*Celebrating Spatial Planning at TU Delft: 2008-2019. Edited by Stead, Bracken, Rooij & Rocco

Urbanism . TU Delft 89
the advocacy planner
the advocacy planner
I am an advocacy planner. You might wonder what that means, but let’s just
say that my main objective is to defend the interest of those who don’t have
I a am voice an in advocacy urban development. planner. You We might live wonder in an unfair what world. that Many means, groups but let’s don’t just
say have that a voice my main urban objective development is to defend (women, the interest minorities, of those migrants, who even don’t children
voice are in poorly urban represented!). development. Resources We live in are an not unfair fairly world. distributed. Many groups As a plan-
don’t
have
a
have ning professional, a voice in urban it is development my moral duty (women, to fight for minorities, those who migrants, have the even least, children
and to are guaranty poorly represented!). that they will get Resources a fair share of not the fairly fruits distributed. of development, As a planning
either professional, by allocating it resources is my moral to the duty areas to fight where for these those people who have live or the by least, finding
ways to guaranty to redistribute that they the will gains. get I a do fair that share by applying of the fruits several of development,
new tools at
and
either my disposal, by allocating like progressive resources taxation to the areas or taxation where of these unproductive people live land. or by I finding
accept ways the to market redistribute society the of gains. course, I do but that there by are applying ways to several regulate new the tools at
my market disposal, and to like redistribute progressive profit taxation in a fair or way. taxation After of all, unproductive when investors land. realise I
accept gains in the a certain market location society they of course, are generally but there benefitting are ways from to regulate infrastructures the
market built with and tax to money, redistribute and all profit the positive in a fair externalities way. After all, created when by investors society realise and
gains
especially
in a certain
by all those
location
around
they
them
are generally benefitting from infrastructures
built with tax money, and all the positive externalities created by society and
especially by all those around them
the communicative planner
the communicative planner
I believe in participation. Democracy is the most important tool for real
progress, because real progress IS democracy. You might wonder what that
means. Let’s say that by encouraging people to participate in decisionmaking,
believe I widen in participation. the possibility Democracy of those people is the to most share important the gains of tool urban for de-
real
I
progress, velopment. because But most real importantly, progress IS along democracy. the way You they might will acquire wonder the what knowledge
and Let’s the tools say that to take by a encouraging stronger stance people in urban to development participate in and decision-
will be
that
means.
making, able to articulate I widen the solutions possibility that of benefit those all. people This is to an share important the gains aspect of urban of my development.
profession and But it most is called importantly, democracy along building. the way The they process will is acquire as important the knowledge
the final and outcomes. the tools to Of take course, a stronger in order stance to do all in this, urban I must development have great and commu-
will be
as
able nication to articulate skills. I need solutions to communicate that benefit complex all. This ideas is an to important people who aspect have had of my
profession no training. and But it don’t is called be fooled: democracy their knowledge building. The is as process important is as important the knowl-aedge
final of professionals outcomes. Of and course, I need in order to be to able do to all help this, them I must articulate have great it. On commu-
the
the
nication other hand, skills. I also I need need to to communicate facilitate communication complex ideas that to will people allow who consensus have had
no building training. among But don’t different be fooled: stakeholders their knowledge with is very as important disparate as interests. the knowledge
of professionals and I need to be able to help them articulate it. On the
other hand, I also need to facilitate communication that will allow consensus
building among different stakeholders with very disparate interests.
the manager planner
the manager planner
I am a manager planner. I feel very close to my colleagues who call themselves
“strategists”. I believe it is all about having an effective strategy for urban development.
But we will not have effective strategies if we cannot manage our
relationship I am a manager with planner. investors I feel and very the close private to my sector colleagues in general. who We call cannot themselves deny
that “strategists”. money I is believe an essential it is all factor: about nothing having an can effective be achieved strategy without for urban invest-
development.
Who will But pay we will for this, not have is generally effective my strategies first question. if we cannot But let’s manage not forget our
that relationship we are acting with investors benefit and of the public. private In sector order in to general. do so, we We need cannot to listen deny
to that several money actors, is an in essential an organised factor: way, nothing making can use be of achieved the democratic without instrumentment.
