Cities in transformation processes - Hamburg and Havana (updated)

• Applicants: Professor Dr.-Ing. Uwe Altrock; Professor Dr.-Ing. Thomas Krüger
• Subject Area: Urbanism, Spatial Planning, Transportation and Infrastructure Planning, Landscape Planning
• Term: since 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 449863470

The interest of this research project focuses on the exploration of objectives, structures and working methods of spatial planning as well as their embedding in and interaction with the respective social context. The basic hypothesis of the research project is that the spatial transformation of the city is shaped by the interactions between goal-oriented, superordinate plans or programs and the gradual everyday practices and projects of the various actors. These questions will be examined using the example of Hamburg (Germany) and Havana (Cuba). On the one hand, these examples are very different in terms of socio-economic and political framework conditions, but on the other hand in both contexts spatial planning is given a very high priority for urban development. The aim of the research project is to analyze and understand the patterns of urban transformation, the approaches to control and their effects in politically, socially and economically different contexts. The patterns of urban transformations should be placed in the international context of urban governance debates and planning theory discussions. The research approach is determined by two overarching research topics: On the one hand, the interplay between the claim to control of the respective political-administrative planning system and the planning expectation of the involved actors is supposed to be exposed. On the other hand, it is planned to investigate the importance of superordinate strategies and important actors as well as uncoordinated, gradual development processes for urban transformation in the respective context. The content and spatial focus of the study will focus on the analysis of the overall urban planning, on the development of the centers and the development of residential areas. The research project will be carried out in cooperation with two universities in Havana.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Cuba
• Cooperation Partners: Professor Dr. René Alejandro González Rego; Professorin Dr. Vivian Oviedo Álvarez; Professor Dr. Jorge Peña Díaz; Professor Dr. Arturo Rúa de Cabo; Professorin Dr. Isabel María Valdivia Fernández