructure and service facilities, including
a kindergarten, supported living for elderly people and
people suffering from dementia, green spaces with
playgrounds, shopping amenities and restaurants.
Through the attraction of service companies a compact

housing was created on two of the nine construction
   
          
       
       


showcase project, which has shaped the image of
        

Figure 5: 
14 Anna Growe, Tim Freytag
6 Overview: Sustainable urban
development projects in the
selected cities
Considering the three selected cities, our study shows
        
of these cities focuses on a different dimension of
     
     
positions itself first and foremost as ecologically
     
      


      
       
      
emphasis on enhancing the scientific community and
the knowledge economy. Compared with the showcase
      
      
         
      
         
French troops started to withdraw from these two cities.
 
troops occurred only a decade later. Thus, the historical
     

were different from those that were prevalent ten years

       
of the latter showcase projects reflect that the topics of
ecology and social justice were regarded as increasingly



         
priorities putting particular emphasis on the scientific

various aspects of ecology and the social dimension
       
        
      
     

      
development projects are planned and realised
          
     


are more developments taking place on greenfields
than in the other two selected cities, although the


is that the pressure on the housing market due to a
   
       
     

      


of the American troops, and the withdrawal of these
troops opened up development opportunities on


      

     

      
conversion areas and not on greenfields. All in all, our
  
     

changes resulting from technical and social innovations.
      
       
    
        
     
Figure 6: 



15
However, in each of the cities there are individual
accentuations that are supported and communicated
      
  
       
     

     
  

Thus, the production of images and the promotion
        
       
of the selected cities respond to the three pillars of
        
   
       
      

way these projects are presented in communication and

   
 

picked up as well.
This analysis of three selected cities shows that
     
various projects using different approaches that
    
       


with reference to the showcase projects in the respective
        
        

7 Outlook: Image and
implementation of sustainable
urban development in the
light of two different research
perspectives
       
       



        

       
     
       
individual showcase projects. The polarising effect of the

    

projects complete and round off the overall image of
      
cities. Compared with the showcase projects, the other
projects are less influential and they are communicated

       
       

in their everyday environment.
     
     

      
       
       
      
          
to academic scholars and practitioners. The main aim
     
documenting and evaluating showcase projects as
     
   
       
and newly developed standards with regard to specific

    
       
projects. Here, a main criticism refers to the lack of



development when realising a showcase project.
      
deconstruct the communication of showcase projects

   

it is important not just to focus on individual showcase
      
development projects within one city, in order to get
       

16 Anna Growe, Tim Freytag
   
related to showcase projects.
       
academics and practitioners not to focus too much on




        

      
images that are related to these projects and initiatives.
References

       




     
    
    

  


   
     



 
      

         
   

      
   

       

  


     
     
    
     

       
       


    
      

        
        

       
        
         
    

    


   
   

        

       


        

      



    
     
  
     

         
      
  

         


 
     
       



     


          
        

 
  

     
     



17
     
       

     

   
     
       
    

        
      
        

  

       


       
         

  


    
       
       


       


        

     

       

       
     

      
  

         
     


      

     




        

          

   
       

  


      




  


         



   

      
  

       
      

      






        
   




    
   

     

       
    


        

      


      
  

      
    
    

18 Anna Growe, Tim Freytag
      

         
 




 




    
       



       


   


   
       


        
       
 


      

      

       
      

