“Urbanismo”; and the differences between the perspectives, foci and contributions of the different disciplines that are involved in understanding and making the city at different levels are a constant source of dynamic interaction. Within MUDD and in this yearbook, too, the polarities between the positions of Urban Design and Spatial Political Economy are evidence of this. With respect to the complex interaction of these approaches, Harald Bodenschatz spoke about urban design in his presentation at the colloquium in 2014, and I reproduce the bullet points of his presentation: •
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Urban design implies a vision of a better city and a critique of the existing city. “Quality of urban design” implies focusing on a better city. The academic field must encompass a range of approaches, including historical, sustainable, international and interdisciplinary dimensions. Urban design can only be reflected by looking at the past and looking at the future. Often it is reduced to the present. Looking at the past: The city of today is an agglomeration of different historic urban design concepts and has to be understood in this way. Looking at the past also means: to research and understand whether something has worked or not, and why. Not only the products but also the history of the field and urban design ideas, lessons and paradigms have too often been forgotten – despite best efforts at universities and in professional circles. Looking at the future needs some distance from contemporary uses – an urban design concept must allow change in the future, change of uses, change of users. This also means: participation and functional concerns have to be balanced by a robust, sustainable urban design concept. Looking abroad: Urban Design as a field has always looked abroad – maybe more before World War I than today. Today, the international exchange of experience has to be redeveloped. Looking behind the gates: Urban planning, architecture, landscape architecture, social sciences etc. must again become interconnected. Above all, urban design as a discipline must reintegrate knowledge of the city.
These positions are very much in line with those of the MUDD course. The following essay comments on the current situation of Berlin and the City Visions approach adopted by the MUDD program.
“…the MUDD course has developed an elaborate teaching strategy, which combines a consistent underlying structure with the integration of new perspectives and methods, combining long-term continuity with the adoption of new approaches, seizing new opportunities”
Master of Urban Development
Design 2015-2016
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