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General introduction. Spatial quality revisited

Chapter December 2016

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9 authors, including:

Pieter Van den Broeck Frank Moulaert


University of Leuven University of Leuven
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Ahmed Z. Khan Ali Madanipour


Universit Libre de Bruxelles Newcastle University
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Microgrids In New York City Empowering (Or Not) Local Communities - Master Thesis View project

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Spatial quality afrequently
mentioned concept
Spatial quality was probably coined in spatial and
environmental planning in the 1970s (Rapoport, 1970).
However, different terms with similar meaning were
used by other authors. A clear example is Kevin Lynchs
term, environmental quality hinting at social and esthetic
values.
Yet the role of spatial quality in the international
10 planning literature has been minimal. Although it was
referred to quite regularly by planning scholars, its

General conceptual meaning received little attention. Not so


in Flanders-Belgium however. Spatial quality, as a
concept, is frequently referred to in Flemish planning,

Introduction urban development and design theory/practice. In 1987,


planners and urbanists were already looking carefully

Spatial Quality
at spatial quality. Regular seminars led to a series of
conferences under the banner Quality of the Built
Environment [Kwaliteit van de ruimtelijke omgeving] and

Revisited this resulted in congress proceedings based on detailed


case-studies. Their publication was the start of four years
of conferences organised by a group of leading profes-
Pieter Van den Broeck, Ruth sionals and academics, called Quality for Space/Space
for Quality [Kwaliteit voor ruimte/Ruimte voor kwaliteit].
Segers, Frank Moulaert, The publications, Ruimtelijke Planning, by Kluwer on
urbanism and planning in the 1980s contained, apart
Ahmed Z. Khan, Jan from general theoretical contributions on space, urban

