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| Planning Research Network | |
|---|---|
| Name | Planning Research Network |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Type | Research network |
| Headquarters | London |
| Region | International |
Planning Research Network
The Planning Research Network is an international scholarly association linking urbanists, regionalists, transport planners, conservationists, and policy analysts from institutions such as University College London, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California, Berkeley, London School of Economics, and University of Toronto. It convenes conferences, publishes working papers, and fosters collaborations among scholars affiliated with Royal Town Planning Institute, American Planning Association, International Federation for Housing and Planning, United Nations Human Settlements Programme, and World Bank. The Network engages with practitioners from agencies like Transport for London, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York), Greater London Authority, City of Melbourne, and Municipal Corporation of Delhi.
The Network functions as an interdisciplinary forum where members from Princeton University, Harvard University, Columbia University, University of Oxford, and University of Cambridge discuss land use, urban design, housing, and infrastructure. Activities include symposia with partners such as Royal Institute of British Architects, American Institute of Architects, International Association for Public Participation, European Investment Bank, and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Outputs are disseminated through channels linked to Journal of the American Planning Association, Town Planning Review, Environment and Planning B, Cities, and Urban Studies.
Founded in the mid-1990s by academics from Bartlett School of Planning, Department of Urban Studies and Planning (MIT), School of Architecture and Planning (University of São Paulo), and Delft University of Technology, the Network grew alongside international initiatives such as Agenda 21, Habitat II Conference, and the Millennium Development Goals. Early conferences featured scholars from University of Cape Town, National University of Singapore, Aalto University, and Technical University of Munich. During the 2000s the Network expanded its reach to collaborators including Inter-American Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, African Development Bank, and European Commission research programmes.
Governance typically involves a steering committee with representatives from King's College London, University of Melbourne, University of Sydney, University of Chicago, and University of Michigan. Membership categories mirror those of organizations such as Society of American City and Regional Planning History, with academic, student, institutional, and practitioner tiers. Regional chapters have been affiliated with institutions like Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, University of the Philippines, University of Nairobi, University of Lagos, and Peking University. Annual general meetings are hosted at venues including Royal Geographical Society, Lincoln Center, UN Headquarters, European Parliament, and Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall.
Research themes encompass urban regeneration, affordable housing, transit-oriented development, resilience, and climate adaptation, engaging specialists from Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, European Space Agency, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Methodologies range from spatial analysis using tools developed at Esri, Oxford Internet Institute, and MIT Media Lab to participatory action research influenced by Paulo Freire-inspired practice, ethnography associated with Chicago School (sociology), and quantitative modelling comparable to work at Santa Fe Institute. The Network bridges theory and practice through collaborations with C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, ICLEI, Global Designing Cities Initiative, and Urban Land Institute.
Notable projects include comparative studies of transit corridors in São Paulo, Mexico City, London, New York City, and Tokyo; housing policy analyses in Johannesburg, Mumbai, Toronto, Barcelona, and Vancouver; and resilience assessments for New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, for Manila following Typhoon Haiyan, and for Lisbon in earthquake planning contexts. Case studies have been co-authored with teams from World Health Organization, International Monetary Fund, United Nations Development Programme, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and Shelter Centre.
Funding sources have included research councils and foundations such as the Economic and Social Research Council, National Science Foundation, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Wellcome Trust, Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Strategic partnerships have been forged with National Institutes of Health, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bretton Woods Project, Transparency International, and municipal agencies including City of New York Department of City Planning and Greater London Authority.
The Network has influenced policy dialogues within bodies like the United Nations, European Commission, Congress of the United States, UK Parliament, and municipal councils in Sydney, Cape Town, Mumbai, São Paulo, and Singapore. Its research has informed programs by Habitat III, the Sustainable Development Goals, and national planning reforms in countries represented by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (India), Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (UK), and Department of Housing and Urban Development (US). Practitioners from Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Arup Group, AECOM, Foster + Partners, and Buro Happold have participated in translating findings into masterplans, zoning reforms, and transport strategies.
Category:Urban planning organizations Category:Research networks