Planen zwischen Wissen und Zuhören

Abstract

From Knowing to Listening:

The Evolution of Planning

In physical planning we are experiencing the end of an era. As in many other disciplines, we are seeing the disappearance of the “expert”, the “authority”, the one who knows what is “right” or “truth”. Whether planner, priest or scientist, the new postmodern times challenge us to rethink the role of the “expert”. Even more urgent is this need if we are working in cultures which have different values than our own. In this context, the town is understood as a reflection of the values of its society. This gives the town the character of an artefact, “a product of a civilization”.

I want to investigate this postmodern understanding of the role of the planner. To do so, I am using my personal experiences on assignments in cultures which have other values than my own: Nigeria, Eastern European countries and China.

In Nigeria, I was not able to develop a dialogue about values, I was only able to answer technical questions. In the Eastern European countries, questions were often unwelcome and even were considered to be a nuisance. My work in China today is fascinating because of the polite reserve of our partners but also because of their interest in a dialogue with us. Through this dialogue, I have uncovered an absorbing personal quest: discovering the common roots of Chinese philosophy and postmodern thinking. Perhaps this changing approach to planning has less to do with differences in cultures and more to do with my own growing maturity.