... In Europe, sustainable cities have sought to reduce car-dependency in favour of cycling-friendly alternatives (Anderberg and Clark 2013) or have established themselves as solar cities (Madsen and Hansen 2019). City administrations have sought to capitalize on these transformations through urban marketing strategies that present them as green and sustainable (Andersson 2016;Haupt 2021), particularly if they have won prizes or performed well in ranking systems (Graczyk 2015;Growe and Freytag 2019). Another aspect of this 'Green City Branding' (Andersson 2016) involves communicating their success through membership of transnational city networks (Kern 2019;Otto et al. 2021). ...
... In addition, studies have examined smaller green and sustainable cities such as Vaxjö (Andersson and James 2018), Bristol (Ersoy and Larner 2020) and above all Malmö (Anderberg and Clark 2013;Holgersen and Hult 2021). This also applies to Germany, where scholars have also studied smaller cities, especially two places that also feature in our selection: Freiburg (Kronsell 2013;Growe and Freytag 2019) and Heidelberg (Graczyk 2015;Growe and Freytag 2019). ...
... In addition, studies have examined smaller green and sustainable cities such as Vaxjö (Andersson and James 2018), Bristol (Ersoy and Larner 2020) and above all Malmö (Anderberg and Clark 2013;Holgersen and Hult 2021). This also applies to Germany, where scholars have also studied smaller cities, especially two places that also feature in our selection: Freiburg (Kronsell 2013;Growe and Freytag 2019) and Heidelberg (Graczyk 2015;Growe and Freytag 2019). ...
Article
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We examine how local socioeconomic, institutional and political factors shape climate transformation pathways in 23 mid-sized German cities. We group our cities into three types: industrial cities (which may have experienced recent structural change), historic cities (in which a significant proportion of the buildings or landscape is under monument protection) and university cities (in which academic or research institutions play a major role in the local community). Drawing on document analysis and expert interviews, we find that budgetary constraints, weaker civil societies and lower levels of political support result in unfavourable structural conditions for successful transformations in industrial cities. Historic cities have often only limited options to change their built environments, but many have identified climate change as a major threat to their built heritage and are therefore keen to take action in climate adaptation. Lastly, university cities are further along the transformation pathways than the other city types, largely due to having more favourable economic conditions as well as greater support from civil society, politics and the local research community.
... Sustainability-profiled districts are arenas for urban experimentation and innovation intended to lead sustainable development practices and solutions forward (Eneqvist and Karvonen, 2021;Kågström, 2020;Hagbert and Femenias, 2016;Storbjörk and Hjerpe, 2014). Examples of these types of district developments are seen in many European countries, such as Sweden (Enqvist and Karvonen, 2021;Smedby, 2016;Storbjörk and Hjerpe, 2014), Denmark (Smedby and Quitzau, 2016), Germany (Growe and Freytag, 2019;Kasioumi, 2011), and the UK (Bulkeley and Kern, 2006). Although municipalities initiate, plan, and govern sustainabilityprofiled district developments, and have high ambitions and good intentions, they cannot solve the wicked problems and dilemmas related to sustainable urban development on their own (Metzger and Lindblad, 2021). ...
... Sustainability profiles for district developments are formed in order to brand and market visions and ambitions to various stakeholder. Similar sustainability-related profiling is also found at city-level policymaking, which sustainability-profiled districts are designed to contribute to and lead (see e.g., Adolfsson and Brorström, 2020;Growe and Freytag, 2019;de Jong et al., 2015;Smyth, 2005). The district scale is a common level of analysis for research on sustainable urban development (see e.g., Holmstedt, 2018;Sharifi and Murayama, 2015). ...
... The same is also true for citylevel conceptualisation (de Jong et al., 2015). Firstly, there is a slew of more general terms denoting urban development projects used as testbeds for innovation and experimentation to lead mainstream development, such as flagship developments (Smyth, 2005), demonstration projects (e.g., Femenías, 2004;Buijs and Silvester, 1996), and showcase projects (e.g., Growe and Freytag, 2019). Then there are many terms for district-level developments specifically focused on leading sustainable development. ...
Thesis
Full-text available
