Urban Affairs and Planning Featured Faculty
Johann Jessen is this semester's featured faculty member.
Prof. Dr. Johann Jessen responds to a student's inquiries:
What do you usually research?
In the last few years our research focused on comparative urban research on a European level. In 2007 we finished an interdisciplinary research project on Inner city housing and homeownership (2004-2007). It was funded by the Wüstenrot Stiftung, a foundation of a large-scale developer. We analyzed the changing concepts and forms of urban housing in inner cities since the middle of the 19th century. 24 selected case studies from various European were analyzed in detail. The interdisciplinary research team consisted of historians, social scientists, and architects from the Rheinisch-Westfälischen Technischen Hochschule Aachen und the Technische Universität Berlin. As a result, we published the following book: H. Bodenschatz, G. Fehl, T. Harlander , J. Jessen and G. Kuhn (eds.): Stadtwohnen (urban housing). Munich 2007
In spring 2008 we published a study on urban strategies undertaken by larger European cities during the last decade. We compared the policies and projects of seven cities that were known for their innovative and dynamic approach: Amsterdam, Almere, Barcelona, Manchester, Zurich, Leipzig, Sarajewo, Copenhagen. Book publication: J. Jessen, U. Meyer, J. Schneider: stadtmachen.eu (citymaking.eu). Stuttgart/ Zurich 2008
In the last two years I was part of a larger research programme of the University of Tokio on Sustainable Urban Regeneration. Book publication: T. Kidokoro, N. Harata, L. Probo Subanu, J. Jessen, A. Motte and E. P. Seltzer (eds..): Urban Regeneration and Local Governance in City Regions. University of Tokio 2008
Presently our institute carries out a comparative study on „Innovations for family- and elderly friendly neighbourhoods – best practices in Europe“, funded by the Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung.
What will you be researching while you are with us at UAP?
While I am here at UAP, I will work on a study that Heike Mayer from UAP and I started a year ago. We successfully applied for some funding from the German Alexander-von-Humboldt-Stiftung and a matching fund from Virginia Tech.
The research project examines and compares urban development strategies aimed at promoting economic competitiveness and quality of life in Stuttgart (Baden-Württemberg/Germany) and Portland (Oregon/USA). The two regions are very similar regarding their respective economies and approaches to regional planning. The underlying theoretical framework assumes that regional economic competitiveness does not solely depend on so-called “hard location factors” (such as the availability of natural resources, accessibility, costs, and infrastructure), but also on so-called “soft location factors” (quality of life for residents, availability and diversity of amenities, cultural landscape).
More generally, what will you be doing while you are here with us at UAP?
I will offer a class on Urban Regeneration in the US and Europe (June 20./21). This class will examine successful cases of urban regeneration in the United States and in Europe. We will examine the context, the objectives, strategies, and outcomes of urban regeneration from a comparative perspective. The main focus will be on a select number of remarkable projects of downtown and inner city redevelopment in the United States and in Europe.
Moreover, I will try build up and intensify contacts with urban researchers from UAP, but also with scholars from other American universities that are working in the field of downtown regeneration. At our department we plan to apply for a so-called International Research Training Groups at the German Research Foudation focussing on downtown regeneration in Europe and the USA. The grant would allow us to fund 10 to 12 PhD scholarships.
Are you interested in learning more about Dr. Jessen's background? Click here.
Would you like to communicate with Johann regarding his work and activities with the Urban Affairs and Planning Program? Send him an e-mail: johann.jessen@si.uni-stuttgart.de