Cities are complex, emergent living systems. They change and adapt due to both planned interventions and spontaneous dynamics. Such dynamics are the product of place-based actions and global changes occurring outside the reach of planning intentions. Jane Jacobs labelled this phenomenon “a problem of organised complexity,” emphasising the role of self-coordinating patterns in urban realm mechanisms.
Spontaneous, emergent configurations are unavoidable in cities. Sometimes, they give rise to dynamics that planners try to mitigate and address; at other times, they generate beneficial dynamics that enable the use of polycentric creative forces in society. How can planners relate to the spontaneous forces of cities?
Innovative studies stress the role of flexible and adaptive approaches in proactively dealing with uncertain development scenarios and the open-ended evolution of cities and neighbourhoods. In this new light, planning implications require ad hoc considerations and an understanding of multiple “conditions.”
This course will untangle some of the key conditions and themes informing the interplay between planning and emergent socio-spatial configurations. In particular, it focuses on fundamental concepts such as action, self-organisation, property, rules, adaptability, urban beauty and masterplanning (with and for complexity).
In this module, students will engage with:
• Complexity theories of cities and the main principles of urban change (Why is the city a complex system? What are the main driving forces of urban emergent configurations?)
• The interplay between planning and spontaneity (Why do cities evolve in largely unintentional ways? Why are certain urban areas more spontaneous than others?)
• The main ethical and technical aspects connected to these issues (When is a spontaneous configuration just or unjust? How can planners design and regulate an open-ended and uncertain future?)
Learning objectives
• Introduce an understanding of complexity thinking in the analysis and planning of the urban realm.
• Explore different planning conditions that shape/frame the evolution of urban areas.
• Explore methodological planning approaches that consider the challenges of urban complexity.
• Understand the nature of certain “spontaneous” transformation processes (e.g., distribution of uses, population clustering, self-regeneration processes).
• Discuss critical ethical questions.
Here the calendar:
Thursday Topics
16.04.2026 Introduction
23.04.2026 Action
30.04.2026 Self-organisation
21.05.2026 Roundtable
28.05.2026 Property & Rules
11.06.2026 Adaptability
18.06.2026 Beauty
25.06.2026 Masterplanning
09.07.2026 Case study
16.07.2026 Case study
TBD Report submission
Spontaneous, emergent configurations are unavoidable in cities. Sometimes, they give rise to dynamics that planners try to mitigate and address; at other times, they generate beneficial dynamics that enable the use of polycentric creative forces in society. How can planners relate to the spontaneous forces of cities?
Innovative studies stress the role of flexible and adaptive approaches in proactively dealing with uncertain development scenarios and the open-ended evolution of cities and neighbourhoods. In this new light, planning implications require ad hoc considerations and an understanding of multiple “conditions.”
This course will untangle some of the key conditions and themes informing the interplay between planning and emergent socio-spatial configurations. In particular, it focuses on fundamental concepts such as action, self-organisation, property, rules, adaptability, urban beauty and masterplanning (with and for complexity).
In this module, students will engage with:
• Complexity theories of cities and the main principles of urban change (Why is the city a complex system? What are the main driving forces of urban emergent configurations?)
• The interplay between planning and spontaneity (Why do cities evolve in largely unintentional ways? Why are certain urban areas more spontaneous than others?)
• The main ethical and technical aspects connected to these issues (When is a spontaneous configuration just or unjust? How can planners design and regulate an open-ended and uncertain future?)
Learning objectives
• Introduce an understanding of complexity thinking in the analysis and planning of the urban realm.
• Explore different planning conditions that shape/frame the evolution of urban areas.
• Explore methodological planning approaches that consider the challenges of urban complexity.
• Understand the nature of certain “spontaneous” transformation processes (e.g., distribution of uses, population clustering, self-regeneration processes).
• Discuss critical ethical questions.
Here the calendar:
Thursday Topics
16.04.2026 Introduction
23.04.2026 Action
30.04.2026 Self-organisation
21.05.2026 Roundtable
28.05.2026 Property & Rules
11.06.2026 Adaptability
18.06.2026 Beauty
25.06.2026 Masterplanning
09.07.2026 Case study
16.07.2026 Case study
TBD Report submission
- Lehrende:r: Stefano Cozzolino
- Lehrende:r: Tanja Fleischhauer
- Lehrende:r: Linda Nadke