Swedish municipalities are developing sustainability-profiled districts in collaboration with private actors to achieve their public sustainability objectives. These districts are comparable to developments found in many other European countries and the wider world. They are intended to model sustainable urban development and act as testbeds for collaborative innovation and urban experimentation. To initiate and govern the districts, Swedish municipalities are using public land development, which provides them with more options to influence housing development and increases their leverage during land use planning. It also forms exchange relationships between the municipalities and housing developers. Although previously acknowledged, there is a lack of research investigating this practice in-depth. In the Swedish context, land ownership has a substantial influence on the structure of the development process and collaboration between municipalities and housing developers, which are considered two key actors for driving sustainable urban development. In sustainability-profiled district developments, these public and private actors collaborate during the municipal land allocation process, an important part of the public land development process, in order to develop and implement new sustainable solutions and practices. This collaboration during the land allocation process is investigated in the dissertation. The purpose of the dissertation is to increase the understanding of municipal land allocation processes in sustainability-profiled district developments by applying a collaborative perspective to public-private exchange. Municipal land allocations in sustainability-profiled districts are first analysed and interpreted as public-private value co-creation processes specifically intended to generate sustainable innovation. This is complemented with theories on conflict management, project relationships, and public value capture. The utility of using municipal land allocations for framing public-private collaborative innovation is then evaluated using value co-creation theory. A single and multiple case study approach was employed to investigate in-depth municipal land allocation processes in sustainability-profiled districts at the district- and building project-level. Focusing on the perspectives of municipalities and housing developers, interviews and documents were used to reveal complex processual and relational dynamics mired in conflicting value creation objectives. The research is focused on sustainability-profiled district developments in Sweden to gain an in-depth understanding of the intricacies and influences of this national context. The findings are then discussed in relation to public land development practices in other European countries. The results reveal that the possibilities for municipalities to co-create public value using public land development are ultimately determined by housing developers’ ability to implement municipal sustainability requirements and co-create private project value. These municipal sustainability requirements are included in land allocation agreements and are negotiable throughout the rest of the land allocation process. Thus, the potential for public value creation is determined by the ability of municipalities and developers to co-design sustainability requirements for implementation during the land allocation process, in order to translate municipal sustainability requirements into developer procurement requirements. A reoccurring theme in the dissertation is that problems are rooted in inter-actor value conflicts, which are central drivers for value co-creation processes between municipalities and housing developers. The dissertation contributes to public land development research by introducing a public-private value co-creation framework to describe and explain collaborative exchange and innovation between municipalities and developers. It also provides in-depth knowledge of public land development, and more specifically municipal land allocation processes, in sustainability-profiled district developments, which differ from more typical developments in regards to innovation ambitions. Finally, the dissertation contributes with a micro-level analysis of municipal land allocation processes, at the district- and project-level, in the Swedish context. Building on the analysis and evaluation, recommendations for enhancing private project value and public value creation in sustainability-profiled districts are provided. The dissertation ultimately illustrates how collaboration between public and private actors aimed at achieving divergent and oftentimes conflicting sustainable urban development objectives is shaped by the specific planning processes and systems they are embedded in.
... Of the aforementioned precursors in conversion projects, Vauban (Freiburg), built as a partially car-free neighborhood in the 1990s, 2000s, appears particularly instructive (Broaddus, 2010;Gies et al., 2021;Growe & Freytag, 2019;Mahzouni, 2018;Späth & Ornetzeder, 2017). The central Vauban Avenue, half of which is designed as a pedestrian zone, and the adjacent residential streets are completely traffic-calmed. ...
... Mobility hubs are currently the talk of the town planning debate. As hardly ever before, they aim at combining three key challenges of "post-modern" urban development: (a) the creation of a system of public places in the urban neighborhood that are as vibrant as possible (Gertz, 1998); (b) the preference for non-motorized mobility and, in particular, the reduction of car dominance in the immediate residential environment (Growe & Freytag, 2019); and, finally, (c) the promotion of a mix of uses that goes beyond the coexistence of housing and residential follow-up facilities (Altrock & Krüger, 2019;Brake & Herfert, 2012; Federal Institute on Building, Urban Affairs, and Spatial Development, 2021). As such, this signals a new stage in the discussion of guiding principles in housing development, which clearly stands out from the earlier attempts to overcome urban architectural modernism in the 1990s (Senate Department for Urban Development and Housing Berlin, 2018a), which were often critically evaluated. ...
