01
SETTING THE STAGE
Jose ine Fokdal, Oli ia Bina, P ue Chiles, Liis Ojamäe and Ka in Paadam
In oduc ion
The mo i a ion o w i ing his book s ems om ou engagemen wi h h ee undeniable ends in
he wen y- s cen u y: a geog aphical end o escala ing u banisa ion in a wo ld shaken by mul-
iple in e dependen c ises, a poli ical end o ecognising he challenges ollowing om his and
placing hem cen ally in o global plans o sus ainable de elopmen , and hi dly, a end in science
policy o p oclaiming he impo ance o in e disciplina y and ansdisciplina y (ITD) esea ch, no
leas o in o m policymaking. While o n be ween challenges and oppo uni ies, one aspec ha
seems o uni e all u ban sus ainabili y agendas is an appeal o ans o ma i e change and o knowl-
edge ha can make i happen. Ou collabo a i e book, Enabling he Ci y, occupies his incon enien ,
uncom o able, ina icula e space – bu a space almos uni e sally acclaimed as necessa y o sol e he
di cul p ocesses and u ban challenges o oday. This book ocuses on how in e - and ansdiscipli-
na y p ocesses o knowledge p oduc ion may con ibu e o ans o ma ion a a local le el, inescap-
ably in uenced by global ends.
U banisa ion
Today’s p ocesses o u banisa ion and he signi can p ojec ed g ow h and shi o dynamic u banisa-
ion o he Sou h and Eas all imply complex challenges ela ed o u ban de elopmen (UN-Habi a ,
2006, 2011; He le e al., 2015). U ban a eas ep esen app oxima ely 2% o land co e in he wo ld
bu p oduce 70% o emissions (wo ld ci ies accoun o be ween 60% and 80% o ene gy consump-
ion), and a e no o ious o hei unsus ainable ecological oo p in s. In 2014, 72.5% o he popula-
ion o Eu ope li ed in u ban a eas, and his gu e is s ill ising.
FIGURE I.1.1 Kew Ga dens. Pho o by Oli ia Bina.
4 Se ing he S age
Case s udies and s o ies in his olume om a ound Eu ope, se in ci ies and owns o di e en sizes
and p o les, illus a e he amilia end owa ds a diminishing u ban– u al di ide and he g ow h
o subu ban and pe i-u ban a eas on he ou ski s o me opoli an egions. Social, economic and
en i onmen al p oblems o e lap, o en d ama ically, wi hin u ban a eas wo ldwide (Sa e hwai e
& Ba le , 2016).
A global ans o ma ion in he way we li e and wo k is u gen ly needed, and he p ojec ed wo ld
popula ion o nine billion in 2050 means ha “business as usual” is no longe an op ion (Co nell e
al., 2013). We need o end he insani y o con inuous economic g ow h leading o he ine i able –
he o e consump ion o ni e esou ces (New Economics Founda ion, 2009, p. 3). This equi es a
undamen al change o cul u al disposi ions linked o consump ion pa e ns and li es yles, especially
in de eloped coun ies. In a iably, he p ocesses o u banisa ion en ail a complex se o ade-o s
and syne gies be ween en i onmen al, social and economic aspec s o de elopmen ha canno be
cons ained wi hin hema ic, sec o al o disciplina y silos (Sachs e al., 2019). The pas decades ha e,
among o he s, shown ha bo h in p ac ice and academic esea ch close coope a ion be ween a i-
ous ac o s is necessa y o unde s and and impac he ongoing u banisa ion p ocesses.
Se ing a Global Agenda o Sus ainable De elopmen
As a esul o he global signi cance o u ban ends, he sus ainable de elopmen agenda is also
changing o e ec his p io i y – h ough goal-d i en changes. The UN 2030 Agenda called
“T ans o ming ou Wo ld” asks o a “ ans o ma i e de elopmen pa hway” (ICSU & ISSC, 2015,
p. 9), and he many deba es abou science and knowledge needed o add ess wen y- s -cen u y
challenges also appeal o he need o signi can ans o ma ions in educa ion and esea ch (We nli
& Da bellay, 2016). In pa icula , he Ge man Ad iso y Council on Global Change1 dis inguishes
be ween ans o ma ion esea ch, explo ing “ he ac o s, mechanisms and causal ela ionships o
ans o ma ion,” and ans o ma i e esea ch, e e ing o “ he kind o esea ch ha suppo s he
ans o ma ion by means o speci c inno a ions – be hey social, economic, echnical o o some
o he kind” (WBGU, 2016, p. 34). New app oaches in u ban esea ch and p ac ice and new o ms o
go e nance and decision-making, howe e , need new modes o knowledge p oduc ion as a means
o coping wi h he challenges o a mo e sus ainable u ban u u e.
