Plan ohne Land

Article for general public (2014)

Retheorizing urban geography: mutual relationships between English- and German-speaking communities

in Social and Cultural Geography (2014)

This paper takes a comparative look at urban geography in the German- and English-speaking academic communities, based on a critical reflection of publication activities, sub-disciplinary discourses and ... [more ▼]

This paper takes a comparative look at urban geography in the German- and English-speaking academic communities, based on a critical reflection of publication activities, sub-disciplinary discourses and conceptual developments. It is argued that Anglophone dis-courses tend to embed urban research into a broad range of conceptual and theoretical frameworks, whereas many writings in German-speaking urban geography are committed to pursuing empirical studies and applied research, thereby producing planning studies and policy recommendations; only recently, studies inspired by the cultural turn have evolved that are also addressing urban topics. In both language communities, a certain body of geo-graphical work can be detected that deals with core urban themes without evolving from a distinct ‘urban geography’ community. In this context, a mutual trans-national dialogue be-tween cultural, social, and urban geographies is considered helpful for better linking the two different language and academic communities. Accordingly, the paper provides suggestions on how to re-conceptualize urban geography at the intersections of recent debates in both language contexts by highlighting specific theoretical approaches, policy linkages, and methodologies. [less ▲]

Resilience thinking in urban planning

in Journal of Transport Geography (2014), 34

Akustisches Kapital

in Zeitschrift für Wirtschaftsgeographie (2014), 58(1), 249-250

”Luxemburg ist das Singapur des Westens" - ein Ausblick

in Wille, Christian; Reckinger, Rachel; Kmec, Sonja (Eds.) et al Räume und Identitäten in Grenzregionen (2014)

Räume und Identitäten in Grenzregionen. Politiken – Medien – Subjekte

Book published by transcript (2014)

Die Raum- und Identitätsforschung arbeitet mit Unterscheidungen und Relationen. Diese sind als heuristische Instrumente besonders in Grenzregionen gewinnbringend, wenn soziale und geopolitische ... [more ▼]

Die Raum- und Identitätsforschung arbeitet mit Unterscheidungen und Relationen. Diese sind als heuristische Instrumente besonders in Grenzregionen gewinnbringend, wenn soziale und geopolitische Markierungen auseinanderfallen. Die Beiträge des Bandes setzen hier an. Anhand empirischer Erhebungen in Deutschland, Frankreich, Belgien und Luxemburg untersuchen sie Raum- und Identitätskonstruktionen in grenzüberschreitenden Bezügen, wie sie sich in alltäglichen, institutionellen und medialen Praktiken manifestieren. Die Ergebnisse werden mit sensiblem Blick für quer liegende Räume und Identitäten diskutiert und an gouvernementale Fragen der Normierung und Subjektivierung rückgebunden. [less ▲]

The space of flaws – on the contradictions of integrated planning in a fragmented environment

Presentation (2013, November)

In this paper, we critically investigate policy strategies that attempt to control spaces (housing) and flows (mobility) through so called integrative approaches, hypothesizing that they are flawed in ... [more ▼]

In this paper, we critically investigate policy strategies that attempt to control spaces (housing) and flows (mobility) through so called integrative approaches, hypothesizing that they are flawed in design and ineffective in implementation. The research looks at processes in the small state of Luxembourg, which has pursued a niche strategy of national sovereignty development through a highly successful transition from an industrial based economy to one that rests on financial services, and a high degree of internationalization. This development trajectory, however, has created a set of deeply fragmented office-archipelagos that squeeze out housing, and generate massive commuter traffic. In response to these pressures, planning officials formulated a set of spatially integrative sustainable development guidelines that postulated sector integration, drawing upon normative orientations (central place theory), and prioritizing international objectives of European consolidation over local integration. Yet, they are flawed. A constructivist method was undertaken including document surveys, conversational interviews, and participant observation. Our results show that this centralist approach fails in meeting its mark, because instead of addressing problems of uncoordinated and conflicting authorities within and beyond the nation, they assume a clean system-wide durable “Russian Doll” architecture of state and institution. The result is further fragmentation through integration. [less ▲]

Building a Sustainable University from Scratch: Anticipating the Urban, Regional and Planning Dimension of the ‘Cité des Sciences Belval’, in Esch-sur-Alzette and Sanem, Luxembourg

in König, Ariane (Ed.) Regenerative Sustainable Development Of Universities And Cities The Role of Living Laboratories (2013)

This chapter deals with the context of knowledge regions and the related regional economic and urban planning implications, particularly in the case of the University of Luxembourg, which is being ... [more ▼]

This chapter deals with the context of knowledge regions and the related regional economic and urban planning implications, particularly in the case of the University of Luxembourg, which is being relocated to the entirely new setting of Belval in the old industrialised South of the country in Esch-sur-Alzette, and Sanem, respectively. In order to discuss this case, the specificities of Luxembourg (state, policy, role of science, planning, urban issues, cross-border problems) have to be taken into account. Finally, we shed some light on a series of sustainable development issues. [less ▲]

Freight Distribution Centres, Freight Clusters and Logistics Parks

in Rodrigue, Jean-Paul; Notteboom, Theo; Shaw, Jon (Eds.) The Sage Handbook of Transport (2013)

This chapter presents an overview of distribution centres (DCs) and freight clusters or logistics parks, which have emerged in response to the increasing spatial division of labour of the international ... [more ▼]

This chapter presents an overview of distribution centres (DCs) and freight clusters or logistics parks, which have emerged in response to the increasing spatial division of labour of the international economy, and as a consequence of the integrated management of today’s increasingly complex supply chains. The chapter aims at reconstructing the rationale of their development and presenting their main characteristics from both the users’ perspective and, particularly, in territorial terms. Consequently, it emphasizes the broader geographical distribution of freight facilities, problems of urban and regional integration and related challenges for policy and planning. The empirical focus of the chapter is on developments in Western Europe and North America. Against the background of the historical role that transport, trade and freight handling have played in an urban context, the chapter also raises some theoretical questions on the nature of such changes and their more general consequences for towns and urban regions. [less ▲]

Integration vs. fragmentaion: spatial governance for land and mobility (extended abstract)

in Hesse, Markus; Caruso, Geoffrey; Gerber, Philippe (Eds.) et al Proceedings of the BIVEC-GIBET Transport Research Days 2013 (2013, May)