Urban Integration

From Walled City to Integrated City

International symposium

Zollverein Essen, Germany, May 2018

Organization: TU Dortmund University, RWTH Aachen University, University of Virginia, University of Michigan, Kyoto University, Kobe Design University, ILS-Research Institute for Regional and Urban Development

Worldwide, cities and regions are changing rapidly to absorb the urban growth expected over the next 20-30 years. While urban transformations in the global south will be dominated by irregular processes of urbanization, the formal regulatory frameworks operating in the global north must also be questioned to ensure a more sustainable, just and vibrant urban future. Framed by the paradigm shift of the digital revolution, the anticipated impacts of climate uncertainty, and the aftermath of the post-industrial socio-economic regimes, time calls for innovative strategic responses. The complexity of these challenges requires an integrated and transdisciplinary approach that allows for diverse, inclusive and multi-scalar strategies. With an emphasis on urban integration, this symposium approaches the agglomeration of the Ruhr Region as a breeding ground for urban experimentation through the consideration of four principals:

Polycentricity, Multi-scale Spatial Models, Resilience, Diversity and Inclusion.