The 17 Sus ainable De elopmen Goals (SDGs), along wi h o he global amewo ks such as he
Pa is Ag eemen , a e a he ambi ious in hei s i ing o mo e sus ainable de elopmen .2 Goal 11,
o example, o make ci ies and human se lemen s inclusi e, sa e, esilien and sus ainable, iden i es en a -
ge s.3 No. 3 is especially ele an o he wo k discussed he e: “By 2030, enhance inclusi e and sus ainable
u baniza ion and capaci y o pa icipa o y, in eg a ed and sus ainable human se lemen planning and manage-
men in all coun ies” (UNGA, 2015). Th oughou his book, we a gue ha capaci y o such “pa -
icipa o y, in eg a ed and sus ainable” planning, can bes be enabled h ough knowledge ha is bo h
in e and ansdisciplina y. T ansla ing hese agendas, gi en he ends and challenges we ha e “on
he g ound,” we need o c ea e new sys ems, models and pa adigms ha will wo k in a ou o he
well-being o people li ing in ci ies. We need new knowledge ha will each a ious ac o g oups
and ways o p oducing knowledge based on engagemen in o de o lea n how o “enable he ci y”
o h i e and ca e o a mo e sus ainable u ban u u e. In o he wo ds, u ban sus ainabili y en ails
undamen al change, emb acing he ac ha knowledge p oduc ion should be seen as an inclusi e
p ocess ha is no limi ed o academia and i s ways o knowing.
PART I – Se ing he Scene 5
De ining In e - and T ansdisciplina y P ocesses
Ou explo a ion o in e - and ansdisciplina y (ITD) app oaches o he design and applica ion o
knowledge4 ocuses on u ban esea ch and p ac ice ha con ibu e o he Uni ed Na ions sus ain-
abili y agenda. In e - and ansdisciplina y app oaches a e an exp ession o dep h and deg ees o col-
labo a ion and di e si y, and deba es a ound hei need a e p emised on undamen al ques ions abou
he na u e and legi imacy o knowledge: wha i is, who holds i and who is en i led o con ibu e
o i s p oduc ion.
The de ni ion and common unde s anding o in e disciplina i y, and ela ed ideas o “mul i-” and
“ ans”disciplina i y, all emain con es ed and end o be supe cial he o ic a he han concep ual
cla i y (see also Chap e IV.1).5 These h ee concep s all pe ain o he idea o linking disciplines o
he pu pose o esea ching complex p oblems; howe e , hei pu pose and each is undamen ally
di e en (Lang e al., 2012).
Building on he wo k done by We nli and Da bellay (2016) and Pe s e al. (2008), we unde s and
in e disciplina i y as an app oach ha can help o s uc u e mul iple sou ces o knowledge a ound a
common opic, p omo ing he exchange o disciplina y expe ise h ough coope a ion, espec and
he willingness o lea n om, and o unde s and, each o he . We also gi e ou own de ni ion in
Chap e I.3. This equi es an openness on he pa o collabo a ing disciplines (Mendes & Sá, 2017),
and a ecogni ion o sha ed alues and us be ween indi iduals o di e en disciplina y back-
g ounds (see also Chap e II.6). I also en ails mu ual cu iosi y owa ds o he knowledge cul u es (see
also Chap e II.3), and e en he willingness o gi e up some disciplina y e i o y.6
The ecen deba es asse o be abou he p omo ion o in e disciplina i y in iew o a esponse o
a be e unde s anding o p oblems o as a means o gene a ing ques ions a ound which new o ms
o hough and expe imen al p ac ice can coalesce (Ba y & Bo n, 2013, p. 10; see also Chap e s II.5
and II.8). Howe e , al hough in e disciplina i y is inc easingly cen al o esea ch agendas, and ec-
ognised as a p econdi ion o sus ainabili y (Po e & Ra ols, 2009; S e ling, 2004; an Rijnsoe e &
Hessels, 2011), i s e ec i e implemen a ion in esea ch p ojec s emains he excep ion (Owens e al.,
2006; We nli & Da bellay, 2016) o he ule. Genuine p og ess owa ds g ea e uni y o knowledge
is o en ma ginalised in p ac ice: ac ual p ojec s and agendas a ely li e up o he lo y p omises. Co-
ope a ion in p oducing knowledge is une en and weak in i s abili y o shi esea ch agendas owa ds
a new comp ehensi e app oach o esea ch (Pe s e al., 2008). Deep- oo ed di isions be ween disci-
plines lead o an incomple e unde s anding o global changes a ec ing human socie ies (UNESCO
& ISSC, 2010). Ac i e collabo a ion, including knowledge exchange, emains a e o da e (S okols,
2014), la gely due o he ansac ion cos s in ol ed and he lack o incen i es in bo h p ac ice and
academic a enas.
