Mind maps Urbanist

Prepared by Roberto Rocco and Egbert StolkDeparment of Urbanism, TU Delft

Challenge(the(future

mind mapping urbanistat the very beginning of the course ar2u090 methodology for urbanism, we discuss different conceptions of what ‘urbanism’ might be.

our students come from all over the world, and have been educated in different traditions of planning and design of the built environment.

we must find commonalities and clarify differences.

mind mapping urbanistwe do not offer a ‘definite’ definition of urbanism. After all, the discipline is in constant evolution, what with new knowledge being permanently incorporated to it, new challenges arising in a globalized and increasingly urban world and new arising technologies that help us find new questions to ask.

mind mapping urbanist

rather, we propose a model where ‘urbanism’ is composed by different logics of enquiry that concur to form a wide field of knowledge on the built environment and its interrelationships with society.

Design

HumanSciences

PhysicalSciences

AR2U090 Methodology for Urbanism*Logics of EnquiryIn this exercise, you will need to ‘locate’ yourself inthe hypothetical triangle that composes URBANISM at TU Delft. According to your previous education and aspirations for the future, where would you be? Mark a cross inside the triangle and write your name and country of origin near that cross. Would you add another element to this geometrical form? Is it a polygon? A square? What other categories would you add, if any? Urbanism?

urbanismthis variety of perspectives can be seen in the organogram of the department of urbanism of the TUDelf. Each chair represents a research team which upholds a different combination of the areas of knowledge represented in the triangle.

urbanismthis variety of perspectives can be seen in the organogram of the department of urbanism of the TU Delf. Each chair represents a research team which upholds a different combination of the areas of knowledge represented in the triangle.

URBANISM @ TU DELFT

OTBChair:Urban an Regional Development

Prof. Wil Zonneveld

OTBChair:Neighbourhood Change and Housing

Prof. Maarten van Ham

Chair:Environmental Technology

Prof. Arjan van Timmeren

Chair:Cultural History & Design

Prof. Eric Luiten

Chair:Landscape Architecture

Prof. Dirk Sijmons

Chair:Urban Design

Prof. Henco Bekkering

Chair:Theory & Methods

Prof. Han Meyer

Chair:The Why Factory

Prof. Winy Maas

Chair:Spatial Planning & Strategy

Prof. Vincent Nadin Chair:Design & Politics

Prof. Wouter Vanstiphout

Section: Spatial Planning & Strateg

y

Section: Urban D

esignSection: Urban L

andscape

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urbanism

in order to discuss essential aspects of urbanism and the urbanist, we draw mind maps.

What’s a mind map?A mind map is a graphic representation of a brain storm. Around a central concept, participants must draw connected ideas organically, unfolding them as much as possible.

It is a tool for structured yet creative communication and discussion among participants.

relationships graphically represented

However, different from a brain storm, mind mapping offers the possibility to structure thought graphically and unfold concepts and ideas as much as possible. Because ideas are graphically represented, they can be discussed more thoroughly.

The ‘secret’ of mind mapping

the ‘secret’ of mind mapping consists of the relationships constructed between concepts and ideas being unfolded and ‘spelled out’ explicitly.

Drawing these relationships like the branches of a tree helps us visualize the organic relationship they have with each other.

Networks of concepts

but ideas and concepts are not like the branches of a tree. they are arranged in networks of relationships. mind maps could look like more like spiderwebs.

relationship image and text

drawing icons and avatars helps construct a better relationship between visual perception and intellectual understanding.

images reinforce and complement text and vice-versa.

an exercise of vocabulary buildingone of the functions of mind mapping is to help students build up vocabulary to talk about ideas and concepts in english (the language of education at master level at tudelft).

in this particular mind mapping exercise, we discuss:

• Skills

• Values

• Qualities

• Tools and

• Knowledge

necessary to be a good “urbanist”

Values

Justice

Social Justice is central to Urbanism

Courage?

Courage

Love!

A free, unbiased mind

Knowledge

Knowledge

Critical thinking is an essential part of higher

education

Knowledge is useless

without critical

REFLECTION

Qualities

Skills

we think that

drawing is a very

important tool for

communication in our

domain

Tools

Thanks for watching.

For more information please write to r.c.rocco@tudelft.nl