ANNUAL CONGRESS 2025

Tensions and ethical considerations in planning practice at the local level: the case of tall buildings in Greek cities

Not scheduled

20m

Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul

Oral Track 14 | ETHICS, VALUES AND PLANNING

Speaker

Georgia Gemenetzi (Assistant Professor,University of Thessaly Department of Planning and Regional Development, Volos)

Description

Planning practice is a key issue not only to understand the deeper nature of planning system, but also to defend good planning (Parker and Maidment, 2024). It is formulated by the blurring borders of formal paths – that are related to laws, rules and open democratic processes- and informal mechanisms, which include shadow processes of influence, negotiations and communicative power. Planning practice is carried out both by public agencies and planning professionals who consider ethical issues in different frameworks. Even though ethics in planning are mainly correlated to the key ideas of ‘public good’ and ‘social justice’, different values, served interests (individual, community, common) and priorities of politics make the meaning of justice for urban life unclear (Hoekveld and Needham, 2013).
A key example of tensions and different ethical considerations that are reflected in local-level planning is the allocation and development of tall buildings in European cities. Policy-making about land-use zoning for high-rise development should take into consideration private interests, political processes and public good. Developers seek for maximizing land value and politicians seek for promoting the city in competition or city marketing. However, while private of other powerful entities are entitled to seek their advantage in the urban fabric, the shape of the city -that is directly related to cityscape- alters without a collective decision (Bharme, 2011). As it has been highlighted by the European Landscape Convention (ELC, 2000), the cityscape’s transformation should be based on the participation of the general public, local and regional authorities and other parties. Besides, other values in urban planning, such as environmental aspects of planning, may be ignored.
Considering that tall buildings developments have both a sound impact on Greek city and neighbourhood level - in particular, on skyline, urban landscape, urban microclimate and social life - the current paper deals with multiple interests and ideals, economic, social, environmental and law issues, that either coexist or compete each other and regulate the development of tall buildings in Greek cities. The paper seeks to provide insight into ethical perspectives and values concerning the appropriate balance between the role of the state and collective or individual welfare (Bakunowitsch et al., 2024, Campbell and Marshall, 2008).

References

Bakunowitsch, J., Bongers-Römer, S. & Othengrafen, F. (2024) Using practice theory to conceptualise balancing and values in urban planning, Planning Practice & Research, 39(2), pp. 306-319
Bharne, V. (2011) Humanizing High-rise Urbanism: Design Strategies and Planning Tools, CTBUH Journal, Issue IV, Council on Tall Building and Urban Habitat: Chicago, pp. 18-23
Campbell, H. and Marshall, R. (2008) Ethical Frameworks and Planning Theory, International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 23(3), pp. 464-478.
Hoekveld, G. and Needham, B. (2013) Planning Practice between Ethics and the Power Game International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 37(5), pp. 1638-1653.
Parker, G. and Maidment, Ch. (2024) In defence of good planning: planning practice, the learned profession and unifying action through reflexive lifelong learning, Town Planning Review, 95(3), pp.249-257.