We use Ho mann-Riem e al. (2008, p. 4) o an app oach o T ansdisciplina i y ha calls o di -
e en ypes o knowledge p oduc ion o social change. Fi s ly, h ough g asping he complexi y o
a p oblem and ques ioning he no ma i e na u e o knowledge p oduc ion; secondly, by ecognising
he gap be ween he pe cei ed p oblem in science and p ac ice; and hi dly, by p oducing knowledge
o he “common good.” E en clea e is he desi e, indeed he necessi y, o ansdisciplina y wo k,
and hus o open he p ocess o u ban knowledge p oduc ion o a wide ange o ac o s ha ha e an
in e es in ci y-making beyond academics and so-called specialis s.7
T ansdisciplina i y,8 as we unde s and i , includes he in eg a ion o knowledge om a ious dis-
ciplines (i.e. in e disciplina i y) as well as he in ol emen o ci il socie y and o he non-academic
ac o s in o he ealm o esea ch and p ac ice. The aim is o p oduce mo e sui able and applicable
esul s o policymaking and socie al change (e.g. Polk, 2014, 2015; Klein e al., 2001). A a local
6 Se ing he S age
scale, i can con ibu e o ans o ming u ban neighbou hoods in o accessible, c ea i e, engaging and
li ing spaces by in e ac i e s a egies enhancing pa icipa ion o inhabi an s and a ious s akeholde
g oups (see also Chap e s II.1, II.2, II.4 and II.9). Howe e , he challenge o o e coming esea che -
d i en p ojec s and an une en balance o owne ship (Pohl e al., 2010; Lang e al., 2012), along
wi h issues o communica ion, ime-consuming p ocesses and he ac ha eliabili y o knowledge
is some imes comp omised o he sake o accoun abili y (Polk, 2014, p. 441), a e some o he co e
obs acles o ansdisciplina i y iden i ed in he discou se (see also Chap e II.7). Thus, despi e he
end in science go e nance in pa icula o p oclaiming he impo ance o in e disciplina y and
ansdisciplina y esea ch, he e a e s ill many obs acles o o e come.
The T ans o ma i e Powe o In e - and T ansdisciplina y Resea ch and P ac ice in he
U ban Realm
The u ban en i onmen p o ides an excellen a ena o explo ing he mul iple challenges and obs a-
cles o in eg a ing di e se sou ces o knowledge, om mul iple disciplines and ac o s, in an a emp
o make sense o deeply in e connec ed and in e dependen p oblems and solu ions, bo h heo e ical
and p ac ical, ha will enable ans o ma ion (see chap e IV.3 in his olume).9
In e - and ansdisciplina y u ban esea ch and p ac ice, and pa icula ly u ban planning, has a
long adi ion o knowledge in eg a ion, al hough unde di e en labels such as eal-wo ld labo a o-
ies (e.g. Schäpke e al., 2017), using expe imen s as he main mode o knowledge p oduc ion (e.g.
WBGU, 2014; Schneidewind & Singe -B odowski, 2014), pa icipa o y ac ion esea ch (e.g. B ad-
bu y & Reason 2003) and ansi ion esea ch (e.g. Van de Bosch & Ro mans, 2008), jus o men ion
a ew. Wi hin he eld o u ban planning p ac ice, he e is a adi ion o pa icipa o y app oaches
ha is wo hwhile o build upon when conduc ing in e - and ansdisciplina y esea ch: o example,
collabo a i e planning (Healey, 1997), he communica i e u n (Healey, 1993), pa icipa o y plan-
ning (Chambe s, 1998; Goe he , 2004) and communi y ac ion planning (Hamdi & Goe he , 1997).
Wi hin planning p ac ice, inclusi e go e nance and pa icipa ion10 has become a co ne s one in he
global Sou h and No h (UN-Habi a & UN-ESCAP, 2008; UN-Habi a & GLTN, 2009).
