Networked infrastructures such as energy, water, sewage, telecommunication, and transport systems guide and facilitate urban life in a multitude of ways. These socio-technical systems provide fundamental conduits through which modern cities operate as backbones for urban livelihoods and economies; they integrate - or splinter - cities socially and spatially and mediate resource flows between nature and the city. Much of the history of modern urbanism can be understood as a series of attempts to 'roll-out’, extend, multiply or integrate networks. Urban planning is thus deeply rooted in infrastructure planning aiming to create livable and modern places through infrastructure.
The seminar consists of a discussion of literature on traditional and ethnographic perspectives of infrastructures and infrastructures between planning and everyday appropriation. Furthermore, students research, present and discuss case studies of urban infrastructures in relation to specific topics: a) the healthy city (referring to different themes in relation to infrastructure and health, e.g. the pandemic); b) the smart city (referring to digitalization of urban space and infrastructures) and c) the circular city (referring to the reuse of materials and energy within cities). Thus, we identify place-specific development patterns of urban infrastructure systems, infrastructural crises and potential solutions for the sustainable development of cities and infrastructure.
Students are expected to attend all sessions, participate in discussions, read the assigned readings, critically reflect on them and come to class prepared to present and discuss their analysis. In addition, they need to research a case study on one of the seminar topics, give a poster presentation of their research and peer-feedback.
- Lehrende:r: Marina Betken
- Lehrende:r: Simon Bohlen
- Lehrende:r: Alina-Maria Johanna Oehmen
- Lehrende:r: Sophie Schramm