Foundations 19 – Infrastructure Space

etc. that come from the outside, and their significance massively influences non-urban areas. “This gives rise to something that we call extended urbanization,” said Christian Schmid.

Several speakers dealt with concrete examples of extended urban- ization such as the region around Singapore or the Pearl River Del- ta. How is countryside placed at the service of cities? How do the requirements of cities change social life in the urban hinterland? And what infrastructure does the hinterland receive or require? In sparsely populated regions the per capita cost of infrastructure is much higher than in the city – which has a great effect on the quality. “We tend to focus on concentrated urbanization and not pay atten- tion to what lies further beyond,” said Christian Schmid. This was one of the key findings of the workshop: We must adopt a broader perspective. “But we are only at the beginning of an important discussion. We need more analysis, more dialog, and strong com- mitment to shed light on the subject of extended urbanization.” In summary, the participants of the of the planetary workshop called for professionals to pay less attention to spectacular megac- ities and world cities and more to the urban hinterland – because this plays a key role in the sustainable development of the planet.

How does Infrastructure Space affect the building materials industry? “All engagements with the built environment have to be reflected in how our decisions today are affecting our common space.” Neil Brenner, Professor of Urban Theory at Harvard University

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