Article
Full-text available
Today’s urban design of new quarters in the fringes of German metropolises shows a renaissance of the garage building as a cluster for car parking. In contrast to the past, parking garages are planned as multifunctional “mobility hubs.” Planners enrich them with new mobility and sharing options and incorporate sports or social infrastructure facilities on the roof and the ground floor, thus contributing to vibrant neighborhoods. In contrast to the internationally renowned example of Nordhavn (Copenhagen), we observe a decentralization in the mainstreaming of the approach: Mobility hubs are to become constitutive parts of small subcenters. In this respect, they can be seen as a common leitmotiv for urban design in Germany’s metropolises. The hubs form a new model of local mobility, guaranteeing a certain flow of pedestrians and freeing the adjacent streets of car traffic. Integrated into a system of alternative modes of transportation and nearby mass transit, those infrastructural and mobility clusters might contribute to a change in mobility habits and ultimately reduce car dependence. If their underlying mobility policies can be implemented and if they are ultimately more successful than traditional parking garages or even create an incentive not to use private cars at all remains open to further investigation. For this purpose, the article will trace the emergence of mobility hubs in the discourse and practice of urban design with a particular focus on major new developments at the periphery of German cities. It analyzes urban design competitions and the formal planning and implementation following them.
... These are not alternative strategies, only the triad of efficiency, sufficiency and consistency leads to sustainable development (von Gleich/Hofmeister/Huber 1999;Kanning 2013: 34 et seq.). In any case, sustainability is a dynamic and context-specific process that is constantly contested rather than a static condition to be generally defined (Growe/ Freytag 2019). ...
... In Germany, a number of local showcase projects have applied cooperative approaches to create not only acceptance among citizens but also a sense of ownership. These showcases have sometimes impacted formal standards in the same municipality by intensifying participation, but implementation is strongly determined by growth and spatial constraints and is locally contingent (Growe/ Freytag 2019). Both showcases and living labs are sometimes isolated or poorly linked to established urban development processes. ...
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In both countries, France and Germany, there is great pressure to change and adapt towards new forms of urbanity and to conceive new strategic approaches with limited public finance and a need for economic efficiency. Not all types of urban areas are equally affected by these issues. The book focuses on a number of important topical themes which are undoubtedly relevant in both countries, albeit in different ways, and which could be significant for a comparison. The book deals with metropolises, small and medium-sized towns and current issues of urbanity, sustainability, Smart Cities, transport and mobility, and the role of crossborder urban development. Besides scientific and theoretical approaches, the authors also consider the practical planning perspective and methodological aspects of the topic at hand. They mainly address three relevant factors: the differences between the two institutional systems, the development paths and historical constants, and how new challenges are addressed on both sides of the border.
... Future research should also investigate the integration of the three pillars of sustainability (environmental, economic, and social) [112,113] within pilot studies of the nature-positive smart cities framework. This could include an empirical analysis of pilot cases, examining both the implementation of sustainable urban development measures and their holistic impact across these pillars [113,114]. ...
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In the biodiversity and climate emergency, a holistic approach is needed for the development of smart cities. This perspective paper proposed a novel conceptual framework for nature-positive smart cities in a socio-technical-ecological system (STES), which bridged the gap between technological advancement and ecological principles within the existing smart city approach, enabling cities to transition towards a biodiversity-led paradigm. Based on recent literature on smart cities and nature-positive cities, this framework combines the principles of nature-positive cities and smart cities with the technological capabilities of Nature 4.0, using tools such as AI, sensors, IoT, big data analytics, and machine learning. The literature shows that smart green spaces have already been developed worldwide; therefore, education is needed for personnel working in local government to effectively use this new technology. The paper presents examples of how smart technologies can be utilised within urban green spaces to maximise ecosystem services and biodiversity. Finally, it provides recommendations and areas for future research, concluding with a call for specific policy interventions to facilitate the transition towards nature-positive smart cities.
