Planning and regulation in urban formation

Abstract

The contradictions of the two great traditions of urban planning, namely of the characteristic thinking of urban designers/planners and the traditions of regulation are source of numerous conflicts. These conflicts could be resolved by making clear the differences between the planning-type and regulatory-type thinking on a social-philosophical level. That’s why in the first part of the paper planning and regulation are compared as social technics in a generalised way by confronting their goals, sources, actors, their general scope, legitimacy, continuity, interim structure and adaptability to paradigmatic changes.
The planning-type thinking can be detected since the origins of cities, since the 19th century the regulatory-type thinking has appeared as well. This historic development is analysed in the last third part of the paper. The present-day urban planning practice is predominantly planning-oriented, thus it adapts to the recent conditions and requirement of urban development with serious difficulties. The strengthening of regulatory-type technics could help in a more effective shaping of our cities.