Who we have will pay at our for disposal. this, generally It is important my first that question. we keep But public let’s not participa-
forget
investtion,
that we but are we acting need to in manage benefit of it the in a public. way that In order allows to us do to so, continue we need to to be listen efficient.
to several Too much actors, participation in an organised can be way, disruptive making and use of we the don’t democratic have that instruments
we have at our disposal. It is important that we keep public participa-
much
time.
tion, but we need to manage it in a way that allows us to continue to be efficient.
Too much participation can be disruptive and we don’t have that much
time.
the market planner
the market planner
I like to call myself a market planner. It is not so much that I am working FOR
the market. Rather, I am trying to realise projects within the sphere of economic
opportunity, and in order to do that, I need to engage with private
actors.
I like to
I
call
am
myself
familiar
a
with
market
the
planner.
logic of business.
It is not so
I feel
much
the
that
public
I am
needs
working
to accept
FOR
co-responsibility
the market. Rather,
for
I
the
am trying
city’s development
to realise projects
and it
within
is my
the
responsibility
sphere of economic
to
create close
opportunity,
relationships
and in
between
order to
the
do
parties
that,
with
I need
the
to
necessary
engage with
resources
private
in
order
actors.
to
I am
promote
familiar
development.
with the logic
But
of business.
this is done
I feel
in
the
the
public
realm
needs
of democracy,
to accept
with
co-responsibility
the legal tools
for
at
the
our
city’s
disposal.
development
In order to make
and it
the
is
most
my responsibility
of these tools,
to
I
create close relationships between the parties with the necessary resources in
need to articulate the contacts between decision makers and investors. I also
order to promote development. But this is done in the realm of democracy,
need to propose news tools with which investors can participate in urban development
in a fair way. Of course citizen participation is important, but it is
with the legal tools at our disposal. In order to make the most of these tools, I
need to articulate the contacts between decision makers and investors. I also
crucial to manage this participation in order to avoid standstills.
need to propose news tools with which investors can participate in urban development
in a fair way. Of course citizen participation is important, but it is
crucial to manage this participation in order to avoid standstills.
the process planner
the process planner
I like to call myself a process planner. This means that my main task is to create
democratic processes that can integrate all relevant actors in order to make
common decisions regarding the right kind of urban development. I feel that
I all like affected to call myself parties a process should be planner. heard This or integrated means that in my the main process task before is to create decisions
are made. processes Is this that time can consuming? integrate all Of relevant course it actors is, but in this order is the to price make of
democratic
common true democracy. decisions Besides, regarding by doing the right that kind I create of urban ownership development. of decisions I feel and that decrease
affected the prospect parties should of our be actions heard being or integrated contested. in My the main process skills before are commu-
deci-
all
sions nication are made. and networking. Is this time Of consuming? course I need Of course to be it a is, good but this communicator is the price of if I
true want democracy. to integrate Besides, non-professional by doing that actors I create in the ownership planning of process. decisions I am and something
the between prospect a pedagogue of our actions and being a process contested. consultant. My main As skills a good are commu-
teacher, I
decreasnication
rely narratives and networking. to engage Of all course kinds I of need actors, not be a only good professional communicator ones, and if I
want certainly to integrate not only non-professional investors. I want actors involve the the planning common process. citizen in I am decisionmaking.
between My advocacy a pedagogue planner and friends a process and I work consultant. quite well As a together. good teacher, I
something
rely on narratives to engage all kinds of actors, not only professional ones, and
certainly not only investors. I want to involve the common citizen in decisionmaking.