... For example, they can use their knowledge of the policymaking process to establish and maintain contacts with key local politicians (e.g., city mayors or deputy mayors) to bring or keep climate action or wider sustainability matters on top of the municipal agenda (Corcaci & Kemmerzell, 2023;Fenton, 2016;Haupt & Kern, 2022;Kern et al., 2021a). Given that studies have shown how mayoral support is essential for successful climate policymaking (Growe & Freytag, 2019;Kern et al., 2021a;Sancino et al., 2022), we can see how these attributes can play a crucial role in pushing forward a progressive approach. Studies have highlighted how policy entrepreneurs frame their preferred policies as solutions to problems that emerge, sometimes after sudden shocks or events that grab the attention of key local politicians (Cairney, 2018;Eckersley & Lakoma, 2022). ...
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Previous studies stress that structural conditions influence local climate action, but often neglect the role of agency in policymaking. Drawing on fieldwork in 11 German towns, we show how municipal managers frame climate-related policies in different ways to gain local support for action. Although these framings are influenced by each town's socioeconomic , demographic and political conditions, as well as its vulnerability to climate threats, they nonetheless highlight the importance of individuals in policymaking. We then present a two-dimensional framework to inform future research into structure and agency in local governance, whilst cautioning that undertaking such studies can be difficult.
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Zusammenfassung Grün, kompakt, gemischt, resilient, inklusiv – die Assoziationen zur (Innen‑)Stadt der Zukunft sind vielfältig und zielen zumeist auf eine nachhaltige Stadtentwicklung ab. Inwiefern innerstädtische Shopping-Center diese Entwicklung durch Mischnutzung auf Immobilienebene (z. B. Büros, Wohnungen oder Kultur- und Bildungseinrichtungen) fördern können, soll in diesem Beitrag beleuchtet werden. Für diesen Zweck wurden neben einer Literatur‑, Dokumenten- und Onlinerecherche Experteninterviews geführt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass mischgenutzte Shopping-Center sowohl Chancen als auch Risiken für eine belebte, resiliente und nachhaltige Stadt(entwicklung) bergen. Einerseits schaffen Umnutzungen und Nachverdichtung alternative Besuchsanlässe und verringern Leerstände, reduzieren die Flächenversiegelung, den Ressourcenverbrauch und potenziell den Verkehr sowie können bei der Einbindung nichtkommerzieller Nutzungen eine sozial integrierende Wirkung entfalten. Andererseits können mischgenutzte Shopping-Center den Zielsetzungen der Innenstadtentwicklung schaden, indem sie den Besuch bestehender Nutzungen obsolet machen, den (sozial) exklusiven Charakter des Centers durch hochpreisige Nutzungsangebote intensivieren und das Verkehrsaufkommen steigern. Wenn den negativen Auswirkungen jedoch durch frühzeitige Überlegungen hinsichtlich Nutzungsart und -anzahl sowie der Komplementarität mit dem bestehenden Innenstadtangebot vorgebeugt wird, können mischgenutzte Shopping-Center als ein möglicher Baustein zur sukzessiven Transformation der Innenstädte fungieren. Beruhend auf den Ergebnissen werden zum Abschluss des Beitrags Handlungsempfehlungen abgeleitet.
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In this qualitative analysis of three municipal planning processes, the housing project "Grüne Heyde" in Norder-stedt is compared with projects in Hamburg ("Oberbillwerder") and Ludwigsburg ("Rotbäumlesfeld"). The former two are still being developed whereas the third was planned quite some time ago. In all three cases, special demands were made for sustainable planning which were carried out and maintained to different degrees. The study shows that especially making use of competencies external to public administration, the fact that the projects are explicitly called "models", the reference to strategic goals for the city as a whole, and the courage to experiment structurally in project management contributed to "more" sustainability in some of the cases. On the other hand, these factors led to risks in planning where they were lacking. A strategically though-out land policy is another influential factor that can be solidly affirmed on the basis of the case studies; however, public communication and participation are more difficult to assess in terms of their impact on urban development qualities. The study is accompanied by an insert with recommendations for action for municipal administrations.
