Projects / Programmes
January 1, 2009
- December 31, 2013
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 5.08.00 |
Social sciences |
Urbanism |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| S240 |
Social sciences |
Town and country planning |
| T260 |
Technological sciences |
Physical planning |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 5.09 |
Social Sciences |
Other social sciences |
spatial planning, regional planning and development, urban planning and design, landscape planning and design, environmental protection, cultural heritage preservation, housing care, transport planning, sustainable development, urban revitalisation, re-urbanisation, spatial planning and management methods, spatial informatics, architectural history, architectural typology, urban history, urban morphology
Researchers (25)
Organisations (1)
Abstract
The Spatial Planning Research Programme is distinctly interdisciplinary. It is composed of architects, urban designers, geographers, landscape architects, art historians, economists, ethnologists and sociologists. In short, it covers a whole range of professions that are, in one way or another, related to space. The group includes 18 researchers altogether.
According to the classification of the Ministry of Science and Technology, the programme is listed under the field of Urbanism while, according to CERIF classification, it is listed under the scientific discipline of Town and Country Planning, Physical Planning and Landscape Planning.
The Spatial Planning Research Programme focuses on the study of sustainable development at all levels and in areas relevant to spatial planning:
- spatial planning and regional development, urban planning and urban design, landscape planning and design;
- environmental protection and the preservation of the natural and cultural heritage, architectural and urban history and
- relevant areas of development: housing, transport and spatial informatics.
In the field of spatial planning, the programme is orientated towards the study of models of sustainable development, the examination of the competitive advantages of Slovenian cities and their development perspective within the European integration processes and the development of appropriate methodologies, instruments and mechanisms for guiding Slovenia's spatial development. At the regional level, the programme aims at developing models for ensuring a greater efficiency of integration of regional development and spatial planning at the national and regional levels and also seeks to develop a methodology for the evaluation of national development documents.
The main research topics in the area of urban planning and design are the following: the sustainable development of cities, the preservation and revitalisation of cultural heritage areas and characteristic urban areas, and the establishment of urban criteria for the implementation of spatial policies at the local level. The objective, however, is to develop new methods for determining the distinct structure of the city and criteria for evaluating and promoting good urban design and economic efficiency of projects. These methods may be used for planning control and the management of projects of urban renewal and the complex re-urbanisation of degraded areas.
Landscape planning introduces new approaches to spatial planning. These include and co-ordinate the elements of protection and development at all levels of spatial planning. Research in the field of landscape planning and design is directed towards the systematic development of the theory and the methods of planning of landscape systems at all levels; the development of methods of planning with public participation; the study of spatial values and changes in the cultural landscape; the investigation of dependency between the cultural landscape and regional development and the study of the influence of green areas on the quality of the urban environment.
Research in the field of environment protection focuses on the development of methods for the evaluation and management of the use of natural resources and the assessment of the vulnerability of space; the management of protected areas and the prevention of conflicts in space. Research in the field of protection and renovation of the cultural heritage is essential for maintaining national identity and increasing the recognisability of Slovenia abroad. Research in this area focuses primarily on methodological issues and increasing knowledge on urban and architectural history.
Housing research focuses on the analysis of the housing market and also investigates the role of private capital and state interventions in the field of housing provision. The restructuring and refurbishment of large housing estates presents a particularly important subject within the framework
Significance for science
The major significance for scientific development in the field of spatial, environmental and social studies lies in the development and implementation of scientific methods and tools. An important contribution is also in the interdisciplinary approach and linkage of various scientific disciplines and their methods into innovative approaches, which are used in practice such as planning, design and management of territories and places. Some basic scientific disciplines such as psychology, sociology, computer science, and even physics and chemistry benefit form practical and applied nature of spatial planning. Accordingly, bottom-up approaches are of key importance as their application contributes to the enhancement of applicable values of such basic scientific disciplines, e.g. psychology (use of behaviour and mental mapping), sociology, economy and computer sciences (data linkage to territories and their analysis and visualisation), or physics and chemistry (issues related to environmental protection, ecology and climate changes). Furthermore, researchers cooperate with international research centres and universities within projects supported by various EC programmes and other international projects. Within these projects, as well as within the framework of projects from the coming programmes of the EC perspective 2014-2020, researchers will contribute to the development of new knowledge, approaches and policies applied in/ for spatial planning and development. The results of work in such international consortiums contribute to better understanding of urbanisation processes and spatial development in Europe. They represent points of departures for the implementation and formulation of modern policies of sustainable spatial development, landscape and environmental protection, and urban and landscape management at various territorial levels.
Significance for the country
Spatial planning is an applied discipline; therefore scientific research in this field must address practical issues, too. Accordingly, our work is predominately focused on providing guidance and support for practical planning, design and management of territories and places. Basic and applied research projects often result in guidelines or (action) plans, usually supported by ICT, thus any translation of research work into practice is significant also in the fields of e-products and services. Due to the current economic crisis, there are fewer opportunities in planning practice and consequently in scientific support for it in Slovenia at the moment. Nonetheless, researchers stay in touch with these challenges mostly through international projects. The results are important for: - Sustainable socio-economic and cultural development Contribution is seen within the development of our own methods and transmission of foreign knowledge into Slovenian practice and theory; development of methods of spatial planning at different territorial levels, from local to national; preparation of strategic planning documents; implementation of spatial legislation; preparation of sample cases of planning documents; development of e-GIS tools for documentation and analysis of territories and places regarding specific target groups, from business subjects (e-portal bussines zones http://www.investslovenia.org/) to vulnerable ( e-portal accessibility for impaired people: http://dostopnost.uirs.si/) or other focused groups (e-portal: habits and needs of urban cyclists: http://kolo.uirs.si/). - Rational and effective spatial development Contribution lies in continuity of systematic monitoring of spatial development and territorial changes, methods development in altered climate and demographic conditions, inclusion of ICT into procedures and processes of planning and design, and development of simulation models relevant for various territorial levels and/or potential users; monitoring of implementation of legislation, legislation assessments, carrying out public lectures and manuals for awareness raising of professional as well as lay public. One of the important fields of interest is also the development of scientific and professional terminology. In 2013 the first version of the Terminological dictionary has been published. In addition, the researchers are also involved in teaching processes at Slovenian universities and other educational centres. - Technological development Contribution is mostly seen through e-GIS supportive systems for research, analysis, planning, and management of territories and places, and development of modelling approaches, simulations of scenarios of possible future territorial developments. - Building up national, space and landscape identity, and cultural diversity Spatial planning is inevitably linked with the fields of space identity, landscape protection, and cultural and natural heritage preservation. Accordingly, its contribution lies in the development of comprehensive approaches addressing preservation of spatial, natural and cultural qualities of Slovenia. Dissemination of such approaches and other built up knowledge contribute to the popularisation of science, recognition of Slovenia in the European context, and influence the enhancement of cultural and national identity.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2009,
2010,
2011,
2012,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2009,
2010,
2011,
2012,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