Pa icipa ion is unde s ood as plu ali y o decision-making, in ol ing mul iple ac o s, including
an o ganized ci il socie y, and a eadiness o nego ia e and comp omise a e seen as necessa y means
o success ul in e ac ion (Benz and Papadopoulous 2006). In mos cases, howe e , pa icipa o y
p ocesses a e “owned” and d i en by (local) go e nmen ins i u ions as he legi ima e ep esen a-
i es o he s a e and pa icipa ion is expec ed o p o ide a “bo om-up” inpu o o mal sys ems
(Chak abo y 2012). Mosse (2001) u he iden i ed he dange o ex e nal s akeholde s se ing he
local agenda in a mo e implici manne unde he label o including local knowledge h ough pa -
icipa ion (Cooke and Ko ha i 2001). Pa icipa o y o ma s ha ha e been de eloped a y widely,
depending, on he one hand, on he poli ical oppo uni y s uc u e in a pa icula con ex , such as
he s eng h and willingness o he local poli ical sys em o coope a e; and, on he o he hand, on he
esou ces and capaci ies o ci ic g oups o engage in “nego ia ing de elopmen ” (Roy 2009, p. 166).
Also, he adi ion in planning is speci c in e ms o cul u e ela ing o pa icula socie al his o ies.
The expe ience and knowledge wi hin he u ban ealm could be be e in eg a ed in o he mo e
ecen discussion on ansdisciplina i y and ans o ma i e science o a mo e sus ainable u u e.
The e is much o be lea ned om ailu es and limi a ions encoun e ed in p ac ice and esea ch
wi hin he u ban ealm and he de elopmen con ex . O en p ocesses a e messy, complex, di cul
and ime-consuming, and he e is a la ge isk o ailu e. The kind o knowledge p oduced h ough
PART I – Se ing he Scene 7
hese p ocesses, howe e , is wha we need in o de o be able o localise he Sus ainable De elopmen
Goals and he New U ban Agenda (NUA), as his book shows.
An O e iew
Building on he expe ience o he au ho s,11 his book desc ibes in ellec ual and p ac ical p ojec s
ca ied ou in a di e en way, whe e ansdisciplina y u ban issues ha e enabled new knowledge
and ways o knowing, as well as accoun ing o pe sis en challenges and, a imes, ailu es. I aims
a enabling new knowledge o sus ainable u u es in o de o enhance he quali y o li e in ci ies
by demons a ing he use and alue o c ossing bo de s be ween disciplines and beyond academia.
Pa I: “Se ing he Scene”
Pa I, “Se ing he Scene,” in oduces he wo k, as abo e, and discusses he jou ney he edi o s
and au ho s ha e aken. Bina e al. p esen a comp ehensi e amewo k ha a ises om an analysis
o case s udies in Pa II, p o iding a unique o e iew o possible ways o knowing and o enabling
new knowledge. I p oposes ou phases o in e - and ansdisciplina i y, and ou enabling condi-
ions and quali ies ha a e c ucial o in e - and ansdisciplina y p ocesses, highligh ing aspec s o
lea ning, compe ences and disposi ions. Mennes hen p esen s a baseline ocabula y ha guides he
eade wi h a use ul se ies o de ni ions ha c oss disciplines and makes he publica ion applicable
o a b oad eade ship.
In his way, Enabling he Ci y makes a con ibu ion owa ds he kind o ans o ma i e esea ch and
p ac ice equi ed o add ess wen y- s -cen u y u banisa ion challenges, wi h hei complex mul i-
sec o al in e dependencies, cap u ed by he Sus ainable De elopmen Goals, and hei o e a ching
need o g ea e collabo a i e e hos, in eg a i e knowledge p oduc ion and p ac ices. Pa s II and III
also e ec on di e en esea ch and p ac ice cul u es – a mi o ing o wha is going on in in e - and
ansdisciplina y u ban p ocesses.
Pa II: “U ban S o ies Beyond Disciplines”
In Pa II, “U ban S o ies Beyond Disciplines,” he indi idual chap e s explo e aspec s o
in e - and ansdisciplina i y h ough c i ical hemes (e.g. ageing, heal h and demen ia, ene gy p o-
duc ion, mobili y cul u es, he i age, housing, e-use and enewal o buildings and public spaces) ha
need o be add essed in inno a i e ways in o de o con ibu e o a mo e sus ainable u ban u u e.
Mos s a ed hei li e as case s udies p esen ed and analysed du ing he cou se o ou mee ings
and e en s o e ou yea s in di e en coun ies wi h he INTREPID ne wo k. They show di e en
aspec s o he amewo k ha we in oduce in Pa I, expe ienced in a a ie y o con ex s and scales.