My advocacy planner friends and I work quite well together.
the strategic planner
the strategic planner
I am a strategic planner. My objective is to develop strategies that will benefit
all, but I am aware that elected politicians are the legitimate representatives of
the people. This is why I work hard to seduce them with engaging visions and
I appealing am a strategic scenarios, planner. to My guide objective their actions. is to develop I think strategies planners that must will appeal benefit to
all, other but professionals I am aware that working elected with politicians the city are in the order legitimate to formulate representatives these visions. of
the But people. sometimes This is I why feel these I work professionals hard to seduce are them not with very engaging practical. visions We need and to
appealing engage investors scenarios, as to well, guide and their best actions. way to I think do this planners is to offer must investors appeal opportunities
professionals via large working urban with projects. the city I find order that large to formulate urban projects these visions. are the
to
other
But best sometimes tool to mobilise I feel these political professionals and economic are action. not very They practical. are also We an need effective to
engage way to intervene investors as in the well, spatial and the configuration best way to of do a city. this These is to offer projects investors compose opportunities
spatial strategies, via large with urban which projects. we will I achieve find that agreed large goals. urban projects are the
best tool to mobilise political and economic action. They are also an effective
way to intervene in the spatial configuration of a city. These projects compose
spatial strategies, with which we will achieve agreed goals.
the traditional planner
I am an old-school planner. I was trained to do my job and therefore
I believe I am fully capacitated to take the right decisions.
I believe in the power of the government to make people’s lives
better. In order to achieve that, comprehensive planning is the
best tool we have at our disposal.
By planning carefully and in a detailed way, we will achieve good
results for all. I like the traditional ways of organising the work.
I am the chief planner; therefore I expect my subordinates will
listen to my instructions. We strive for the general good and sometimes
I have the feeling we are more concerned about the public
than the elected members of our government. Our adversaries are
greedy investors who would ruin our city with huge shopping
centres and weird ideas about mixed housing.
The Great Planning
Game
ROBERTO ROCCO & REMON ROOIJ
SPS is actively looking for engaging
learning and teaching approaches.
Workshops, debates, role-playing,
and simulations are important tools
for active engagement with the subjects
we teach. But we have found that
serious gaming is an unparalleled tool
for spatial-planning education because
of the very nature of planning, which
involves both competition and cooperation
between stakeholders. Spatial
planning is about managing processes
in which stakeholders might have quite
diverging values and objectives. Gaming
allows us to simulate that situation in
the classroom and also allows students
to develop skills that will help them as
spatial planners, focusing on an agonistic
approach, such as problem-solving,
teamwork, and negotiation.
Here we present one game: The Great
Planning Game. The GPG is used in
several different courses at bachelors’
and masters’ levels, and its main objectives
are to allow students to discuss
values in planning, as well as discuss
the different roles they can have as
planning professionals. These planning
roles are inspired by Sehested’s (2009)
research-based formulations of planning
roles, and enriched by Nadin and
Stead’s (2008) theoretical framework for
comparative planning studies.
We present students with a specific
planning assignment, with limited
background information on the context
(location characteristics, demographics,
stakeholders). The students in the
classroom are grouped in couples or
groups. Each group gets a card with the
description of one “typical planner”,
based loosely on the typology proposed
by Sehested. Students are then asked to
perform several planning tasks in which
they need to use the central values and
ideas of the type of planner they were
given. From the perspective of their specific
roles, students brainstorm about
the necessary knowledge, skills, and
values needed to approach the assignment.
They develop a draft strategy to
tackle the planning assignment: what
needs to be done by whom and when?
Following this, they need to debate with
other groups in order to experience how
their own objectives, based on their role,
clash with other groups’ objectives and
solutions. The whole game is an experience
in communicative rationality. After
some time, a small number of groups
is selected to take part in a plenary
debate. The teachers and students are
asked to reflect on the presentations.
Students are provided with a summary
of all “types of planners”, so they can
explore all the roles.
What happens in the classroom? Behind
each role description lies different
worldviews, different values, different
(perceived) responsibilities and planning
methods. Making those explicit by
addressing the planning assignment,
and by using different approaches, it
becomes easier to discuss, compare, and
evaluate the different types of planning
styles.
References:
Nadin, V., Stead, D. 2008. “European spatial
planning systems, social models and
learning.” disP: The Planning Review
44(172):35-47.
Sehested, K. 2010. “Urban Planners as Network
Managers and Metagovernors, Planning
Theory and Practice”. 10:2, 245- 263.
Fig. 54: “Types” of planners, based on Sehested (2010). Cards used in the game.