ARCHITECTURE CITIES ECONOMIES

The department ARCHITECTURE CITIES ECONOMIES at the faculty 06 Architecture, Urban Planning, Landscape Planning at the University of Kassel deals with the range of socio-economic aspects of planning: the interdependencies of building economy and housing crisis, ownership and affordability, financing and project development, as well as studying the comprehensive eco-social costs in the context of climate and distributive justice. 

Within our department we are aiming to critically reflect on building economy and project development, while at the same time investing in design and project proposals which relate to the social and ecological urgencies of today. This means to address the complexities which constitute urban districts, neighborhoods, and open spaces, and to understand the interrelationships of sociological, economic, and spatial planning parameters.

Building economy is facing a turning point and a self-critical reconceptualization under the premise of post-growth and diverse economies. The subject occupies a central role in the efforts to achieve the internationally agreed climate protection goals and Sustainable Development Goals. Urban development, housing and real estate economics have a considerable share in land consumption, resource use and CO2 production. The department therefore aims to research structural conditions as well as paths for the transformation of structures towards a socio-ecological building economy and to make creative contributions to this end.

A central task of the department is to enable future architects, urban planners and landscape designers to use economic knowledge critically and productively in design and research.