What can be understood by spatial transformation, how does it manifest itself and what are the characteristics of transformation processes? This Research Report addresses these questions and presents current research projects and approaches from an academic and practical (planning) perspective. A central point of reference is the concept of a "Great Transformation", which stems from an expert report by the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU). It outlines the profound changes in the economy and society towards sustainability that will become necessary in the future, describing them as a "Great Transformation". Likewise, social upheavals also manifest themselves in space, enabling spatial changes to be understood as spatial transformations. However, on a detailed level it remains unclear what is to be understood by spatial transformation processes and how they manifest themselves. Against the background of this need for (further) research, this Research Report addresses concrete issues in the research and shaping of spatial transformation processes. The aim is to systematise the largely unordered or disordered knowledge of spatial transformation processes and to contribute to a common understanding of the associated concepts, which can form the basis for further research and for the steering of these processes. The articles on the following topics show how spatial and social transformation processes are mutually dependent and what opportunities and challenges inter- and transdisciplinary research designs can offer in this context: Perspectives on transformation processes; Social and settlement structures in change; Regional development and innovation; Transformation processes in the so-called Global South; New challenges for planning, processes and stakeholders; Research on transformation. The contributions to theoretical, methodological and practical approaches are intended to stimulate a critical discussion on spatial transformation that is open to new, interdisciplinary perspectives.

This book is concerned with how spatial planning and design can better contribute to fundamental changes and transformations of the spatial organisation of society that are at once qualitative, sustainable and socially inclusive. For academics, researchers and students in planning, urban design, urban studies, human and economic geography, public administration and policy studies.

The Routledge Handbook of Planning Research Methods is an expansive look at the traditions, methods, and challenges of research design and research projects in contemporary urban planning. Through case studies, an international group of researchers, planning practitioners, and planning academics and educators, all recognized authorities in the field, provide accounts of designing and implementing research projects from different approaches and venues. This book shows how to apply quantitative and qualitative methods to projects, and how to take your research from the classroom to the real world. The book is structured into sections focusing on Beginning planning research Research design and development Rediscovering qualitative methods New advances in quantitative methods Turning research into action With chapters written by leading scholars in spatial planning, The Routledge Handbook of Planning Research Methods is the most authoritative and comprehensive handbook on the topic, providing both established and ground breaking coverage of spatial planning research methods. The book is an invaluable resource for undergraduate and graduate level students, young professionals and practitioners in urban, regional, and spatial planning.

Collaborative virtual environments (CVEs) are multi-user virtual realities which actively support communication and co-operation. This book offers a comprehensive reference volume to the state-of-the-art in the area of design studies in CVEs. It is an excellent mix of contributions from over 25 leading researcher/experts in multiple disciplines from academia and industry, providing up-to-date insight into the current research topics in this field as well as the latest technological advancements and the best working examples. Many of these results and ideas are also applicable to other areas such as CVE for design education. Overall, this book serves as an excellent reference for postgraduate students, researchers and practitioners who need a comprehensive approach to study the design behaviours in CVEs. It is also a useful and informative source of materials for those interested in learning more on using/developing CVEs to support design and design collaboration.

In this book, innovations in the education system are discussed and exemplary developments and projects from Finland and Germany are compared. On the one hand, the focus is on current research results, while on the other hand, examples of good practice from both countries describe remarkable ways of implementation and provide creative suggestions for one's own educational work. These are based on the experience of ten years of international cooperation between two teacher-training university locations.

Design has been employed as an agent of social and political change, and a catalyst for spatial and urban transformations in cities across the world. Concurrent Urbanities argues for the centrality of designing in the conceptualization and production of inclusive and participatory urban space, by bringing together civic and urban activists, urbanists, designers and architects committed to exploring designing as a socio-spatial praxis concerned with the reorganization of urban socio-economic systems and relations of power. The blend of first-hand experiences and reflections of the urban practitioners featured reframes design practice beyond the design of physical objects and public amenities, to the design of social protocols, processes, and infrastructures for radically reframing practices of socio-spatial inclusion ‘on the ground.’ Through illustrated examples, this book features the work of Stalker and Stealth who employ design to negotiate new social contracts; Teddy Cruz's design of urban political and economic processes; models of urban pedagogy by the Center for Urban Pedagogy; Cohabitation Strategies’ work on designing urban social cooperatives; and others. Concurrent Urbanities presents a compendium of the emerging models of design-driven urban practice that offers important new insights to professional urban practitioners as well as to students of urbanism, architecture, urban design, and urban and spatial planning.