290109 VU Contemporary Challenges in Urban Development (2024S)

This course addresses the complexity of sustainable urban development by critically analyzing environmental-social-technical interactions at the district-level. Challenges to be considered, among others, include climate, demographic, and digital change. These challenges raise the question of how integrated development and planning approaches can, and in practice, do address both the complexity and balance requirements of urban sustainability. This pursuit will be supported by various transdisciplinary elements, and such are vital for ensuring equitable and inclusive sustainable development processes and solutions. Accordingly, to operationalize the theoretical content and provide opportunities for the transdisciplinary methods taught to be implemented, students will formulate a framework with a range of indicators, and use such to assess district-level development projects throughout in Vienna.