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Understanding building densification processes better

Postdoc Johannes Herburger (LSA) presents research results at various conferences

In spatial planning and urban development, densification is one of the most frequently mentioned strategies for protecting the finite resource of land, generating less traffic and creating socially mixed neighborhoods. But how do such construction projects actually come about and who has the decision-making power?

As part of his dissertation, postdoctoral researcher Johannes Herburger looked at precisely these questions and examined how structural densification arises in the interaction between public and private actors. He has now presented the results of his work at various specialist conferences and put them up for discussion.

On November 6 and 7, 2023 the conference "Stadt, Land, Wohnen - Regionale Wohnungsmärkte zwischen Boom und Krise" took place in Salzburg, Austria. Experts from housing and planning research as well as practitioners presented various case studies in order to better understand the different regional characteristics of housing markets. Johannes Herburger's contribution deals specifically with the question of how the small-scale parceling of land in Vorarlberg complicates effective densification.
Programme

Around 10 days later, the Swiss Geosciences Meeting took place in Mendrisio, where there was a special panel on the topic of densification in the area of conflict between private interests and planning. Researchers from the disciplines of geography, spatial planning and architecture presented various case studies in this area of tension, which ranged from processes of rent eviction to failed neighborhood planning. Johannes Herburger's contribution focuses primarily on actor-specific actions and decisions within planning processes. 
Programme

Last but not least, Johannes Herburger was invited together with Prof. Dr. Nicola Hilti from the FH OST to the real estate conference "Best of Research 2023", which was held by the Swiss Real Estate Institute at the HWZ in Zurich on November 23, 2023. Herburger and Hilti presented the key findings of the "Spatial Development 4.0" project, which dealt with decision-making processes in planning bodies.
Programme

Publications on this research project:

- Project report for the client Land Vorarlberg

- Publication in the journal "Urban Planning"

The results of Johannes Herburger's dissertation have been published in these other specialist articles, among others:

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20438206221144822

https://journals.polito.it/index.php/EJSD/article/view/306

Further publications will follow in 2024.

 

Liechtenstein School of Architecture, 30.11.2023