Emergence of a region. Exploring the role of spatial planning in the emergence of high-tech region ELAt using assemblage and actor-network theory

ABSTRACT

Regions or regional development have not only gained importance in spatial planning, but also got fuzzy meanings. Originally regions refer to a specific geographical demarcated area, often with an inductive historic or cultural meaning. In the meantime, in our networked world, the concept also refers to transport regions based on models of daily urban systems, or functional regions based on distinctive urban or social functions. Within the post-industrial era, the concept also gained importance as economic regions. In this paper, we will explore how regional concepts emerge out of specific economic interest concerning technological innovation. We will focus on a cross-border municipal case, for example, the triangle Eindhoven–Leuven–Aachen. With the help of the assemblage and actor-network theory, we will show how the identity of regions is translated by evolving actor-networks, and how these actor-networks are influenced and adapted by those alternating regional identities themselves. From these insights, we will come up with some ideas and propositions how regional planning could play an important role within these co-evolving processes.

KEYWORDS:

• Region
• actor-network theory
• assemblages
• Eindhoven–Leuven–Aachen triangle
• spatial planning
• regional conceptualization

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. The consortium included SRE, City of Eindhoven, City of Aachen, City of Leuven, AGIT and K.U. Leuven Research and Development.

2. Ingrid Lieten (VP Flemish Government) –written answer (nr. 132) to questions regarding potential cross-border collaboration (12 May 2010) https://docs.vlaamsparlement.be/docs/.../antw.132.doc.

3. Deputies of Limburg (NL), North-Brabant (NL), Limburg (BE), Flemish-Brabant (BE), Liege (BE) and Northrhine Westfalia (GER).

4. KIC: A KIC is a highly integrated, creative and excellence-driven partnership which brings together the fields of education, technology, research, business and entrepreneurship, in order to produce new innovations and new innovation models that inspire others to emulate it.

5. The EIT is a body of the European Union with a mission to increase European sustainable growth.