The s chap e by Chiles e al. builds a ound a collabo a i e and ansdisciplina y p ojec in
S ockb idge, Sou h Yo kshi e, wi h he aim o looking in o a new ene gy u u e o he own and
how his could be a he hea o all sus ainable enewal in he own. The p ocess in ol ed local
esiden s and an in e disciplina y academic eam including an embedded e hnog aphe who “ acili-
a ed” he sel - e lexi i y and, mo e c i ically, be e communica ion among he public and academic
eam membe s du ing he p ojec . In his p ocess, he alue o es ablishing a common language, he
con inuous engagemen o e a longe ime pe iod (a s ong elemen o “social” ime) and he ecogni-
ion o he local con ex , i.e. he his o y o he place, we e s ong enabling ac o s.

8 Se ing he S age
The second chap e , “A C ea i e ‘NanoTown’: F aming Sus ainable De elopmen Scena ios wi h
Local People in Calab ia, I aly,” by Ve dini e al., aims o enable a ansi ion owa ds sus ainabili y
o a own a ec ed by economic and demog aphic decline in a u al a ea in sou he n I aly. An in e -
na ional wo kshop, ini ia ed by he elec ed poli icians, ac ed as a ca alys o a posi i e a mosphe e
o change. Also, in e disciplina y s uden s ac ed as indi idual “change agen s” a he same ime,
building capaci ies and empowe ing h ough sha ed lea ning expe iences. This case s udy illus a es
he h ee phases, co-design, co-p oduc ion and con inua ion, as well as he issue o compe ences: “The
Gaglia o expe ience has helped o e ine a wo king p ocess and a se o compe ences, which a e eplicable and may
be inco po a ed in o uni e si y u ban cu icula.” Also, i becomes e iden he e ha con ex ma e s in he
sense ha he poli ical will was he e and he ci izens we e engaged in he new ision o he own.
The hi d chap e , by G oma k e al., is a e ec ion on an in e - and ansdisciplina y p ocess
om i s e y beginning o implemen a ion (which is o en no p esen in o he case s udies). The
aim o he p ocess was o c ea e a esea ch-in o med sus ainable esiden ial p ojec . The p ojec i sel
expe imen s wi h coope a i e en al housing (in physical, a chi ec u al and echnological o ms),
which mo es beyond he a he echnoc a ic unde s anding o sus ainabili y a he housing scale.
I shows he alue o dissemina ing he lessons lea ned h ough a pla o m o mu ual lea ning and
exchange o good p ac ice. The au ho s poin owa ds h ee enabling condi ions o he in e - and
ansdisciplina y p ocess: s ly, he con inui y o he indi iduals in ol ed in he p ocess; second-
ly, he manda es o he people in ol ed we e ne e ques ioned; and hi dly, he alue o di e en
knowledge and compe ences by people in ol ed was ecognised by e e yone. In addi ion, mu ual
us and a “dis inc common cul u e o commi men o he cause” was buil up du ing mee ings
e e y second mon h o e eigh yea s – so again, ime ma e s!
Also on he building scale, bu a ound a public ins i u ion, he chap e by Wol e al. is an il-
lus a ion o accompanying esea ch on how he ci y ini ia ed and suppo ed a new c ea i e hub in
he o me public pool in he ci y o Luce ne. T us and spa ial p oximi y and a his o y o wo king
oge he p e iously a e iden i ed as key enabling condi ions: “They we e awa e o he challenges o in e -
and ansdisciplina y esea ch p ojec s ega ding join knowledge p oduc ion, and hey egula ly e lec ed on his.”
Again, he ein eg a ion o knowledge h ough dissemina ion demons a ed di cul ies, and i was
only h ough he in ol emen in he INTREPID ne wo k ha publica ion o he esea ch was made
possible.
The aim o he in e - and ansdisciplina y p ocess p esen ed by Die z e al. in Chap e 5 o
Pa II was o push o changes owa ds a sus ainable mobili y cul u e in S u ga , Ge many. The
speci c p ojec p esen ed is on “pa kle s” – he occupa ion o a pa king spo o h ee mon hs o
c ea e awa eness and s a a dialogue a ound he quali y o u ban space once he pa king spo was
con e ed. Da a collec ion and mu ual lea ning p ocesses we e ecognised as pa o capaci y building
o all ac o s in ol ed in he in e - and ansdisciplina y p ocess, which led o a e hinking o he
u u e planning o he public space. This would ha e been impossible wi hou he a ailable esou ces
in e ms o human capaci ies, a change agen , ime and exible unding.
