Course description

The discipline of Concepts of Urban Development and Spatial Planning is normative for bachelor students majoring in Spatial Planning and Geourbanism of Geography specialization. It is taught in the V semester in the amount of 4.5 credits (according to the European Credit Transfer and Transfer System ECTS).

The course is designed to provide students with knowledge of urban development global concept, the formation of the ability to implicate them in spatial planning practice. The most famous paradigms of urban development from ancient times to the present are studied, in particular the urban concepts of American and Western European scientific schools.
Particular attention is paid to modern ideas – smart city, creative city, compact city, new urbanism, tactical urbanism and charter cities. Examples of implementation of modern world concepts in spatial planning of cities of Ukraine and in territorial communities development strategies are considered. To study the course, students need to have basic knowledge of normative disciplines sufficient to perceive the terms and concepts of the course (History of Geography, Philosophy, Fundamentals of Social Geography, Spatial Development Management).

The purpose of the course is for students to get acquainted with the conceptual approaches of urban planning of states and to study modern world concepts of urban planning and spatial planning. The special course is also focused on the formation of students’ ability to apply concepts for planning the urban areas development and independent study of processes in urban space using the paradigm of sustainable development.
The objectives of the course are to form students’ understanding of the social significance of urban planning depending on natural geographical, socio-geographical, political administrative and historical conditions. The main tasks are to master the skills of urban problems critical assessment in Ukraine and other countries from the standpoint of spatial approach.

After studying the course, students should know: the main provisions of documents, international standards for cities spatial planning; urban scientists’ works and urban concepts. Learning outcomes also include the ability to apply geourbanism theoretical knowledge in the urban settlements study. Students will be able to conduct comprehensive socio-geographical studies of the city and its development problems on the basis of modern approaches. Students will be able to identify promising areas of city development and develop recommendations for the implementation of concepts in strategic planning, while preparing Local communities development programs. Studying the course contributes to the skills of teamwork and interpersonal interaction; creativity and ability to find non-standard solutions; compliance with professional ethics.