Konstantinos Chatziandreou

Urban Contradictions and the Governance of Space: The ‘Urbanes Gebiet’ Zoning Category as a Case Study

Urban redevelopment in Germany is shaped by contradictions between densification, sustainability, mixed-use, and social justice. My dissertation is based on the hypothesis that these contradictions are embedded in the legal and governance design of the Urbanes Gebiet zoning category (§ 6a BauNVO), introduced in 2017 to give municipalities greater flexibility for inner-city development. While intended to reconcile competing goals, its practical application often exposes contradictions between planning ideals and the legal, administrative, and socio-political realities of city-making; for example, when environmental regulations conflict with densification targets or when mixed-use ambitions give way to predominantly residential development.

At its core, the research applies Contradiction Studies to examine how Urbanes Gebiet operates as a socio-technical governance device that manages, rather than resolves, such tensions. This core approach is supported by Planning Theory, Science and Technology Studies (STS), and Critical Urban Theory, which together enable a multi-layered analysis of zoning as both a regulatory instrument and an arena where competing interests, urban futures, and spatial exclusions are contested.

Empirically, the project examines case studies from German cities, such as Bremen, Hannover, and Frankfurt, through document and discourse analysis, critical mapping, and qualitative research. This multi-research approach traces how planning authorities and stakeholders interpret, adapt, and contest Urbanes Gebiet within the constraints of environmental law, market pressures, and political priorities.

By revealing how contradictions are embedded in zoning design and governance, the research contributes to debates on flexible zoning, the concept of the “compact city/city of short distances,” spatial justice, and the structural limits of planning reform in addressing contemporary urban transformation.