Schreurs, Bruno De Meulder, development and planning, and a great many articles on
so-called sectorial dynamics, also a section on spatial
Konrad Miciukiewicz, Geoff quality, although a critical reflection on the concept
was lacking. Since its earliest texts in 1994, the Spatial
Vigar, Ali Madanipour Structure Plan for Flanders has identified spatial quality
as one of its core concepts, together with spatial capacity
and spatial sustainability. A collective investigation by
the University of Antwerp and Studiegroep Omgeving
(1998) worked to clarify spatial quality from an ecologi-
cal and spatial perspective and to get a better grasp of
good local spatial planning and livability concepts
applied on a daily basis by urban development officials
when assessing applications for urban development
projects. In 1998 the Flemish Association for Space and
Planning (VRP) devoted part of the World Urbanism
Day to spatial quality. Also in 1998, the city of Antwerp
organised a process conference on Urbanity & Quality
and Vision & Partnership [Stedelijkheid & Kwaliteit en
Visie & Partnerschap] as a stepping stone towards a next
important landmark. Indeed, in 1999, the Flemish minister
Wivina De Meester installed the first Flemish Government
Architect with the aim of improving the quality of
Flemish public architecture by focusing on the quality
of commissionership. In the meantime, three Flemish
Government Architects initiated an approach built on Challenging spatial quality
architectural competitions, ambitious project definitions,
pilot projects and canvassing publications, all contributing The ubiquity of the term spatial quality in our professional
to improve the quality of Flemish (urban) architecture. and everyday language contrasts with its conceptual
Amongst designers, careful attention to the genius loci elusiveness. Laymen as well as experts often tend to
has always been stressed, and experts advocate that a consider space or place as the simple result of the
locations qualities should be optimally valorised. Since material transformation of nature. People see contrac-
the approval of the Spatial Structure Plan for Flanders, tors building houses or public squares being refurbished,
a similar concern trickled down into administrations imagining this is where and when spatial quality is
and governments and transformed land-use planning produced. But they do not consider the discussions
into spatial planning. The implied decentralization and and consultations that were crucial in generating a
flexibility of structure planning was guided by confer- building process or completing that process success- 11
ences that resulted in a publication with the ambitious title fully. Nevertheless, communication the exchange and
Towards Good Local Development. Recommendations transformation of ideas is as inherent to the building
for Qualitative Local Spatial Governance [Naar een process as the exchange and transformation of materials.
goede plaatselijke ordening. Aanbevelingen voor een This also holds for social backgrounds, political issues,
kwaliteitsvol lokaal ruimtelijk beleid] (Bauwens & Van cultural sensitivities, ideological positions and even power
Alsenoy, 1999). Formal and informal procedures have relations and institutions. The material production of
been investigated, improved and recommended (Heynen, space cannot be understood or explained without consid-
Ketelaer, Laporta, Neyens, Robaye & Van Cauwenberghe, ering related processes and their various contexts. Hence
2001). In the meantime a discourse on landscape quality, spatial quality is an outcome of manifold interactions and
environment quality, heritage quality, quality of public co-production processes at the very (spatial) community
space, quality of life and suchlike has been stimulated, level. The latter of cause is spatially embedded in wider
researched and communicated by means of seminars, socio-ecological and politico-economic systems.
conferences and exhibitions. Universities, governmental The parameters which define the quality of a place are
administrations and institutes and a number of NGOs not necessarily to be found at a high level of abstraction.
(e.g. VAi, VRP, Archipel, Stad aan de Stroom, Architectuur They also do not have to be sought solely in material and
als Buur, Stad en Architectuur, Oostende Werft, etc.) physical organisation of space and place. Friends need
have been playing very different, complementary roles, only a few friendly words among themselves to convert a
stimulated by small but decisive governmental grants. The run-of-the-mill kitchen into a light and happy place. You
resulting landscape of spatial quality is rich, but remains can just as easily turn your workplace into a no-go area
ill-structured. because the communication between the people working
Although spatial quality tends to be jargon of experts there has become so tense and made the place unbear-
such as spatial designers, spatial planners, geogra- able to stay in. Similar observations can be made on other
phers and project developers, the concept is also used scale levels or spatial entities. Isnt it much more pleasant
by residents, politicians, commuters, activists, clubs, to live in an area where you can feel at home, where
tourists, business and industry, property value estimators, you know you can have a chat with your neighbours or
community workers and various types of users of space. borrow the proverbial cup of sugar, or where one even
This can be concluded from the countless references to helps you work on your house? These examples are of
livability, environmental quality and good or bad spatial a rather socio-psychological nature, but they are just
planning in everyday language as well as in competing as real as material facts or changes. Places and people
visions on space and spatial quality. Many users of space cannot be separated. As a matter of fact, from experience
connect good life to various features of spatial quality. we all know that spatial conditions and changes affect our
They name them as: good infrastructure, decent housing, conduct and perspective, and that changes of concepts
accessibility and proximity of functions, noise control, air and behaviour affect our environmental perception.
and water quality, green and open space; but also social Yet these dynamics are not always sharply grasped in
interaction, reliable and enjoyable neighbours, practices of improving spatial quality. Creating space,
therefore, is much more subtle than material manipula-
tions of space. Small things can make a big difference.
At a higher level of abstraction one can say that spatial