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Under conditions of climate change, land-use conflicts are a significant challenge for spatial planning, especially in densely populated metropolitan regions. By using a multi-methodological approach, this study aims to identify different stakeholders’ perceptions of these spaces in planning processes within urban areas in Germany. We use an ecosystem service analysis to evaluate the ecological potential of each selected study area and conducted a household survey to gauge how the local population and administration perceive them. The perceptions of these two groups of stakeholders regarding each area’s spatial qualities often differed from their actual ecological potential. We conducted interviews to identify possible conflicts between politicians and administration staff. While cooperation between politicians and the administration staff takes place and works well, the stakeholders involved often evaluate and perceive the cooperation processes in planning differently. Therefore, the authors argue that an integrative and methodologically multi-layered approach is useful for understanding complex perceptions in spatial planning.
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Under conditions of climate change, land-use conflicts are a significant challenge for spatial planning, especially in densely populated metropolitan regions. By using a multi-methodological approach, this study aims to identify different stakeholders' perceptions of these spaces in planning processes within urban areas in Germany. We use an ecosystem service analysis to evaluate the ecological potential of each selected study area and conducted a household survey to gauge how the local population and administration perceive them. The perceptions of these two groups of stakeholders regarding each area's spatial qualities often differed from their actual ecological potential. We conducted interviews to identify possible conflicts between politicians and administration staff. While cooperation between politicians and the administration staff takes place and works well, the stakeholders involved often evaluate and perceive the cooperation processes in planning differently. Therefore, the authors argue that an integrative and methodologically multi-layered approach is useful for understanding complex perceptions in spatial planning.
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Nachhaltigkeit ist für die einen ein inhaltlich und moralisch überladener Sammelbegriff und für die anderen das zukunftsweisende umfassende Handlungsdispositiv. Ein Vierteljahrhundert nach dem Brundtland-Bericht ist die Nachhaltigkeitsforderung zwar in den Städten angekommen, ihre Umsetzung erfolgt allerdings wenig systematisch. Die Bedeutung des Quartiers als Bezugsebene und Kontextbedingung wird bisher kaum berücksichtigt. Dieser Band sammelt Positionen zur nachhaltigen Quartiersentwicklung und verdeutlicht diese an Fallbeispielen. Die Beiträge fragen nach den geeigneten Modi, um komplexe Prozesse nachhaltiger Quartiersentwicklung zu steuern. Schließlich werden jüngste Forschungsergebnisse zu Fragen des Monitoring und der Bewertung auf Quartiersebene vorgestellt. Das Buch wendet sich an ForscherInnen, Lehrende und Studierende der Stadtgeographie, Stadtsoziologie, Stadtökologie und verwandter Disziplinen sowie Akteure aus der Praxis der Stadtplanung und Kommunalpolitik.
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Das Buch greift die Diskussion um Inklusion in den letzten Jahren in den unterschiedlichsten gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhängen kritisch auf. Ausgangspunkt der Betrachtung ist die Stadt und das urbane Zusammenleben. Denn insbesondere Städte und hier kompakte, also dichte und gemischte Quartiere bieten sich für die Inklusionsforschung und -praxis an, da sie adäquate Sozialräume darstellen, die das heute immer stärker urban geprägte Zusammenleben reflektieren und neu durchbuchstabieren. Vor diesem Hintergrund setzen sich die Autorinnen und Autoren empirisch und theoretisch mit der Frage nach der Gestaltung eines zukunftsorientierten und professionellen Referenzrahmens für eine inklusive und nachhaltige Stadtentwicklung auseinander, die auch einer weiter zunehmenden Mobilität und Diversität gerecht wird. Der Inhalt • Von der Stadtentwicklung zur Quartiersentwicklung: urbanes Zusammenleben, Diversität und Mobilität, öffentlicher Raum • Akteure in der Inclusive City: Institutionenentwicklung Die Zielgruppen • Studierende und Lehrende der Soziologie • Alle an kritischer Stadt- und Regionalentwicklung Interessierte • An Mobilität und Diversität arbeitende Forschung • Interessierte aus Kommunalpolitik und Verwaltung • Experten und Expertinnen aus Initiativen und Zivilgesellschaft Die Herausgeber Nina Berding arbeitet als Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin am Forschungskolleg „Zukunft menschlich gestalten“ der Universität Siegen. Prof. Dr. Wolf-Dietrich Bukow ist Seniorprofessor am Forschungskolleg „Zukunft menschlich gestalten“ der Universität Siegen. Dr. Karin Cudak, Universität Hamburg.
