Compulsory Course | URBAN TRANSFORMATION II
MSc. Transforming City Regions – RWTH Aachen – SS 2025 –
UNESCO Chair of Urban Design/ European Urbanism/ Univ. Prof. Christa Reicher
Guidance:
Prof. em Dr. Ing. Andrea Haase
Student-Participants:
Parisa Borzooie, Yasamin Ghasemi, Felix Florack, Kalina Asenova, Henar Elbadawy, Beyza Tanrikulu, Eda Akbas, Sevval nBayir, Jia Vogel, Leonard Krayer, Daniel Schiefer, Zach Dudeck, Irine Lomadze, Ryuhei Takahashi, Hamed Ataeimonazah, Jialuo Zhong, Xixi He, Yiqian Pu, Lizia Santucci, Ghazaleh Gomari, Sona Sajan, Chenhao Xu, Shiyan Li, Shanyu Ke, Afshin Rezaei, Hao Wang, Seyedehmehrdokht Jafari Kenari, Luis San Jose, Amin Amini, Ghazal Laghaei
Editorial Board:
Prof. em. Dr. Ing. Andrea Haase, Cand. Msc Kalina Asenova, Henar Elbadawy, Beyza Tanrikulu
Summer Semester 2025
COURSE CONTENT
Evaluating ongoing processes of urban transformation in different locations/ their morphologies with relevance for the urban structure.
Understanding strategies/ measurements of guiding urban transformation in Europe/ Germany holistically. Finding regenerative answers to ongoing processes of urban transformation, case of Aachen (core-edges).
Applying criteria of qualifying the environment by setting goals for local culture, space, nature, people and the (circular) economy with reference to the European history of urban growth/ decline.
Considering ways of PLANNING as compulsory approaches to Visioning/Concept-finding/Land-use Management in Germany, relative to the autonomy of the Municipality in the Federal Planning System of Germany.
EXERCISE – STEPS OF TASK
- Urbanity. Identify and localize types of “urbanity” in Aachen city (core and edges) relative to the ring-radial development of the compact urban structure and its periods of urban development (mapping/200 words)
- Space/ Area/ Town. Select a location/ morphology in Aachen which represents one of the major historical periods; characterizing ongoing processes and phenomena of urban transformation in consequence of the land-market (elevation/ extension of built form on private ground … emptiness/ decay … maintenance/ preservation) and summarize your impressions of local spatial conditions (mapping/200 words).
- Opportunities/ Restrictions – Innovation. Identify/ localize needs and criteria for guiding urban transformation relative to the original urban concepts/ area in town and region. State factual problems/ potentials for the “healthy city in a circular economy” per location/ morphology/ town (mapping/ 200 words).
- Multi-scale Visions. Synthesize traditional and innovative values for urban space/ area/ town (mapping/ 200 words).
- Intervention. Define goals for innovative urban changes by planning intervention/ area/ town (illustrations/ 500 words). The 5 steps build up on each other for a “position” with reasons in step 5!