Knowledge Needs Space

Challenges and Perspectives of Future Living Environments

Knowledge Needs Space

The conference will focus on the current changes of working environments, social and societal interaction in what is often referred to as the knowledge society, and the resulting demands on private and public spaces. Currently observed developments will be discussed from different professional perspectives. What kind of social changes can be observed? What challenges arise from new working models and forms? How is education provided today and how will it be provided in the future? What demands do the current and expected transformations raise for the design of our urban spaces?

 

Background and reason

The growing importance of knowledge has reached almost all areas of life in our society and is changing the way we live, work and interact. Knowledge is now the productive factor of a growing economic sector. Complex, often abstract knowledge is gaining ever greater importance as a basis of technical innovations. These transformations are being driven by the increasing digitalization of economic, private and social life. These social changes represent a great opportunity, but also a danger that social groups will be left behind depending on their access to education. Creativity, innovation and participation of a wide range of users seem to be an important key for shaping the knowledge society of the future.

However, societal transformation is also changing cities, their spaces and architectures. Urban spaces are the venues of social processes. The production and application of knowledge are closely linked to the spatial structure of the city and its architecture. Even though the knowledge society increasingly operates in global contexts, knowledge, education, competence are ultimately tied to people and thus to places. Urban contexts, with their concentration of creative knowledge workers and knowledge-based uses, offer favorable conditions, the breeding ground for creative or innovative knowledge development.

Recently, not only in cities but also in rural areas, more and more open indoor and outdoor spaces are emerging that invite learning, interaction, and experimentation and seek to foster chance encounters between diverse user groups.

How do these social transformations affect our coexistence and the need for spaces? What spaces are needed so that participation in knowledge can succeed for many parts of society? What role can urban spaces play in social coexistence?

New Work Sites and Places of Encounter in the Knowledge Economy:  Challenges für the Polycentric German Urban System
Madeleine Wagner, Heidelberg University, Institute of Geography, Department of Regional Governance

The Spatial Requirements of Knowledge Intensive Working Locations in the Munich Metropolitan Region and their Influence on Urban Form
Christiane Müller und Jonas Gläßer, Munich Technical University, Chair of Spatial Development

Form Flexible to Situated Geographies: Conceptualizing Innovations and Experimental Work Processes
Dr. Bastian Lange, Leipzig University, Institute of Geography and Multiplicities, Berlin

The Knowledge Achitecture Paradigm: Research Framework for a New Kind of Design Science
Prof. Dr. Jörg R. Noennig, Dresden Technical University, Laboratory of Knowledge Architecture and Hamburg University, Digital City Science, CityScienceLab

Session 2: Education and Culture

The academization of our society means that the acquisition of knowledge in the social and private spheres is becoming increasingly important. Access to education and skills is the central key to each individual's participation in social processes. Even today, the ways in which people learn have become highly differentiated. In addition to formal learning in traditional institutions, self-directed learning, educational processes and informal learning venues are emerging that impart social competences, personal skills and practical knowledge. Today, educational paths are no longer one-dimensional and limited in time. Lifelong learning is a requirement due to rapid technological developments and the resulting continuous adaptations.
What different forms of learning will be needed in the future? With which other uses will these places be linked and why?

Digital Unforgetting: Toward an Inclusive Futuring of Archives and Knowledge
Neady Odour, Kenyan Architect and Researcher in Dessau and Sadia Humayra Mounata, Architect at Superwien, Vienna, Austria

"Back to my office": On the central importance of a campus for the knowledge society
Hanna Jäger, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Geography and Geoecology

Learning with(in) the City: About the Decentralization of Learning, Digital Approaches and ist Spatial Dimension
Belen Zevallos, Heidelberg School of Engineering and Architecture, Reallab City-Space-Education

A Room of One's One: Dimensions of Meaning of (Learning) Space
Dr. Marija Stanisavljevic, Lucerne University of Pedagogy, Digital Teaching – Digital Presence – Digital Study

Session 3: Governance and Society

The interlinking of our societies, which has been globalizing and advancing for decades, increasingly unites a heterogeneous population with very different lifestyles and cultural backgrounds. With the increased importance of knowledge in our societies come demands on our everyday lives, such as significantly expanded learning behavior or increased creative knowledge processing. At the same time, technological innovations lead to new day-to-day habits and changes in leisure behavior and thus have a strong influence on traditional biographical patterns. In this rapidly transforming society, flexible control mechanisms are essential, to encourage participation and interaction.
What influence do administrative structures have on the emergence and maintenance of spaces of interaction and knowledge? How can the public sector support or guarantee performance around knowledge, innovation and exchange? What is the role of active citizen participation?