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Das Verhältnis von natürlicher, gebauter und gestalteter Umwelt ist für die Zukunft unserer Lebensräume von zentraler Bedeutung. Um dieses Verhältnis und seine Veränderung sowie die Folgen für die Entwicklung der Lebensräume beurteilen zu können, sind Kenntnisse der Rahmenbedingungen, Konzepte und Aktivitäten unverzichtbar. Dieser Anspruch gilt insbesondere für alle räumlich planenden und gestaltenden sowie die bauenden Professionen. Um einen qualifizierten Einstieg in das breite Spektrum des Planens, Bauens und der Umwelt zu bieten, werden in diesem Handbuch zentrale Begriffe erläutert. Die Beiträge von über 130 Expertinnen und Experten richten sich sowohl an interessierte Laien als auch an Fachleute aus Wissenschaft und planerischer Praxis. Mit dem Handbuch wird gleichzeitig das Schaffen des langjährigen Dekans der Fakultät Planen, Bauen, Umwelt der TU Berlin, Prof. Dr. Rudolf Schäfer, gewürdigt.
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Nachhaltigkeit ist ursprünglich ein Konzept der Waldbewirtschaftung, bei der die natürliche Produktivkraft der Wälder und die Holzernten so aufeinander abgestimmt werden, dass sich ein auf unbegrenzte Dauer optimaler Ertrag ergibt (maximum sustainable yield).
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In vielen Städten sind seit den 1990er-Jahren Wohnungsbauprojekte auf Konversionsflächen entwickelt worden. Eines der ambitioniertesten Projekte in Deutschland ist die Tübinger Südstadt. Ziel der Tübinger Stadtentwicklung war es, einen lebendigen, attraktiven Stadtteil zu schaffen; an dem Prozess sollten die Bürgerinnen und Bürger in weitem Umfang beteiligt werden. Die wesentlichen Bausteine waren die Vergabe der Grundstücke an Baugemeinschaften, Nutzungsmischung, Dichte, Qualität des öffentlichen Raums und Partizipation. In den verschiedenen Wohnformen, im Gewerbe und in der sozialen und kulturellen Infrastruktur fand die vorhandene gesellschaftliche Vielfalt Platz und bildet sich im Stadtteil ab. Der Kommune obliegt die Bereitstellung der „Hardware“, das Schaffen von Freiräumen und von Möglichkeiten zur Mitgestaltung. Auf der anderen Seite benötigt man die „Software“, die Handlungsbereitschaft der Bürger als Bauherren, Bewohner, Gewerbetreibende oder Mitglieder einer Initiative. Die Lebendigkeit und Urbanität des Stadtteils belegen bis heute die Umsetzbarkeit von nutzungsgemischten Stadtteilen unter bestimmten Voraussetzungen.
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In recent years, the concept of smart sustainable cities has come to the fore. And it is rapidly gaining momentum and worldwide attention as a promising response to the challenge of urban sustainability. This pertains particularly to ecologically and technologically advanced nations. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the field of smart (and) sustainable cities in terms of its underlying foundations and assumptions, state–of–the art research and development, research opportunities and horizons, emerging scientific and technological trends, and future planning practices. As to the design strategy, the paper reviews existing sustainable city models and smart city approaches. Their strengths and weaknesses are discussed with particular emphasis being placed on the extent to which the former contributes to the goals of sustainable development and whether the latter incorporates these goals. To identify the related challenges, those models and approaches are evaluated and compared against each other in line with the notion of sustainability. The gaps in the research within the field of smart sustainable cities are identified in accordance with and beyond the research being proposed. As a result, an integrated approach is proposed based on an applied theoretical perspective to align the existing problems and solutions identification for future practices in the area of smart sustainable urban planning and development. As to the findings, the paper shows that critical issues remain unsettled, less explored, largely ignored, and theoretically underdeveloped for applied purposes concerning existing models of sustainable urban form as to their contribution to sustainability, among other things. It also reveals that numerous research opportunities are available and can be realized in the realm of smart sustainable cities. Our perspective on the topic in this regard is to develop a theoretically and practically convincing model of smart sustainable city or a framework for strategic smart sustainable urban development. This model or framework aims to address the key limitations, uncertainties, paradoxes, and fallacies pertaining to existing models of sustainable urban form—with support of ICT of the new wave of computing and the underlying big data and context–aware computing technologies and their advanced applications. We conclude that the applied theoretical inquiry into smart sustainable cities of the future is deemed of high pertinence and importance—given that the research in the field is still in its early stages, and that the subject matter draws upon contemporary and influential theories with practical applications. The comprehensive overview of and critique on existing work on smart (and) sustainable cities provide a valuable and seminal reference for researchers and practitioners in related research communities and the necessary material to inform these communities of the latest developments in the area of smart sustainable urban planning and development. In addition, the proposed integrated approach is believed to be the first of its kind and has not been, to the best of one’s knowledge, produced elsewhere.