In a simila manne , he chap e “A S ep Towa ds an Enjoyable Ci y: Joining Expe ise in Re-
designing Public Space Along he ‘Main S ee ’ in Tallinn” by Paadam and Ojamäe desc ibes
an in e - and ansdisciplina y p ocess in ela ion o mo ing owa ds mo e inclusi e esea ch-based
planning in Tallinn aimed a es ablishing a dialogue wi hin he ci y a ound he de elopmen o
he quali y o u ban public space. A he po en ial ad en o a new planning cul u e, al hough in a
slowly changing di cul poli ical landscape (con ex ), i showcases a “pa adigm shi ” in a chi ec s’ and
planne s’ app oach. Based on he p ojec leade s’ g owing awa eness and acknowledgemen o he
PART I – Se ing he Scene 9
use ulness o a wide scale o disciplina y compe ences in he p oduc ion o in-dep h knowledge,
he mul iple s udies ini ia ed p o ided essen ial inpu o a chi ec u al compe i ions and discussions a
Ci y Fo ums. The chap e also sel -c i ically e ec s on an expe ien ial expe ience o a chi ec s and
sociologis s joining in an in e - and ansdisciplina y quali a i e esea ch p ocess, which, aside om
mu ual ad ancemen , also inspi ed he business ac o s in ol ed o ini ia e and und e en u he dis-
cussion occasions on he u u e o he ci y cen e (con inua ion). The chap e unde sco es he impo -
ance o acili a ing lea ning “by allowing esea ch-in o med imagina ion o he possible,” he willingness
and capaci y o engage wi h he unknown in o de o push o “ ans o ma i e change” wi hin socie y
and ways o c ea ing he quali y o u ban space.
The case s udy p esen ed by Dimi o a discusses a “ op-down” app oach o u n a neighbou -
hood in So a, Bulga ia, in o a C ea i e Indus ies a ea h ough a ocus on cul u al he i age and he
p ese a ion o a ce ain neighbou hood cul u e. I is a clea illus a ion o he issue o ime as i is
li ed in di e en “communi ies” – p ac ice e sus academia – bu also o he ime cons ain s wi hin
academia and unding schemes. Also, he ac ha wo ds ma e is well illus a ed in his chap e .
Building on a ce ain le el o us a ion, a p ocess o sel - e lec ion was ini ia ed o enhance he lea n-
ing expe iences among he in ol ed ac o s.
Chap e 8 in Pa II illus a es di e en ypes o knowledge he au ho s Ande sen and Ki keby
iden i ed a ound building homes o people wi h demen ia: “Con ex -independen knowledge is p obably
easie o anspo wi h only mino changes in con en whe eas con ex -dependen knowledge equi es mo e in e -
p e a ion and pe sonal acquisi ion.” Building on wo k by La ou , hey es ablish wha hey call “ exible
knowledge.” This does no imply “ ha ‘any hing goes,’” bu highligh s ha knowledge, as con ex -
based knowledge, is no independen o place o ci cums ance; i has o be ela ed o speci c si ua-
ions. This case s udy is a obus accoun o aspec s o leade ship wi hin a ansdisciplina y p ocess.
The las chap e in Pa II, by Nikšič, discusses mo e inclusi e u ban planning app oaches in Lju-
bljana, Slo enia, and is an excellen showcase o how us needs o be buil be ween di e en s ake-
holde s bu also o us in he s a e as an ac o ha acili a es pa icipa o y planning app oaches. This
is some hing ha is o en o e looked in global agenda-se ing ( he Sus ainable De elopmen Goals)
and whe e he local con ex needs exibili y and adap ion. The chap e e ec s on he app oach and
willingness o change s a egy and adap unusual app oaches o each di e en a ge g oups. In ad-
di ion, s ong leade ship, “combined wi h ision and ope a ional s a egy” was a majo enabling ac o in
acili a ing he p ocess.
Pa III: “Sho S o ies om P ac ice”
Pa III “Sho S o ies om P ac ice” complemen s he ocus on esea ch in Pa II by adding
he pe spec i es o p ac i ione s on ITD p ocesses in which hey ha e been in ol ed o e sho e o
longe ime pe iods. Some p ac ice s o ies can be seen as di e en sides o he coin o he same case
s udy p esen ed in Pa II. We el ha adding he p ac ice pe spec i e on ITD p ocesses would en-
ich he “ hick desc ip ions” in Pa II and make his olume mo e applicable o a la ge audience.
Wi hin he eld o a chi ec u e and u ban planning, he e is a long adi ion o acili a ing pa icipa-
o y and collabo a i e p ocesses ha we ound c i ical o build on in he book.
