Alain Thierstein - Böcker

Since the emergence of urban systems, cities have developed in a mutually inter-dependent process of socio-economic dynamics and transportation linkages. In recent years, Airports worldwide have stepped beyond the stage of being pure infrastructure facilities while the complex dynamics that are taking place at and around international airports represent a crucial element in the post-industrial reorganisation of urban and regional systems. Airports are increasingly recognized as general urban activity centres; that is, key assets for cities and regions as economic generators and catalysts of investment in addition to being critical components of efficient city infrastructure.This book brings together contributions from renowned academic scholars and world leading practitioners to discuss insights gained from theory and practice. The first collection of papers reflects upon the general role and future of airports as well as their specific contribution to competitive advantages within a fast changing business and economic landscape. The second group of contributions ask about the role airports play within the innovation process that is inherently centred on generating and sharing knowledge. The third section of papers investigates the drivers of real estate developments on airport land and in the close vicinity of airports.

Urban Transformations through Exceptional Architecture focusses on the nexus between architecturally exceptional projects and the city. It addresses the following questions: How can the complexity of these projects be comprehended? What roles do the political contexts play in the commissioning of such projects and what audiences do these projects serve? How has the granting of professional recognition for architects changed and what will this change mean to measures of exceptionality in architectural design? What roles do the architectural competitions play in the process of commissioning the design of architecturally exceptional projects, and do design competitions as an urban planning tool grant high value designs? Architecturally exceptional projects are situated in physical urban fabrics. How can this situatedness be analysed and what different values does the urban design dimension of these projects add?By considering diverse aspects of architecturally exceptional projects, the chapters in this book utilise a variety of research methods. They bring into dialogue a range of themes regarding the architectural, urban design and political aspects of these projects. This volume illustrates that multidisciplinarity might well be the best strategy to balance the risks of over simplification and the challenges of complexity in analysing these exceptional projects and the city in its ever-transformative process.The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Urban Design.

Urban Transformations through Exceptional Architecture focusses on the nexus between architecturally exceptional projects and the city. It addresses the following questions: How can the complexity of these projects be comprehended? What roles do the political contexts play in the commissioning of such projects and what audiences do these projects serve? How has the granting of professional recognition for architects changed and what will this change mean to measures of exceptionality in architectural design? What roles do the architectural competitions play in the process of commissioning the design of architecturally exceptional projects, and do design competitions as an urban planning tool grant high value designs? Architecturally exceptional projects are situated in physical urban fabrics. How can this situatedness be analysed and what different values does the urban design dimension of these projects add?By considering diverse aspects of architecturally exceptional projects, the chapters in this book utilise a variety of research methods. They bring into dialogue a range of themes regarding the architectural, urban design and political aspects of these projects. This volume illustrates that multidisciplinarity might well be the best strategy to balance the risks of over simplification and the challenges of complexity in analysing these exceptional projects and the city in its ever-transformative process.The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Urban Design.

Since the emergence of urban systems, cities have developed in a mutually inter-dependent process of socio-economic dynamics and transportation linkages. In recent years, Airports worldwide have stepped beyond the stage of being pure infrastructure facilities while the complex dynamics that are taking place at and around international airports represent a crucial element in the post-industrial reorganisation of urban and regional systems. Airports are increasingly recognized as general urban activity centres; that is, key assets for cities and regions as economic generators and catalysts of investment in addition to being critical components of efficient city infrastructure.This book brings together contributions from renowned academic scholars and world leading practitioners to discuss insights gained from theory and practice. The first collection of papers reflects upon the general role and future of airports as well as their specific contribution to competitive advantages within a fast changing business and economic landscape. The second group of contributions ask about the role airports play within the innovation process that is inherently centred on generating and sharing knowledge. The third section of papers investigates the drivers of real estate developments on airport land and in the close vicinity of airports.

Cities across the world have been resorting to star architects to brand their projects, spark urban regeneration and market the city image internationally.