Introduction to Week 2

The second course week introduces you to the concept of urban systems and to the value of urban typologies for better understanding these systems. You will gain a detailed overview of physical, social, and spatial urban typologies

Based on concrete examples, you will delve deeper into different types of urban systems. First, the concept of urban social systems will be introduced in detail, followed by an in-depth introduction to urban physical systems. The links between social and physical systems will be made clear. The key aim is to familiarize yourself with the value of urban system typologies for better understanding climate-related risks and adaptation in cities.

You will then engage with the spatial dimension of urban systems by studying urban planning. You will learn about different approaches to urban planning and how climate adaptation can be included or ‘mainstreamed’ into urban planning processes and strategies.

The second week concludes with a deeper look at the use of new digital technologies in cities. You will be introduced to the newly emerging concept of the smart city and explore how information and communication technologies can contribute to urban adaptation. Together, we will look at different key technologies and illustrate their use potential. Examples include artificial intelligence and big data analytics, as well as the concept of cyber-physical systems, describing the interplay between digital technologies and urban physical systems.

The course week concludes with a summary of key concepts (urban systems and typologies, urban planning, ‘smart cities’) and hints at the topics of the coming week.

The following step will now introduce you to the idea of urban systems and explain why different typologies of urban systems are useful planning and research tools. You will gain a first overview of different urban typologies: social, physical and spatial. You will also study why these typologies are relevant for urban adaptation and planning.