The s p ac ice s o y in Pa III by Heslop, “P o ohome,” a ge s he phenomenon o home-
lessness in he con ex o he UK. While his p ac ice s o y showcases many aspec s o ou h ee-
dimensional amewo k, he aspec o sel - e lec ion as pa o a social lea ning p ocess is key.
10 Se ing he S age
“Po land Wo ks - She eld,” w i en by C is ina Ce ulli, discusses a campaign ini ially ocused
on opposing he immedia e h ea – he ede elopmen o he building; i quickly shi ed owa ds
being a p oposi ional endea ou , wi h enan s, ac i is s, local esiden s, p ac i ione s and academics
wo king oge he o p opose iable al e na i es, a he han simply opposing he change o use.
The coope a i e housing p ojec “Sp ee eld” in Be lin, Ge many, is based on an in e iew wi h
Michael LaFond, one o he co- ounde s o his socially sus ainable and ecologically d i en p ojec .
Challenges o collabo a ion and decision-making p ocesses a e pu in o he con ex ual pe spec i e
o an inc easing neo-libe al se ing in Be lin en yea s om he p ojec ’s comple ion. Acco ding o
La ond, his would no ha e been possible in oday’s Be lin – hus, con ex ma e s!
Th ee o he p ac ice s o ies complemen and a e based in he same places as Chap e s 5, 9 and
12 in Pa II. The p ac ice s o y in Gaglia o, Calab ia, by Wills e al., desc ibes he nex s age o
he p ocess whe e nal-yea a chi ec u e s uden s and newly quali ed a chi ec s de elop a s a egy
o enewal used o a success ul bid o he local go e nmen . A ound he opic o ou ism in a u al
and declining own in sou he n I aly, he in ol emen o s uden s in a sha ed lea ning p ocess in he
speci c con ex shows he impo ance o including speci c skills and compe ences in o he u ban
cu icula o educa e he u u e gene a ion o a chi ec s and planne s.
The “Ci y Fo ums” in Tallinn by Jä g, wi h a wide numbe o pa icipan s, is a nice illus a ion
o he changing oles o a chi ec s and u ban planne s and showcases how much con ex ma e s in
e ms o poli ical willingness and a ui ul lea ning en i onmen .
“Vodniko a Road in Ljubljana” - Slo enia, ells o a g ound-b eaking local ini ia i e o a pedes-
ian and cyclis - iendly eno a ion o a oad in o he ci y ha is he cen e o a neighbou hood12 in
an in e iew be ween Ma ko Pe e lin and Ma ej Nikšič.
P o iding a b oade pe spec i e, he p ac ice s o y by Ged on ou ism in u al a eas in China
shows how ho izon al exchanges and sha ed lea ning expe iences among esea che s and p ac i ion-
e s om di e en coun ies can be ui ul and lessons lea ned ans e able, bu only unde he con-
di ion o an es ablished long- e m engagemen “whe e only by encou aging long- e m p ocesses, wi h he
suppo o educa ion and mu ual lea ning h ough expe imen a ion, can he ba ie o disciplina i y be conque ed.
A long- e m p ocess equi es unding and ins i u ional suppo , which leads o he hi d challenge we wan o aise
awa eness abou : limi ed access o unding.”
Pa IV: “Lesson Lea ned – Beyond Con ex ”
The nine case s udies in Pa II and he se en p ac ice s o ies in Pa III a e also a key sou ce o insigh
and e ec ion o he nal pa , Pa IV, “Lesson Lea ned - Beyond Con ex .” He e, Woiwode
and Bina ask whe he ansdisciplina i y “changes e e y hing.” In hei con ibu ion, hey c i ically
e ec on he ela ionship be ween mul i-, in e - and ansdisciplina i y, complemen ing he aspec s
highligh ed he e and hen explo ing he possibili y o a ans o ma i e po en ial.
Webe and Mennes deli e a e ec ion on how knowledge is in eg a ed wi hin in e - and
ansdisciplina y u ban esea ch om he pe spec i e o he philosophy o science. This con ibu ion
again builds on he case s udies and p ac ice s o ies p esen ed and is a pos - e ec ion on he speci c
issue o knowledge in eg a ion.
Finally, Fokdal e al. d aw lessons om he expe ience o he pas ou yea s wo king oge he
as INTREPID and connec i wi h he global agenda o sus ainable de elopmen by explo ing he
dimension o educa ion o u u e gene a ions o sus ainable de elopmen (ESD), and a icula ing
u he he aspec o compe ences and disposi ions, cen al o his book’s amewo k (Chap e I.2).
