LAWI301500 Landscape planning project (landscape planning, recreational planning, environment protection and planning, spatial planning, water planning)

Type
Project course
Semester hours
5
Lecturer (assistant)
Friesenecker, Michael
Organisation
Landscape Planning
Offered in
Wintersemester 2026/27
Languages of instruction
Englisch
Content

This year's seminar focuses on governing climate adaptation in selected Viennese urban neighbourhoods from a landscape planning perspective.

Climate change is already transforming cities through more frequent and prolonged heatwaves, increasingly intense rainfall events, and other climate-related hazards. Nature-based solutions, such as urban trees, green roofs and façades, and the sponge city approach, have become key strategies for urban climate adaptation. However, these interventions require years or even decades to unfold their full ecological and climatic benefits. At the same time, many existing neighbourhoods and housing estates in Vienna were planned under different climatic conditions, creating a need to adapt these urban environments to future climate scenarios.

The seminar explores how climate adaptation to urban heat can be governed, planned and implemented in existing urban neighbourhoods in Vienna. Particular emphasis is placed on the relationships between anticipating future conditions of urban heat, urban green and blue infrastructure, and the everyday use of vulnerable groups. Hence, the seminar will also focus on socio-environmental justice perspectives and the governance arrangements that shape adaptation processes.

During the introductory phase, students will develop an understanding of urban climate developments, green and blue infrastructure, social vulnerability to urban heat, and a socio-environmental justice perspectives. They will become familiar with the Viennese governance approach and planning foundations of climate adaptation, including planning instruments, legal frameworks, institutional responsibilities, and funding mechanisms.
The second phase focuses on empirical fieldwork. Students will learn methods of social-space analysis and the assessment of green infrastructure before conducting field surveys in selected Viennese urban areas and municipal housing estates in small groups. The collected data will provide the basis for analysing existing spatial qualities, climate-related challenges, and opportunities for adaptation.

Building on these analyses, students will work in groups to develop a landscape planning concept for their study area that integrates spatial interventions with governance considerations, including implementation pathways, outlining responsibilities, and discussing implications for long-term maintenance.

The final phase concentrates on communicating the planning concept through maps, visualisations, a written report and an end presentation.
Previous knowledge expected

- BSc degree or almost graduating from a Bachelor programme
- GIS skills are an asset
- Fluid in English
Objective (expected results of study and acquired competences)

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
• explain the role of urban green and blue infrastructure in climate adaptation;
• understand the relationships between social vulnerability and the built environment;
• apply methods of social-space analysis and green infrastructure mapping in urban neighbourhoods;
• critically assess climate adaptation from a landscape planning and governance perspective;
• understand how planning regulations, institutional responsibilities, and funding mechanisms influence the implementation of climate adaptation measures.
You can find more details like the schedule or information about exams on the course-page in BOKUonline.