quality is embedded in various ways. Looking at spatial
quality in a relational way, it is clear that social and cultural
aspects are inextricably linked with material aspects of
space. They even have a determining effect on space, The SPINDUS project
its perception, conception and assessment. Although
everyone more or less agrees that spatial quality is This book is about the reading, assessment and (co)-
important, opinions hugely vary as to what exactly it is that construction of spatial quality in diverse socio-spatial
gives quality to a particular articulation of space(s). From contexts in Flanders, England, Italy and Kenya: cities,
living and observing the process of creating and maintain- neighbourhoods, small communities, spatially functional
ing a place it becomes clear that the quality of a place areas (such as agricultural land and open space, etc.). It
has more than merely an aesthetic or affective dimension, is based on the methodologies used and results obtained
but also a social and a moral or ethical dimension. Neither in a four years long research project SPINDUS funded
the environment, nor the language used to produce and by the Flemish innovation agency IWT/SBO. Pulling
reproduce it, is ever ethically neutral. together the disciplines of (1) strategic spatial planning,
12 Furthermore, words or voiced thoughts, like images, (2) urban design, and (3) social innovation in territorial
have the power to bring experiences and, therefore, development, SPINDUS goal was the development of
places to life. Hence language is an element in the set of practical and pedagogical planning and design methods
steering elements that contributes towards the creation able to (help) read, assess and improve spatial quality.
and transformation of places, whether they end up The strategic focus of the project was the broadening of
having greater or lesser quality. Language can direct the concept of spatial quality through an interdisciplinary
peoples attention to something, can structure seemingly approach (involving different research disciplines in a
unimportant parts into meaningful wholes, and can make shared methodology) and a transdisciplinary approach
visible and tangible what was once overlooked, invisible (involving not only different research disciplines but also
or non-existent. The same can be said of images. There different kinds of actors and users). A multi-dimensional
are various ways to look at how language contributes frame of reference for dealing with spatial quality had to
to the creation of place. For example, a purely linguistic pave the way for developing methods, for approaching
and literary approach to language would look at how practical case-studies and for research, experimenta-
words, grammar, semantics and syntax bring place to tion and workshops. This also involved the stepwise
life. A socio-political approach to language would look at co-construction of a shared language to read and discuss
the ways in which some groups in society have enough spatial quality across various disciplines and with diverse
power, for example, to force others to accept their naming stakeholder groups.
of geographical locations. Consider, for example, the The SPINDUS project combined conceptual,
many English names for towns and cities used in America methodological and case-study foci. The research was
and Australia. The English-speaking immigrants created organised in work packages most of them effectuated in
a place, to which, by giving it a familiar name, they were close interaction with stakeholders regarding epistemo-
able to associate known qualities and in this way make logical issues relating to space, shared reading of spatial
it their own, make it more familiar. It is clear that having quality, explorations of design-based methods, develop-
command of a language, having the right to express ment of a shared language for spatial quality, and mutual
oneself and to be heard, and the right to name something enrichment of design, social innovation and planning
and have it applied, means exerting powers of emancipa- approaches.
tion. Language has the capacity to create a qualitative Literature study in the first phase led to further
environment or an environment designed to satisfy the theorisation and the design of a meta-framework capable
needs and requirements, the wishes and wants of the of hosting at the same time the interaction between
users of that space or place. For not only does language actors of space (users, analysts, designers, planners,
have a psychological dimension, it has a moral dimension organisers, policy makers, etc. as stakeholders with
as well. If people have the power to build something diverse interests and ways of practicing space) and the
with words, they also have the power to demolish with complexity of features of spatial quality. Fifteen case-
words. And it is not always immediately obvious which studies were initiated by the stakeholders, six of which are
of the two options is the more justifiable. How else might covered in more detail in part 4 of this book. The nearer
one evaluate the demolition of the wall between the two SPINDUS came to its conclusion, the more its attention
countries of Germany? Or build walls between Israel turned to a synthesis of methodological insights from
and Palestine territories? How many words have been the case-studies and a confrontation with the theoreti-
spoken, how much graffiti has been sprayed, people killed cal starting points. In the course of the project, reports
or imprisoned before a wall was actually demolished were written and scholarly articles were published,
orbuilt? some of which appeared in special issues of journals
like International Planning Studies or Journal of Urban
Design. In cooperation with stakeholders, various types people and (their) spaces, both in a constant process
of workshops were organised which gave shape to the ofdevelopment.
research, became a subject of research, generated coop- By focusing explicitly on the social dynamics of spatial
eration with stakeholders and supported the valorisation quality formation in a relational approach, the concept of
of SPINDUS . spatial quality is broadened from a diversity of perspec-
tives. By looking together and in an interdisciplinary way
The following sections explain the build-up of the book at spatial quality, a mutual enrichment of strategic and
and can be used as a reading guide. institutional spatial planning, urban development, urban
design and design-based research, and spatial develop-
ment through social innovation has taken place. Thus
