The process of digitization leads to far-reaching changes in society. This is linked to various and sometimes contradictory expectations, hopes and fears with regard to spatial development: How are location perspectives and the mobility of households or companies changing? What does digitization mean in terms of resource conservation and ecological services? Will urban areas be the winners and rural areas the losers? How inclusive, transparent and creative are forms of digital participation or design? What are consequences for spatial planning and development? And finally: Are transformations towards sustainable spatial structures and processes favoured or hindered?

After approximately two decades of scientific debates and political strategies on digitization at all levels as well as, in particular, the considerable acceleration caused by the pandemic, an interim conclusion on intensive interactions between digitization and spatial development seems urgently needed.

The Spatial Sciences Colloquium 2023 therefore aims to discuss the current state of research and practical experiences and to identify future goals and challenges.

The focus will be on four key causal complexes:

• Governance, planning and management
• Socio-economic transformation, land use and mobility
• Socio-ecological transformation, agriculture and energy
• Knowledge co-production, innovation and social learning

Two days – two formats

Tuesday, 4 July 2023
International scientific debate
Online | in English

Wednesday, 5 July 2023
Application-related perspectives from science, politics and practice
on-site in Berlin | in German

Keynotes

4 July 2023:
Smart Natures: Technology, Spatial Development, and AI
Prof. Dr. Orit Halpern
Chair of Digital Cultures and Societal Change at Technische Universität Dresden and Associate Professor at the Department of Sociology & Anthropology of Concordia University Montréal/Canada

5 July 2023:
Stadt- und Raumentwicklung mit Hilfe Künstlicher Intelligenz?
Prof. Dr. Annette Spellerberg
Professor for Urban and Regional Sociology at the RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau