For the next issue of Volume we will be partnering with the International New Town Institute (INTI) to explore new players in urban planning. In addition INTI will be hosting a conference on September 27th in Rotterdam, exploring this topic through four case studies, with invited speakers from around the world. Archis is now offering five discount tickets for students, at a cost of 45 euros each. If you’re a student and are interested in attending please contact info@archis.org.

What happens when a city is privatized? What are the consequences for the quality of life in future cities? This conference explores the latest innovations in global urbanization, privatization and new organizational models of urban development as well as the challenges for professional practice.

Date: Thursday, September 27, 2012
Time: 9:00 – 19:00
Place: Netherlands Architecture Institute (NAI), Museumpark 25, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Cost: €200 excl. VAT
Language: English

Global urbanization is moving at a faster pace than ever before and while it may look like the same old story, a fundamental shift is taking place just beneath the surface. Hundreds of new cities are being developed as totally privatized cities. This growing privatization has led to a changed dynamic between client, investor, developer, designer, builder and end-user. The organizational models shift with each new urban development as alliances, politics and financial interests change. The conference explores the latest innovations in global urbanization, privatization and new organizational models of urban development as well as the impact and challenges for professional practice.

What does it mean when cities are privatized? Who are the new players in the field of urban development? What are their agenda’s? What visions, ambitions and strategies do they use? What innovations and financial models make these new cities possible? How are they governed? How can we secure public interests in a private city on the long term? And, perhaps most importantly: how will these new approaches change the quality of life in our future cities?

Four case studies

To help answer these questions, the conference explores four newly constructed cities as inspiration and a starting point for the discussion: New Songdo near Incheon (South Korea); Lavasa near Pune (India); Strand East in London (United Kingdom) and PlanIT Valley near Porto (Portugal).