these relatively autonomous disciplines contributed to
The SPINDUS (the building of) a shared methodology. 13
The relational approach also involves different sorts of
approach part 1 stakeholders. The literature calls this a transdisciplinary
method, in which knowledge is developed not only by
In response to the aforementioned multiplicity of spatial transcending the borders between disciplines but by
quality, SPINDUS gives meaning to it by associating it doing this in cooperation with the owners and users of
with the (quality of) the use of the space, or the reciprocal that knowledge, between scientists and practitioners. The
impact of human practices on and in space. We therefore diversity of actors involved in the spatial quality analysis
need methods to identify uses of space, the satisfaction and building process is large and included users with
they give to their users, the impact they have on other divergent user modes, analysts, designers, planners,
uses and spaces, now and in the future, and the way in organisers, policy makers, all stakeholders with diverse
which these impacts (satisfaction, damage, emancipa- interests and ways of practicing space.
tory capacitation, etc.) can be evaluated and improved. To support the user-oriented evaluation and the multi-
We should also understand how space is transformed dimensional and relational reading and co-construction
by a whole range of human practices, how space is lived, of spatial quality a meta-framework has been established
experienced, thought up, etc. This finds expression in connecting seven dimensions that throw a light on spatial
the diversity of spaces and human activities interacting quality: relationality, ethical basis, power structures
with them, cerebral and real. To deal with this, part 1 of and relations, dimensions of spaces, multi-scalarity,
this handbook proposes a socio-psychological approach sustainable development and collective learning. The
to the use of space. This approach sees cultural, artistic, meta-framework allows for a layered, both empirical
social, natural, etc., spaces as (a spatial) expression of and normative analysis of various methods and cases.
human activity, but looks at the same time at their impact From a transdisciplinary perspective, valorizing spatial
on spatial reality and the transformation of the space. diversity as lived by the stakeholders but within a logic
Various spatial moments or expressions (social, natural, of shared meta features and connections, analyzing
material, etc.) identified or influenced by people, refer spatial quality within this meta-framework will never
to different potential and actual uses of the space. This lead to a simple interpretation of spatial quality. It rather
involves considerations of how physical/material spatial- gives a kaleidoscope of (different and even conflicting)
ity shapes social processes and vice versa, and of the aspects that are together part of a developing, constantly
interpretations that play a role in this. changing evaluation of spatial quality. Spatial quality or,
A use/user oriented approach assumes that (the rather, spatial qualities are the relational characteristics
observation, definition, experience of) space and spatiality of the space which are constantly reinvented, appreciated
are constructed/produced by users. The construction and rearranged through social and spatial interactions in
of space and spatiality is embedded in a broad range of everyday encounters and in social processes.
social processes, in all their complexity and relativity. The
SPINDUS approach is therefore a relational approach, in
which space is seen as relative to the use/users of space.
Both the uses and formation of space are driven by the
relations between physical, natural, social, economic,
political, cultural, etc. factors, and subject to their differen-
tial effects. Spatialisation arises from the coproduction of
socio-political processes by users of space. Experiences
and observations of spatial quality are relations between
Methods for spatial one discipline will stress the physical emergence of a
place, another will focus more on the social aspects of the
quality part 2 and part 3 embedding space. Methods to define, analyse, implement,
evaluate and co-construct are only of significance in
A multi-dimensional and relational reading of space specific actor configurations, socio-spatial conditions and
requires a methodological diversity, yet within a shared particular case histories. This is why parts 2 and 3 of this
analytical meta-framework. The mobilisation of different manual analyse case-studies, which contain and provide
readings of space would assume that different methods context for methods. Part 2 emphasises on design-
are involved in its analysis. Methods are crucial to the oriented approaches in this regard, and explains how they
definition of spatial quality and must be acknowledged can be enriched from a social innovation and strategic
in all their diversity. Contemporary literature that looks perspective. Part 3, on the other hand, looks at more
14 at space, spatial quality, place quality, sustainability and socio-spatial and planning methods, but also indicates
construction, etc., introduces, for example, a multitude of how design and materiality play their role in these. The
sustainability and spatial quality characteristics and shows book outline, on the content pages, gives an overview of
the variety of methods available to deal with this. all the case-studies and shows how each time different
The need for methods to define, assess, evaluate, methods with different backgrounds are mobilised.
improve, etc. spatial quality was clearly communicated Because the authors of this book and the SPINDUS
by varied experts having a role in the broader context of stakeholders believe that one can only grasp spatial
spatial planning, urban development and social innovation quality in a place and contribute to its improvement by
in Flanders and England. The SPINDUS methodology means of communication, participation, cooperation and
sought to provide a solution to the widely perceived coproduction, this part pays a lot of attention to participa-
demand for renewed, reinvented and innovative methods tion in neighbourhood development, spatial planning and
for spatial quality, geared towards the users of space, urban design.
with the explicit ambition of covering the variety of
spatial quality perspectives while still keeping a sufficient
structure that would allow to define new principles for
collective action and policy making. In its second and third Methodological
