10 YEARS Joint Double Degree Programme

Celebrating the 10 years of the double degree programme jointly offered by the Institute for European Urban Studies at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar with the College of Architecture and Urban Planning at Tongji University Shanghai, colleagues from both institution presented different perspectives on the current development of cities in China and Europe in a small symposium, and discussed common conditions and challenges.

In the discussion about “liveable cities” urban space is mostly perceived as either a form of vital neighbourhoods in vibrant areas or as neglected or unattractive areas that are emptied out and deprived of urban life. Depending not only on the situation of the built environment or the uses in a single location, but rather depending on the context of a place in a grid of flows and movement patterns, there are different methods that help us understand why we perceive space as “working” or not...

For decades the idea of the car-friendly city dominated urban planning. It can be observed that since a couple of years new models of urban mobility are coming up. Cities like Amsterdam and Copenhagen show the world how car traffic can be reduced and quality of living be improved. In Germany it is different. When it comes to change in urban mobility, the world wide renowned country of car-production is lagging behind. Why are we so much in love with cars?