How Do Policies Influence Innovation Performance in a Specific Region? Evidence From Zhangjiang High-tech Par in Shangai, China
Simin Yan and Dr. Lin Zou, Heidelberg University, Institute of Geography, Economic Geography and Regional Governance

Living with Diversity in a "Just" City: The Role of Institutional Context for Social Interaction in Vienna's Requalifying Neighbourhoods
Byeongsun Ahn, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Institute of Sociology and Social Research

Dresden Citizen Lab: A Physical Agora for Permanent Citizen Participation
Benjamin Stelzle, Dresden Technical University, Laboratory of Knowledge Architecture

Digital Re-figuration of Practices of Space and Knowledge in Urban Planning
Martin Schinagl, Leibniz Institute for Research on Society and Space,
Dynamics of Communication, Knowledge and Spatial Development

Workshop: Demands on Urban Space

During the workshop, the changes presented and considered in the sessions will be discussed against the context of urban space at different levels of scale. How is knowledge transfer accomplished in the regional network, how in co-working or public spaces? How must spaces be designed to facilitate chance encounters and exchange, what spatial conditions stimulate the generation of innovation and knowledge exchange? What are the requirements for future, self-determined learning and teaching spaces - beyond the classical educational situations? Which cooperation of actors and uses would be desirable? What conclusions are to be drawn when work and leisure time increasingly mix and the boundaries between private and public spheres shift? How must spaces be designed so that as many different social groups as possible participate in and benefit from social processes?
These questions will be discussed in smaller discussion groups for the different areas of consideration: region, city and neighborhood/typologies, that elaborate the requirements for spatial planning.

Round Table 1: Region
Moderated by Prof. Dr. Kramer and Prof. Dr. Alexandra Den Heijer

Round Table 2: City
Moderated by Prof. Dr. Engel and Özlem Altinkaya Genel

Round Table 3: Neighborhood and Typology
Moderated by Prof. Dr. Engel and Özlem Altinkaya Genel

13.45 Presentation of Workshop Findings

14.00 Reflection and Summary
Prof. Dr. Alexandra Den Heijer, Prof. Dr. Barbara Engel, Prof. Dr. Caroline Kramer, Prof. Dr. Michaela Pfadenhauer

Key Dates
  • 15 Jun. 2021 - Call for papers open
  • 06 Aug. 2021 - Deadline for abstract submission
  • 15 Sep. 2021 - Notification of selected abstracts
  • 15 Nov. 2021 - Deadline for paper submission
  • 30 Nov. 2021 - Final Conference Programme
  • 30 Nov. 2021 - Registration opens
  • 15 Jan. 2022 - Deadline for registration
Abstract Submission: 20th July 2021

We invite abstracts (750 words max) in any format that explain original research, monologues, dialogues or reviews in the field of sociology, geography, economics and urban planning on any of the following themes listed.

All abstract submissions must include the following:

  • Theme: Describe which theme your abstract contributes to.

  • Title of abstract: Maximum 120 characters.

  • Authors: Author names, the affiliation to the institution as well as the e-mail address of the corresponding author should be provided.‍

  • 750 word abstract: each abstract should make clear the aims and context of the research as well as methods undertaken. Findings and contribution of research should be clearly explained.

  • Appendix (optional): An Optional Appendix of up to 3 pages or images including tables/charts and/or other appropriate supplemental material may be included as a PDF.

Organizers
  • Professorship International Urbanism
  • Prof. Dr. Barbara Engel
  • Sara Reichwein
  • Faculty of Architecture
    KIT Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

In Cooperation with:

  • << PLATZHALTER >>
  • Prof. Dr. Caroline Kramer, KIT
  • Prof. Dr. Michaela Pfadenhauer, University of Vienna
  • Prof. Dr. Alexandra Den Heijer, TU Delft