The Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning

Type: Specialist article Date 20 September 2021 Spatial development of Germany in Europe

a documentation of an exhibition at the Southeast University (SEU) in Nanjing, China. In Mandarin, English and German language

The exhibition on spatial development in Germany and Europe was shown on the occasion of the opening of the Sino-German Research Center for Spatial Development and Architecture at the Southeast University (SEU) in Nanjing, China. It features knowledge about the German planning system and spatial development trends mainly for a Chinese speaking and international audience.

China's urbanisation is in a process of rapid development, which brings about many challenges, but also opportunities for a more sustainable development. Recently, the Chinese Government has issued the „Opinions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Establishing a Spatial Planning System and Supervising Implementation“. The new spatial planning system shall contribute to the modernisation of the spatial governance system and governance capacity, seeking to establish new development concepts and to establish a stronger status of spatial planning in relation to sectorial planning.

In this context, international cooperation and exchange is of growing significance. The School of Architecture at the Southeast University in Nanjing is one of the most important faculties in the field of architecture and urban planning in China. The newly founded Sino-German Urban and Rural & Architectural Research Center of Southeast University (SGURRC) is committed to building a platform for transdisciplinary Sino-German cooperation in the field of urban and rural planning and architectural research. It aims to become a gateway between Chinese and German colleagues.

The exhibition „Germany in Europe — Spatial Development in Germany" was developed by Klaus R. Kunzmann, Karl Peter Schön and Yi Xin in close collaboration with the School of Architecture, Southeast University, Nanjing and the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban and Spatial Research (BBSR) in the Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning (BBR), Bonn. The exhibition was conceived and exhibited for the first time on the occasion of the opening of the Sino-German Urban and Rural & Architectural Research Center (SEU).

The exhibition gives an introduction to national spatial planning. On 45 panels, the exhibition informs with illustrations, maps and explanatory short texts about the German spatial planning system as well as current structures and trends in spatial and urban development in Germany and Europe. It shows selected demographic, settlement structural, economic, environmental, social and cultural dimensions of the spatial structure in Germany. It also presents the guiding principles and strategies for spatial development in Germany, which were jointly drawn up by the Federal Republic and the states of Germany in the year 2016.

The exhibition, and this documentation, will help Chinese readers grasp the overall profile of spatial planning in Germany from various aspects. The political, legal, economic, social and cultural conditions of spatial development in Germany and China are not comparable. Nevertheless, China and Germany can benefit from shared exchanges and learn from each other in order to successfully address the challenges of a sustainable and balanced spatial and settlement structure.

The organizers of the exhibition also hope to raise everyone's interest and encourage the Chinese speaking scholar to develop a better and deeper understanding of spatial planning in Germany.

Publication

Klaus R. Kunzmann, Karl Peter Schön and Yi Xin (editors):
Spatial Development in Germany — Documentation of the exhibition „Germany in Europe“ at the Southeast University Nanjing, PR China
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