part, this handbook thus gives an overview of practical
methods to demarcate, assess and set up trajectories for synthesis part 4
spatial quality reading, assessment and improvement.
The use of these methods is crucial in the identification of The SPINDUS project aimed at a transdisciplinary
spatial qualities. investigation and for methods to collectively describe,
Yet, despite its methodological focus, this handbook assess, evaluate and improve spatial quality. Indeed, this
is not a book of formulas. It is a book that invites to take book passes over predefined, isolated quality dimen-
the SPINDUS approach, represented by cases and sions. Unsurprisingly, part 4 of the book reemphasises
backed by a meta-framework in part 4, into considera- the collective materialisation of spatial quality in the
tion. All methods presented in the cases are described lessons drawn from the case-studies. This is illustrated
and illustrated within the specific context of the case to by means of six case-studies. The methodological
and through which they were applied. After all, methods synthesis employs the two layers from the meta-
usually do not emerge from thin air. For not only do they framework. LAYERI relates in accordance with our
require a context in which they can be used, they also use/user oriented and relational approach to the
have evolved within that context to what they are now. relations between all actors involved in the assessment
And that context is a particular (social) space or and production of spatial quality. LAYERII relates to the
place within a given segment of time and an evolving dimensions of spatial quality and their relationship to the
socio-institutional structure. This raises the question as to actors (see the seven dimensions of the meta-framework
how this context came about. What turned a given space in part one of this handbook). Spatial quality exceeds
(place of activity) into a place, what is the relationship discipline-related definitions by far and emphasises
between the material place and the people who live relations between aesthetic aspects, physical charac-
there? This is the ideal research subject for the geog- teristics, ecological sustainability, social space, object
rapher, planner, sociologist, urban developer, etc. They characteristics, diverse spaces and spatial forms, actors
construct insights into how place a neighbourhood, a and spatial practices, actors and relational patterns,
square, a region, landscapes and its various charac- spatial and social patterns, etc. The retention of those
teristics, are praised or shamed and maintained. While mutual interactions and of a relational view on analysis
and production of spatial quality probably is the most Thisbookintends, therefore, to be a book in which various
important factor of success when repeating the SPINDUS users of space can find theoretical and methodological
methodology in other case-studies andcontexts. inspiration from previous spatial quality analysis, assess-
ment and co-construction processes.
The hybrid nature of the book, its relational approach
focusing on (spatialities of) uses and users of space, the
Finally, the transdisciplinary constructivist view on spatial quality, the transdisciplinary
perspective aiming to connect and integrate various disci-
nature of the book plines and stakeholders and the combination of elements
from strategic and institutionalist spatial planning,
Since spatial quality is entangled with the use/users urbanism and research-by-design and territorial develop-
of space, it is kaleidoscopic in nature and can be read ment through social innovation, are also imbued in the 15
in multiple ways. This book refuses to give simple or overall structure and form of the book. As expressed
absolute answers as to the characteristics, evaluation in the book outline on p.7, the SPINDUS handbook
or implementation of spatial quality. Nor does it sing combines theoretical and more practical chapters, uses
the praises of designers, spatial planners or community different media (text, pictures, infographics, maps,
builders. This would not be possible as they are not graphic novel, timelines, etc.), gives the floor to various
homogenous groups, they represent different sets of disciplines, presents long and brief chapters, expresses
knowledge, experience, skills, opinions and values, which action research as well as reflective analysis, and offers
also vary over time, and they represent just a few of the methodological reflection. As such, the authors of the
many actors that come together to produce spatial quality. book hope to express their view on how spatial quality
Hence, the book is not interested in situations resting should be read, addressed or implemented: by engaging
on full consensus of goals, programmes or methods as in a collaborative process and supporting different users
if those would remain stable over time and would be of space to express their spatial qualities, allowing for
insensitive to power relations. compromises, meta-frameworks and shared languages to
What this book does provide is a number of possible grow over time, integrating various disciplinary bodies of
readings of spatial quality and a variety of methods scholarly, designerly and practical knowledge, mobilizing
that are useful to analyse , evaluate and implement it. different methods and co-creating these in their specific
Part1 offers a theoretical foothold, and can be read as a contexts, paying attention to material, psychological,
start but also after some of the case-studies have been sociological, political, socio-economic, etc. dimensions
explored. Parts 2 and 3 give an overview of cases in which of space, and reflecting on methodology. The handbook
a variety of methods were mobilised to address spatial itself is thus a report of a collective place-making effort
quality conditions within their spatial, temporal and social and an illustration of how the authors see a trans
context. These parts could be gradually explored and disciplinary quest for spatial quality. As such, it could
then supported by readings of part 1 and part 4. Part 4 be an inspiration for practitioners as well as academics
offers a methodological reading of the process by which from different disciplines, activists as well as politicians,
to work on spatial quality. It could be read as a conclusion students as well as professors, in co-constructing their
but also as a beginning, explaining an overall methodo own transdisciplinary place-making processes.
logy to analyse, address or implement spatial quality.

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