Rethink the City: New Approaches to Global and Local Urban Challenges

Learn about today's urban challenges focusing on developing countries, referred to as the Global South. We will debate the benefits associated with three different themes, going beyond traditional urban strategies and policies: 1. Spatial justice Having fair, inclusive and healthy urban contexts is one of the greatest challenges of cities in emerging economies. 2. Housing Provision and Management Increasing demand in the Global South calls for alternative approaches in housing provision and management. 3. Urban Resilience Understanding resilience not as a mere struggle for survival, but as an opportunity to build better urban environments. In the course, we will address questions such as: Is the 'just city' framework applicable to cities with extreme socio-economic inequality? Can community-led housing initiatives provide effective solutions for households in need? How can resilience support development instead of perpetuating a disadvantaged condition? In this architecture and urban planning course, academic urban planning expertise from TU Delft is used to formulate possible answers to these questions, and is applied in a range of challenging case studies from Ghana, Brazil, Malaysia, Chile, Ethiopia, and China, among others. This course offers you a new perspective to understand and analyse the urban challenges of the Global South. Through a combination of short theoretical lessons, presentation of case studies, testimonies from practitioners and practical assignments you will also learn how to develop a critical perspective about your own urban environment and how to translate this knowledge into analytical tools and innovative urban solutions. Urban challenges in the MENA region and African countries In addition, the course offers you two modules focused on the specific urban challenges of the MENA region and African countries. We will apply the three themes to different cases in these regions and explore these with academics and professionals working on the ground. AESOP Excellence in Teaching Award At the annual conference of AESOP (Association of European Schools of Planning) the Architecture MOOC "Rethink the City: New approaches to Global and Local Urban Challenges" received the Excellence in Teaching Award 2017.