The theme of the 47th Congress is : "Liveable Cities - Urbanising World, Meeting the Challenge".

This theme reflects the central problem of the acknowledged world wide phenomena of the exponential and inexorable inward flow of people to cities and the consequent rapid expansion of urban development. The city of Wuhan, with its ever increasing population base, has acknowledged the importance of this Congress Theme especially with regard to learning how their particular range of urban, transportation congestion and spatial problems are being dealt with sustainably across the Globe.

There will be, in addition to the five topical workshops, selected half day workshops such as one being offered by the Centre for Liveable Cities, Singapore. Details of this workshop as well as others will also be announced at a later date when all details have been finalised.

The City has also assembled an attractive series of possible post Congress tours.

CONGRESS BROCHURE

CONGRESS REGISTRATION

PRELIMINARY PROGRAMME

WorsKhop 1: IMPLEMENTING LOW CARBON URBAN ENVIRONMENT
This parallel session will bring together papers and case studies focussed on the development of a low carbon environment, and strategies and solutions which are specifically designed for urban areas and which will secure the reduction of carbon emissions. Concrete examples of completed projects that could serve as good practice paradigms are particularly welcome. The submissions will also explore the effects that the rapid development of cities and their spreading metropolitan hinterlands create on rural areas and development of the rural economy in particular. Case studies exploring these issues as they relate to the specific geographic, cultural or development settings will serve to enhance discussion on how local conditions lead or influence local responses and actions. Papers should present policies, plans and projects, as well as demonstrate innovative solutions regarding planning methods, techniques and planning and design standards to be used in creating and monitoring urban environment.

Workshop 2: BUILDING SUSTAINABLE NETWORKS
Creating and sustaining low carbon open spaces and non-built environments, developing sustainable networks of waterways, green and blue networks, open space provision, recreational facilities and green photosynthetic spaces as part of the green infrastructure, will all be explored in this parallel session. Building and sustaining these networks in less favorable climatic conditions e.g. in dry, wet, extremely cold or hot areas, will provide a particular input here by drawing attention to the relevance of climate and geography. This will be followed by focussing on the role leisure plays on urban liveability and its growing impact on urban landscape. Papers and case studies from different countries with speci?c regional and local characteristics will examine these issues as they relate to furthering green smart growth and enhancing urban liveability.

Workshop 3: TRANSPORTATION NETWORKS: MAKING SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION A REALITY
This parallel session will focus on mobility and accessibility, and making the sustainable transportation a reality. Papers will investigate sustainable transport methods and procedures to link transport to the requirements of a low carbon environment and quality urban liveability. Contrary to past practices, where transportation was merely a functional system and part of the city infrastructure, nowadays it plays an important role in the development of an integrated environment and the creation of transit oriented development. Case studies and examples from all around the world on transportation with low environmental impact, especially those that are space-saving and which promote sustainable spatial, social and economic cohesion and liveability, will be discussed and explored. Special attention will be given to public transport, biking and pedestrian friendly environments in urban areas.

Workshop 4: HERITAGE AND THE ENVIRONMENT: RETRO AND REUSE IN TRANSITION
In this session, special attention will be given to heritage and the environment in a search for planning responses which have either enhanced or propose to enhance the quality of the built environment. The questions of particular interest to be explored in this parallel session will evolve around identity as a key factor for safeguarding heritage or, indeed, reinventing it. The planner’s contribution to reconciling the “all alike places” and their genius loci, with regeneration schemes as they emerge from sustainable practices and which are firmly focused, at the same time on local uniqueness, local culture, ambience and distinctive urban character, will be fully explored.

Workshop 5: REGIONS AND HINTERLAND LOOKING TOWARD LIVEABLE ENVIRONMENT
Participants in this session will closely explore strategies, solutions and relevant issues of developing liveability on a regional scale. These case studies shall focus on larger spatial entities, like urban clusters, networks of cities and towns, metropolitan regions, specific regional areas with cultural, natural or environmental values, or any other spatial category that exceeds the scale of a single city or town, and hold liveability as the key component in developing their policies, plans and projects. This workshop will examine workable concepts and solutions for creating and/or keeping regional liveability, and will provide a basis for further improvements and refinements of actions that regions are already undertaking to solve their problems. Case studies presented and explored here will make a catalogue of ideas and strategies planners can use when dealing with liveability on a large scale