All Things Urban

In 2014, European Union signed the Association Agreements with Georgia, Ukraine, and Moldova. Although the Agreements are the profoundly technical documents, they also bear a geopolitical significance affirming the European identity of the associated countries. While the documents do not address cities directly, nearly every economic sector will undergo the comprehensive adjustments. Hence, those changes will inevitably affect the way we plan (and study) cities. Therefore, holistic harmonization with EU cannot be overlooked by the professionals and scholars in the field of urban planning and design, as well as by the city governments. Furthermore, Association Agreement marks the beginning of yet another metamorphosis for the region. The radical socio-economic changes faced by cities during the last three decades left a vivid mark on the urban landscapes. Issues, such as environmental and social injustice, as well as transportation and housing shortages are well documented in both academic literature and governmental papers. Addressing those challenges will require professionals to foster the critical attitude towards the legacy of past practices and EU values. The goal of the forum is to critically analyze the concepts and practices of urban planning, which have been employed as a response to the Association Agreement. The theme of the forum enables discussions on the representation of local behaviors and EU values; questions of expertise and education; and of ideas and methods. The forum will be organized around the following panel discussions: RETROSPECTIVE OF URBAN PLANNING PRACTICES IN GEORGIA SINCE 1991 Newly elaborated strategies, norms, and approaches have been exercised through the prism of the long-established professional behavioral practices. Such practices proved to be inert to implicitly realize new formal protocols. They failed to effectively adapt to the new modes of governance and its definitions of human and space. Hence, the goal of the panel is to track the evolution of urban planning in Georgia during the last thirty years (1989-2019). It aims to challenge and advance a cultural knowledge we acquired through a critique of the way we design Georgia's cities. CURRENT URBAN PLANNING AND DESIGN PROJECTS The panel considers discourse on contemporary issues of urban planning and design practice in light of the EU association agreement as well as the New Urban Agenda (2016). It confronts pressing questions regarding the external factors of economic, environmental, and political systems, and internal forces of tools, techniques, and strategies for design. Addressing the multifaceted nature of the profession, we invite scholars and practitioners to explore issues currently at stake within the industry. The panel welcomes presentations that explore the relationship between research and practice, as well as how research by design warrants the pathway through which knowledge, plans (or other design products) come into being. INTEGRATED APPROACH FOR URBAN PLANNING Today urban planning and design studios have emerged as domains of interdisciplinary, collaborative examination of specific topics, policies, and geographies. The panelists will investigate the ways in which urban planners and designers interact with other professionals to ensure the lasting urban change. Speakers will address the challenges that planning teams face when "translating" the data from various disciplines and prioritizing the particular aspects of urbanity. TEACHING URBAN PLANNING AND DESIGN Global transformations taking place in world's cities are exerting pressure on educational institutions to develop numerous urban-focused programs and courses. The demand for such programs is also stimulated by the new international policies with growing sensitivities towards the local contexts. The goal of the panel is to give the floor to leading educators to discuss new and innovative ways to teach urban planning and design in the classroom.

Urban planners and designers, scholars, Ph.D. students, and policymakers.

City Institute Georgia is a not-for-profit organization working on urban and mobility planning Georgia.

A scholarship is available, click "Register" to find out more.