Research

Land is valuable. Land is limited. Land is vulnerable.

We, the Institute for Spatial and Landscape Development (IRL), envision our science as transformative, having the power to support the negotiation between the three basic aspects – economic, environmental, social – for achieving a sustainable spatial and landscape development. These three aspects are covered by the three IRL research groups, Spatial Transformation Laboratories (STL), Landscape Planning and Urban Systems (PLUS), and Spatial Development and Urban Policy (SPUR). Together, we aim at understanding the increasing complexity of the interplay between these aspects, whilst charting pathways and initiating transformation to ensure that future generations’ demands for land can be met.

This requires (1) advancements in understanding and predicting the complex interactions between humans and land, (2) the development of innovative spatial and landscape planning methods, processes, instruments, and policies, (3) the formulation of action-orientated implementation processes, prevention, and adaptation strategies, and ultimately (4) the engagement in contemporary participatory processes to support society in making the decisions for an economically prosperous and environmentally sustainable development of our land.