Together with course 280.132 this course comprises the 10h/14ETCS project 3 "Economic interests in public spaces and urban culture. Local corporate responsibility and social innovation?". It aims to investigate what are the realities behind the rhetoric at a local level, by considering a number of key research questions and exploring these in depth in two metropolises along the Danube: Vienna and Budapest.

This will be achieved through a series of 3 intensive teaching blocks:

• Block 1: Budapest Workshop, October 17 to 21 2011
• Block 2: Vienna Workshop I, November 21 to 24 2011
• Block 3: Vienna Workshop II + Final presentations, January 16 to 20 2012

It is through processes of globalization, European integration and socioeconomic changes that cities in Europe experience massive changes. These affect urban development on the city- and the local level. As urban development is becoming more heterogeneous and conflicting, resources within the city become scarce and expensive. In this context public space very often is at risk to be marginalized or re-defined according to specific interests of single groups.

The project will discuss specific development trends in urban public spaces in Budapest and Vienna, identify specific actors’ interests and make recommendations regarding public space from a strategic planning point of view. The integration of local and global interests for the positioning of a city has to be considered explicitly.

Approach

In the course of analyzing actors' interests in the form/design/use of urban public space several levels need to be distinguished:

• conflicting interests concerning use- and exchange-value
• relatedly, conflicting interests in (determining) the handling of urban public space (single or multiple use; inclusive or exclusive; predetermined or open; public or private; open/creative/innovative or commercialized/capitalized/exploited; geared towards production or consumption; etc.)
• specific thematic orientation

Course language is English. 

This 5 SWS collaborative project course by the Centre of Regional Science (SRF, DI Kadi, DI Suitner) and the Centre of Public Finance and Infrastructure Policy (IFIP, Prof. Mag. Dr. Getzner, Mag. Zak, Mag. Zivkovic) is offered in the study field of spatial planning as integral part of a 10 SWS (14 ECTS) one semester P3 project in cooperation with the Interdisciplinary Centre for Urban Culture and Public Space (Prof. Watson, Dipl.-Kfm. Dobberstein, Dr. Knierbein), see course 280.132. Students who visit both parts are given priority, however, students that just want to attend the 5 SWS SKuOR course are warmly welcome as well (contact: Sabine Knierbein, Johanna Aigner). Students coming from other disciplines are warmly welcome to attend as well via registering as Mitbeleger (please contact us at SKuOR). 

Registration

Please register via TISS for course 280.132 "Project 3 Economic interests in public spaces and urban culture (Part I)".

The planned output of the integrated project 3 "Economic interests in public spaces and urban culture. Local corporate responsibility and social innovation?" course is a specific agenda towards “socially innovative and widely accessible public spaces”. The aim is to propose a “Local Corporate Responsibility” program for local public spaces.

 The proposal should define some of the following practical questions:

• What kind of regulations and practices do cities need and how can the different actors work together most productively? 
• How can the interests of different local groups and cultures be respected and met to generate a vibrant local public culture. 
• What kinds of incentives can be offered to encourage the involvement of private individuals and corporations in the provision of public space in the city?

This course is adressed to master students in spatial planning and other disciplines