A new manual for a new territorial approach to urban design in the 21st century, based on 12 key concepts and introducing concrete examples of visionary spatial developments with a strong focus on practice. History, context, composition, network, profile, density, function, space, access, transition plan, participation, metabolism: basic concepts for a future-oriented design of the city.

Urban design today is facing a multitude of challenges. Using twelve key terms, this book connects these challenges to projects in this field. It introduces concepts. presents possible solutions, and describes implementation processes. A special focus is put on the interaction of the built environment with living systems—an approach that is slowly gaining acceptance within the urban design community and that is setting aside a primarily building-oriented practice in favor of an increased appreciation of public space.

Basics of Urbanism defines and illustrates parameters with a clearly territorial approach to urban design. Space between buildings is treated as an essential structure for environmental and social change within small-scale neighborhoods and blocks, as well as at the level districts and even entire cities. This approach includes forward-thinking temporal aspects as well as the implementation of existing resources in the creation of new spatial qualities.

With contributions by Markus Bogensberger, Aglaée Degros, Eva Schwab, Marcel Smets. Interviews with Blaz Babnik, Stefan Bendiks, Ilka Cerpes, Harald Gries, Gernot Kupfer, Robert Loher, Claudia Nutz, Ans Persoons, Katarina Psegionnaki, Michael Ryckewaert, Rudolf Scheuvens, Carol Schmitt, Marcel Smets, Maarten van Aacker, Bernd Vlay, Johann Zancanella, and Sibylla Zech.


Aglaée Degros is an architect and urban designer, and a founding principal of Brussels-based design firm Artgineering. She is also director of and a professor at the Institute of Urbanism, TU Graz. Anna Maria Bagarić is an architect working as teaching and research assistant at the Institute of Urbanism, TU Graz. Sabine Bauer is an urban design researcher who works as teaching and research assistant at the Institute of Urbanism, TU Graz. Radostina Radulova-Stahmer is an architect and researcher who works as teaching and research assistant at the Institute of Urbanism, TU Graz. Mario Stefan is an architect with Graz-based studio Nussmüller Architekten. Prior to this he worked as a student assistant at the Institute of Urbanism, TU Graz 2015–20. Eva Schwab is a landscape designer and deputy director of the Institute of Urban Design, TU Graz.

A new manual for a new territorial approach to urban design in the 21st century, based on 12 key concepts and introducing concrete examples of visionary spatial developments with a strong focus on practice. History, context, composition, network, profile, density, function, space, access, transition plan, participation, metabolism: basic concepts for a future-oriented design of the city.

Urban design today is facing a multitude of challenges. Using twelve key terms, this book connects these challenges to projects in this field. It introduces concepts. presents possible solutions, and describes implementation processes. A special focus is put on the interaction of the built environment with living systems—an approach that is slowly gaining acceptance within the urban design community and that is setting aside a primarily building-oriented practice in favor of an increased appreciation of public space.

Basics of Urbanism defines and illustrates parameters with a clearly territorial approach to urban design. Space between buildings is treated as an essential structure for environmental and social change within small-scale neighborhoods and blocks, as well as at the level districts and even entire cities. This approach includes forward-thinking temporal aspects as well as the implementation of existing resources in the creation of new spatial qualities.

With contributions by Markus Bogensberger, Aglaée Degros, Eva Schwab, Marcel Smets. Interviews with Blaz Babnik, Stefan Bendiks, Ilka Cerpes, Harald Gries, Gernot Kupfer, Robert Loher, Claudia Nutz, Ans Persoons, Katarina Psegionnaki, Michael Ryckewaert, Rudolf Scheuvens, Carol Schmitt, Marcel Smets, Maarten van Aacker, Bernd Vlay, Johann Zancanella, and Sibylla Zech.


Aglaée Degros is an architect and urban designer, and a founding principal of Brussels-based design firm Artgineering. She is also director of and a professor at the Institute of Urbanism, TU Graz. Anna Maria Bagarić is an architect working as teaching and research assistant at the Institute of Urbanism, TU Graz. Sabine Bauer is an urban design researcher who works as teaching and research assistant at the Institute of Urbanism, TU Graz. Radostina Radulova-Stahmer is an architect and researcher who works as teaching and research assistant at the Institute of Urbanism, TU Graz. Mario Stefan is an architect with Graz-based studio Nussmüller Architekten. Prior to this he worked as a student assistant at the Institute of Urbanism, TU Graz 2015–20. Eva Schwab is a landscape designer and deputy director of the Institute of Urban Design, TU Graz.