17-10-2006

The speed of urbanization is generating growing contradictions. On the one hand, there are the demands to modernize cities and societies, while on the other, there is the destruction of traditional ways of living, and generating fundamental threats for people and environment. The contradictions are appearing on different levels of scale: within the city, between rapidly developing new centralities and more traditional areas which have been home to local populations; between the core city and suburban areas; and between different regions. The results include increasing social conflicts, the disruption of living conditions of rural peoples, the exploitation and contamination of the environment, and, last but not least, the loss of cultural and social identity.

The conference aims to discuss the phenomena of urbanization and regional transformation in different countries and continents, to analyze causes, reasons and dependencies of these worldwide transformation processes and to explore planning strategies and design concepts for a more identical and sustainable development of cities and regions. Both, research and design approaches are important issues. Within this framework, differing specialties and scales will be integrated: urban (and regional) planning and management, urban and architectural design, urban sociology, geography and ecology.

During the conference, scientific results, as well as design concepts and technical solutions, will be presented; theoretical approaches will be discussed as well as professional experiences and best practices. The target group covers a range of different backgrounds: architects and urban planners; students and researchers from different disciplines; managers and politicians, all of whom are involved in or interested in design, planning and the management of the built environment.

Beijing, China