PART I – Se ing he Scene 11
No es
1 Wissenscha liche Bei a de Bundes egie ung Globale Umwel e ände ungen (WBGU) was ounded
in 1992 wi h he aim o e alua e, epo and de elop coping sugges ions on clima ic and en i onmen al
changes.
2 U ban sus ainabili y encompasses he basic alues o en i onmen al quali y, economic dynamics and
social jus ice, and equi es hei applica ion o a eas including anspo a ion, land use, u ban o m,
a chi ec u e and building cons uc ion p ac ices (Wheele & Bea ley, 2009), and i is o en equa ed wi h
mo e compac , socially inclusi e, be e in eg a ed and connec ed ci ies and e i o ies ha a e esilien
o clima e change (UN-Habi a , 2014). In his con ex , by sus ainable u ban de elopmen we e e o
en i onmen al jus ice, economic imp o emen and social equi y as e ec ed in e ol ing u ban sys ems
(i.e. buildings, owns, ci ies and hei in as uc u es).
3 See Chap e IV.3 in his olume.
4 The unde s anding o knowledge used he e inco po a es a di e se eld o knowledge including sys emic
knowledge, aim- o o ien a ion knowledge (Schäpke e al., 2017) and ans o ma ion knowledge (e.g.
Schneidewind & Singe -B odowski, 2014). I u he akes e e yday expe ien ial knowledge such as
ac ionable knowledge in o accoun (Fo es & Wiek 2014; Schäpke e al., 2017). In a b oade sense he
u ban knowledge a ena also includes in o mal knowledge (Ande sen, 2013, p. 9 .). This b oad pe cep ion
o knowledge is essen ial o b idge he gap be ween u ban esea ch and p ac ice, especially when iewed
in he ame o he ambi ious in e na ional agendas o u ban sus ainabili y, and he ans o ma ional d i e
uni ing hese and he science agenda.
5 See ESF (2012), Lyall e al. (2013) and Pe s e al. (2008) o a c i ique.
6 Fo use ul de ni ions o in e disciplina i y, he eade migh also look a Blancha d and Vande linden
(2010), F odeman e al. (2010) and Law ence (2004).
7 See Mis a U ban Fu u es, now U ban Fu u es, which was o med in 2010 as a p og amme and cen e o
knowledge and esea ch on sus ainable u ban de elopmen (www.mis au ban u u es.o g/en) and ecen
ou pu s: Simon (2016); Simon e al. (2020).
8 See, o example, www. ansdisciplina i y.ch, d-ne o Hi sch Hado n e al. (2008) o a de ni ion.
9 Ande sen and A kinson (2013), Owens e al. (2006), Pe s e al. (2008) and Simon e al. (2020) all discuss
his.
10 Va ious le els o engagemen ha e been de ned be ween ci il socie y and he s a e in pa icipa o y p ocesses
(e.g. A ns ein, 1969; Goe he , 2004). A common me hod o di e en ia ing le els o pa icipa ion as a
con inuum o in uence in he decision-making p ocess, om ull con ol by planne s o ex e nal expe s
o ull con ol o he planning p ocess by he communi y, is based on he “ladde o pa icipa ion” p oposed
by A ns ein (1969). Hamdi and Goe he (1997) sugges no only le els bu also s ages o pa icipa ion in
planning and implemen a ion.
11 And he ou -yea jou ney we ha e all been h ough oge he wi h he COST Ac ion INTREPID.
12 See Ins i u e o Spa ial Policies (IPoP) “Mo e han a Road o a Ci y” (Več ko ces a do mes a), suppo ed
by he Municipali y o Ljubljana, Oc obe 2018, and Facebook: Inicia i a u edimo Vodniko o.
Re e ences
Ande sen, H. T. (2013). Wo king G oup 1: Cha ac e isa ion o exis ing and u u e u ban knowledge. In Nol-
ma k, H., Mui , T., Ande sen, H.T., T oe a, V., & Schmeidle , K. In e im Repo , cos ac ion C20 U ban
Knowledge A ena [accessed May 2017].
Ande sen, H.T., & A kinson, R. (2013). Exis ing and u u e u ban knowledge: S udies in he p oduc ion and
use o knowledge in u ban con ex s. In: Ande sen, H.T., & A kinson, R. (Eds.). P oduc ion and use o
u ban knowledge: Eu opean expe iences, pp. 1–15. Do d ech : Sp inge .
A ns ein, S. (1969). A Ladde o Ci izen Pa icipa ion. JAIP, 35, 216–224.
Ba y, A., & Bo n, G. (Eds.). (2013). In e disciplina i y, econ gu a ions o he social and na u al sciences.
London: Rou ledge.