Online Series: Urban Complex Futures - Critical Leverage Points

Details
Parent Category: THEMATIC GROUPS
Category: Planning and Complexity

Urban Complex Futures: Critical Leverage Points

Invitation to Online Series

The urban condition today oscillates between dystopian and utopian futures: increasing spatial segregation, political polarisation, socio-economic inequality, authoritarian governance, retrogressive and repressive national interventions are unfolding alongside a resurgence of urban agency, long-term thinking, visionary planning, collective action, community building, and the exploration of alternative futures, including post-growth paradigms, democratic innovations, and real(-istic) utopias. As time and space appear to compress further, urban discourse increasingly seeks pathways toward sustainable and equitable futures.

Our moment in time may represent an urban tipping point capable of leveraging transformations within complex, yet-to-be-understood and shaped realities. Exploring this momentum at the intersection of urban politics, spatial planning, systems thinking, and complexity theory offers a promising framework for developing, debating, and deploying concrete utopias to shape the future of our cities and regions. The aim is to seek pathways for reconciling urban politics today with potential positive future directions, connecting three established network efforts across Europe in consecutive events. The seminar series is in particular open for emerging ideas, young researchers, and students as the future drivers of democratic change.

This seminar series is linked to the forthcoming 24th Conference of the AESOP Thematic Group on Planning and Complexity, ‘Complexity Unpacked: Analytical Tools & Practical Insights for Uncertain Futures’, taking place at the University of Nicosia, Cyprus, on 8–9 January 2027. The three seminars will explore key questions and debates around urban complexity and critical leverage points, directly connecting with the conference's focus on conceptualising and operationalising complexity, and translating complexity thinking into planning practice. We hope the series will help initiate conversations that can be further developed and continued at the conference in Cyprus.

Dates & Times

  1. Wednesday, 21 October 2026, 14.00-15.00 hrs CET | 💻 online
    Complex Adaptive Systems & Sustainable Cities

    Speakers: Ulysses Sengupta (Manchester School of Architecture): The Complexity and Sustainability Paradox, Mahmud Tantoush (Manchester School of Architecture): Engaging with Complexity in Design: Adaptive Patterns, Data and Urban Activities
    Introduction/Moderation: Ulysses Sengupta (Manchester School of Architecture), Christian Lamker (University of Groningen)
    Introducing a special issue in ‘The Journal of Architecture’ (forthcoming)

    Co-hosted with Manchester School of Architecture

  2. Wednesday 11 November 2026, 15.00 - 16.00 hrs CET | 💻 online
    Complex Realities & Uncertain Futures

    Speaker: Anna Pagani (King’s College, London): Can systems thinking help to re-think and transform the housing system?
    Introduction/Moderation: Solon Solomou (University of Nicosia), Christian Lamker (University of Groningen)

    Co-hosted with University of Nicosia, Cyprus

  3. Wednesday 2 December 2026, 15.00 - 16.00 hrs CET | 💻 online
    TIME/LESS Planning & Temporary Uses

    Speakers: Kobe Tilley, Tim Devos (both University of Gent): Beyond Dichotomies in Temporary Use of Space: Using Complexity to Broaden Understandings
    Introduction/Moderation: Fabio Bayro Kaiser (RWTH Aachen University), Stefano Cozzolino (ILS Dortmund), Christian Lamker (University of Groningen)

    Introducing a special issue in ‘Transactions of AESOP’ (forthcoming)
    Co-hosted with RWTH Aachen University and ILS Research Institute for Urban and Regional Development

  4. Friday & Saturday, 8-9 January 2027 | 🏫Nicosia, Cyprus
    Complexity Unpacked: Analytical Tools & Practical Insights for Uncertain Futures

    Hosted by the University of Nicosia, Cyprus
    Call for Papers: https://aesop-planning.eu/tg-news/planning-and-complexity/complexity-unpacked-nicosia-cyprus-2027 

Registration

Register for one or all three seminars:  
→ https://forms.gle/AnAQH1oD33ugk8hAA 

The login link will be provided before each event.

Contact

Christian Lamker, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Coordinator Thematic Group Planning and Complexity

Follow also LinkedIn for thematic group updates: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12735445

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