Vol. 7 (2024): In Between: Architecture and the Development of the Urban Landscape

Our cities and urban landscapes are in transformation. They grow, expand, build, and rebuild. In North America, these efforts are being led by untamed global markets and private capital. What drives these forces is a unilateral model: return-on-investment (ROI). Such a model for urban development is becoming increasingly popular in most regions of the world. And yet, the present-day urban landscape is a complex array of interdependent systems, many of which do not operate towards making a profit. These systems are meant to respond to economical, political, social, and ecological challenges. Nowadays, the forces of global markets and private capital are increasingly negotiating with multiple stakeholders when investing in urban landscapes, demonstrating willingness to engage in cooperative relationships towards overcoming these challenges.
How does architecture perform in such an environment?
“In Between” is introduced as a concept exploring architecture’s performance alongside a multiplicity of disciplines shaping the present-day urban landscapes. It aims to argue the critical role architects have in shaping our cities. It expects to highlight the key areas of interest for architecture in an increasingly complex environment and frames its responses in meeting new challenges. Finally, “In Between,” targets sharing the achievements and opportunities of contemporary urban development models.
The seventh issue of Prometheus, titled “In Between: Architecture and Development of the Urban Landscape,” delves into four performative frameworks of the present-day urban landscape. The economical, addressing the role and impact of private capital in the development of the contemporary metropolis. The political, discussing opportunities available to local city governments in the face of mounting pressure when developing new urban landscapes within existing built environments. The social, focusing on neighborhood-scale challenges and providing community-based perspectives on the various mechanisms shaping them. And the ecological, centering around the global climate crisis it highlights strategies employed for ecologically performing architecture.