How do I implement the Deep Cities Approach? Deep Cities Theory: Urban transformation as a source of heritage valuesCritical Urban Theory

Critical Urban Theory

When taking the conceptual approach to Deep Cities further a fruitful approach has been to build upon Critical Urban Theory as this helps urban stakeholders and developers to understand the importance of social diversity, community involvement, participatory engagement and power relationships in urban placemaking. In critical urban theory, these topics are often expressed by expressions such as the ‘right to the city’, ‘cities for citizens’ or the ‘social just’ city.

Deep Cities are responding to those societal needs by critically examining urban transformation as value, which can offer practical solutions to social problems or social aims in real planning situations.

Using Critical Urban Theory as a theoretical lens for understanding urban placemaking through heritage will make awareness of social conflicts and dissonances, dynamics of bottom-up vs top-down social interactions, intersectional inclusiveness, socially diversity and divisiveness in cities.

 

^{Tagging at a Nordic 'Starbucks-like' coffeehouse chain at Grünerløkka in Oslo, Norway, writing "Stop-the-gentrification" (of our neighborhood) signed by the symbol "A" for Anarchists, a social activism protest movement against global capitalist gentrification which is believed to promote stereotype places and the loss of uniqueness promoting alienation.}