76 <strong>Sp<strong>at</strong>ial</strong> <strong>Planning</strong> & Str<strong>at</strong>egy <strong>Planning</strong> Complex Cities An MSc Urbanism gradu<strong>at</strong>ion studio VERENA BALZ <strong>Planning</strong> Complex Cities is a gradu<strong>at</strong>ion studio <strong>at</strong> the Department of Urbanism of the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, <strong>Delft</strong> University of Technology. As with other gradu<strong>at</strong>ion studios <strong>at</strong> the Department of Urbanism, the studio is set up to align gradu<strong>at</strong>ion students’ research with the research programme of the Department. Since 2010, the studio <strong>at</strong>tracts between 15 to 20 gradu<strong>at</strong>ion students each year, many of them intern<strong>at</strong>ional students. The studio involves in particular researchers from the Section of <strong>Sp<strong>at</strong>ial</strong> <strong>Planning</strong> & Str<strong>at</strong>egy, and the OTB Research Institute for the Built Environment. <strong>Planning</strong> Complex Cities gradu<strong>at</strong>ion projects build upon their expertise in regionalis<strong>at</strong>ion, sp<strong>at</strong>ial planning and territorial governance. Starting points in gradu<strong>at</strong>ion projects are usually observ<strong>at</strong>ions of disparities concerning the distribution of sp<strong>at</strong>ial resources across territories, and conflicts th<strong>at</strong> arise from these. Central propositions on how sp<strong>at</strong>ial manifest<strong>at</strong>ions of inequality rel<strong>at</strong>e to institutional practices are first formul<strong>at</strong>ed. Proposals may concern formal institutions embodied in e.g. legal and regul<strong>at</strong>ory planning frameworks, policy delivery mechanisms, and mand<strong>at</strong>ory cooper<strong>at</strong>ion between governments. Proposals may also concern informal institutions, e.g. the voluntary particip<strong>at</strong>ion of commu- nities and non-governmental organis<strong>at</strong>ions in planning processes, invisible power distributions, and planning and governance cultures and traditions. During gradu<strong>at</strong>ion projects, interrel<strong>at</strong>ions between sp<strong>at</strong>ial and institutional circumstances are elabor<strong>at</strong>ed in depth. Conclusions of <strong>Planning</strong> Complex Cities gradu<strong>at</strong>ion projects finally recommend institutional change and demonstr<strong>at</strong>e how this can lead to new sp<strong>at</strong>ial development, <strong>by</strong> means of design. Building upon existing research capacities – the expertise of researchers, ongoing research projects, and str<strong>at</strong>egic alliances with partners in regions – <strong>Planning</strong> Complex Cities gradu<strong>at</strong>ion projects focus on sp<strong>at</strong>ial development in three parts of the world. Gradu<strong>at</strong>ion projects investig<strong>at</strong>ing the topic “Inclusive Cities of the Global South” explore development in the context of rapid modernis<strong>at</strong>ion and urban growth, often with inadequ<strong>at</strong>e governance and weak institutional capacity in developing countries. Gradu<strong>at</strong>ion projects investig<strong>at</strong>ing the topic “Imagining (European) Regions” focus on increasing disparities within and across European regions, the political tensions th<strong>at</strong> disparities cause, and the typically multi-layered, and fragmented governance and planning responses th<strong>at</strong> seek to address these. Gradu<strong>at</strong>ion projects investig<strong>at</strong>ing “Transforming Chinese Cities” consider development in the context of highly acceler<strong>at</strong>ed urbanis<strong>at</strong>ion, migr<strong>at</strong>ion, and demographic change in China. As in other MSc Urbanism gradu<strong>at</strong>ion projects, design-led approaches play an important role in <strong>Planning</strong> Complex Cities research. Gradu<strong>at</strong>ion projects see design not only as a practice used to explore desirable sp<strong>at</strong>ial outcomes, but also to achieve desirable institutional changes. In addition, gradu<strong>at</strong>ion projects are characterised <strong>by</strong> the frequent use of methodologies from the social sciences, e.g. the political and planning sciences. Stimul<strong>at</strong>ed <strong>by</strong> the particular expertise of researchers <strong>at</strong> the <strong>Sp<strong>at</strong>ial</strong> <strong>Planning</strong> & Str<strong>at</strong>egy section gradu<strong>at</strong>ion projects also often involve compar<strong>at</strong>ive analysis. <strong>Planning</strong> Complex Cities gradu<strong>at</strong>ion students learn to tackle the complexities th<strong>at</strong> result from recognising the institutional implic<strong>at</strong>ions of sp<strong>at</strong>ial change, and to address these with trans-disciplinary approaches. Students learn how to consider the interests, responsibilities, and resources of actors in research and design. Through the intern<strong>at</strong>ional setting of the studio, students learn to system<strong>at</strong>ically encounter and appreci<strong>at</strong>e differences among sp<strong>at</strong>ial, cultural, and political circumstances. Overall, the studio aims to strengthen their ability to position themselves in societal and political deb<strong>at</strong>es. For more inform<strong>at</strong>ion on the studio see https://complexcitiesstudio.org/ Fig. 43: Complex Cit
Urbanism . <strong>TU</strong> <strong>Delft</strong> 77 ies Studio students. Photos <strong>by</strong> Roberto <strong>Rocco</strong>. Map <strong>by</strong> Verena Balz.