Introduction

ISOCARP is proud to announce a Young Planning Professionals’ workshop (YPP) in Brussels, Belgium between 26 and 30 September 2022. The YPP Program is a crucial component of ISOCARP’s dedication to promote and enhance the planning profession and commitment to facilitate knowledge for better cities with the young generations. The Brussels YPP Workshop, ‘How to (Re)design a Healthy Neighbourhood’ intends to discuss the concept of resilience through a transformation of urban public space, which can become a critical tool for a resilient city and society. The workshop will be hosted by the State Secretary of the Brussels-Capital Region for Urbanism and Heritage, European and International Relations, Pascal Smet and organised in collaboration with the urban.brussels, perspective.brussels and environment.brussels.

Theme of the Workshop

Building on the theme of the 58th ISOCARP World Planning Congress, the 2022 Young Planning Professionals Workshop is centred on the notion of “healthy cities for all” to foster the implementation of the United Nations New Urban Agenda as well as the European Territorial Agenda and related European Green Deal. As defined in the thematic call of the congress, the past decades witnessed a flow of challenges from climate or biodiversity agenda to inequalities and vulnerabilities of poverty, food sovereignty, migration and gender politics with profound impacts on the paradigm shift on the way we build our cities. The current pandemic has only deepened such vulnerabilities with an old but forgotten layer, health. Putting health at the forefront, at the same time, has culminated a transformative action while responding to complex issues of socio-spatial injustices, inequalities and climate resilience.

The World Health Organisation defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. The urban space in which we live directly influences our lives and has an impact on our health and well-being. Every day, the news reminds us of the vulnerability of our cities; though, the urban space still receives too little attention as an influencer on health. Respiratory pathologies or mental health disorder hit cities particularly hard. These health problems are closely linked to environmental factors such as the state of the milieu in which populations live (air, water and soil quality), the exposure to deleterious agents (toxic substances, noise…), the living environment (housing, land use, transport, public facilities and services, etc.) and the local actions and activities (employment, social support, etc.). The planning and design of urban space not only improves the quality of the environment, but it also encourages people to adopt healthy behaviour. By prioritising the well-being of people, nature and the built environment, cities can become more sustainable, liveable, resilient and healthy. New approaches can mitigate the increasing risks presented by volatile weather and other environmental threats, while improving the liveability and health of communities.

Within this scope, the questions to explore in Brussels workshop are: How can we create neighbourhoods where the health and well-being of the inhabitants are taken into account? What conditions and criteria should be considered and improved in terms of the environment, public space, mobility, services and facilities for the population and housing? How can environmental threats be reduced? How can we encourage social interactions and cohesion between inhabitants? How can urban planners and health sectors work together more effectively to achieve better outcomes for local people and build more resilient neighbourhoods? The workshop then is a call to present future imperatives for urban health and healthy urbanity by unfolding socio-spatial justice, health inequalities and climate resilience, and to advocate for transformative action addressing equitable, resilient, and inclusive cities through rethinking the public realm.

If you have any question regarding your application, please contact Zeynep Gunay, ISOCARP Board, Director YPP via gunay@isocarp.org.

Partners