ements in the differentiation between areas comes from the way public bodies or private individuals choose to use such greenery, and the availability of collective and individual garages. The arrangement of the roads is clearly marked by lines of trees. Bends in roads through residential areas will be marked by the presence of buildings. Tlie design seems able to guarantee overall control over the urban form -even before the plots are totally built up - and a great deal of flexibility in the use of the individual lots. Mixes of type and function are an essential condition for the variety of the areas; no road in this settlement will run unvaried from one end to the other. The planting of roads and plots will be the first operation to carry out - so that those building on their own plots will do so in relation to already exiting green areas, and will not have to wait for years for shrubbery and trees to grow. This is especially important because we have adopted an approach that means developing the settlement not piecemeal but as a single whole, by progressive densification. Initially there will be a few houses amongst low greenery, and eventually a lot of houses amongst tall trees. The enery park and fair The energy park in the central space will be aligned E-W, so as to have a channel for the prevailing winds. It is intended as a catalyst for the social activities within the new town; but given its unusual size and the clear visibility and functionality, it is aimed at a wider area as well. It is hoped that it will be a permanent fair, with a continual display of new experimentation to develop technologies based on recyclable energy. The companies exhibiting in the fair will continually up-date the material on show and thus offer visitors an overview of the patents and solutions presently available, providing information on energy production and energy saving. This new centre should avoid the risk of being just another settlement in the metropolitan suburbs, and make a real contribution to an important jump in scale for the entire Rhein-Main conurbation - a jump made possible by pre-cisely-targeted projects that also make the most of external economies of scale. 4. Concluding remarks The new city is in part inspired by Urtypus ( the Middle-eastern Ideogram for the city) which takes form through the dialectic between the actual history of the area covered by the planning project and the future tasks outlined by the tender specifications. This new type of Gardencity aims to integrate housing, manufacturing activities (situated on the outer boundaries of the settlement) and public services (located on a N-S axis) together with the service industries and the system of borders of the central space (the wedge formed by the runway and other roads of the old military base). Thus there will be four distinct districts, with their respective social services at the centre - and no point will be more than 400 metres from public transport. For it to be attractive, the functional mix must be complete: the offer of jobs and housing by itself is not enough: modern urban planning has always seen "leisure" as an additional, not constitutive element. Therefore the plan includes and underlines what the neighbouring areas are lacking: first of all, plenty of fresh water, green areas and differences in level, followed by richness of private open spaces and meeting places and finally a variety of leisure, sports and cultural facilities. Prof. dr. Marco Venturi, Istituto Universitario di Architettura di Venezia - Dipartimento di Urbanistica Notes: The International urban design competition project was carried out by Marco Venturi, Clemens Kusch, Roberto Berti, Oscar Brito, Pierluigi Chlnellato, Barbara Hertle, Lara Rettondini Pictures Figure 1: A view of the central axis and built-up structure Figure 2: Constitutive parts of the town Figure 3: l-iousing types Figure 4: Elements of the central energy parli - fair Figure 5: The traffic system Figure 6: First greening and then building Metka SITAR The New Planning Culture -An initiative for environmental protection Although the second millennium is coming to a close, the answers to questions concerning survival of mankind and establishing healthy and pleasant environments, are still evasive. It is encouraging to note that today man is determined to preserve the natural balance for life by being strongly personally commited. Moreover, he is even prepared to change his earlier way of life and adapt it, in conformity with limited natural resources, to the development capabilities of our planet. These questions, which are essentially questions about personal responsibility for the environment, concern us both as individuals, as well as members of the wider society. They should be the basis of all deliberations about urban planning, which in its contents and by the role it plays in society, protects and preserves the. quality of the environment. Its decisions fundamentally influence environmental development in the desired direction. 1. Is the planning profession still capable of preserving its traditional mission in the present conditions of globalisation? Changes in society which directly or indirectly affect the environment are becoming more complex. It seems that the present phase of economic and social development in nu- merous spheres is marked by a measure of uncertainty which is perceived as absence of reasonable and clear concepts. This also applies to planning, urbanism, architecture, in short, to all activities concerning physical planning. Changes in society, at home and abroad, the europeisation of Slovenia with all its advantages and faults, has particularly in the last decade crucially changed the conditions and circumstances for professional work. Namely tìpace is the first to be affected by changes; new structures and relations in space are being established, the city is being re-discov-ered as the centre of man's activities, etc. No particular planning concepts that could facilitate constant changes may be identified iri these processes. The planners contribution to the cultural development of society is being constantly diminished and adapted to the deregulated trends of capital market. Today planning is understood firstly as management of urban space, the role of which is being radically changed. The primary interest is directed towards the central urban space - the city, which is lately loosing its traditional economic, social and cultural functions. The effects of economic globalisation and regionalization, changed structures of work and places of work, information and communication technologies influence the disintegration of the classical compact city, which is merging with suburban areas into an „urban region" (Music, 1998)''.The dispersion of urban structures, particularly in the periphery, provokes numerous negative effects on the environment: from consumption of open green areas to environmental pollution caused by deficient communal infrastructure systems. All of this poses new dilemmas about environmental protection for the planner. Changes regarding the concept of property ownership also have a strong indirect effect on the environment. Bearing in mind that the greater part of construction activities is in the hands of the private sector, it is feared that economic interests will over-rule the public ones, particularly environment protection concerns. Private ownership of land and real estate poses completely new demands for the planners profession as regards the protection of public interests in space. That is why instruments of other professions involved in teamwork are required to regulate the market of real estate in accordance with economic, sociological and environmental parameters (planners, as well as others, particularly economists, lawyers, sociologists). The question which arises at this point is whether the presence of authorities, particularly government, is sufficient for the protection of public interests, which is the primary objective of their work. 2. Is it possible to speak about planning from the aspect of predicting the future of urban development? Development in the last decade has convinced us that the time of commonly accepted and generally binding ideals of development has definitely passed. The needs for global development are withdrawing, since the possibilities of controlling this development have proved to be very limited. Under new working conditions it is no longer essential to define the future, but to have the ability to allow dynamic development processes to happen and to try to direct them for the future.2 Planning which should be treated as a process, should primarily react quickly to changes and take appro- priate measures. Thus space is once more turning to its essence: it is becoming a strategic source and not just an area for different uses. Towns/cities i.e. urban regions that are increasingly being exposed to an ever growing dynamics of different development processes pose very demanding tasks for town planners and architects and now have very little in common with the traditional understanding of the profession; the rising ecological crisis and mounting social conflicts are additional challenges. The time when planning city development served primarily to increase urban areas for new development has definitely passed. Everywhere there are demands for universal saving of economic resources, artificial and natural (Eberhard, Schumacher 1993, pg. 43), which applies especially to occupying open green areas. Here the task of town planners and architects is more or less clear. Appropriate town planning and architectural solutions should be used to prove once again, not only in the environmental sense but also in the economic one, that good/healthy living conditions can be established even within higher building densities. In this sense we should look for and activate new development areas for urbanisation particularly within the existing urbanised areas. We find them particularly in areas that demand restructuring: zones with out-of-date/obsolete industry railway terminals in city centres with a lower degree of exploitation, etc. Similar treatment should also be given to the non-articulated city borders and their hinterlands with the characteristic dispersed settlements. 3. The characteristics of new planning approaches Physical planning is by its origin a part of a diverse social and cultural process. We should be aware of the fact that we may, to a certain degree, influence this process, but we cannot define it in advance (Rossi 1993: pg. 29). Basically we can say that broader standards of planning city regions are more suitable for the new aspects of planning. Planning partial final images, traditionally linked to forming new structures, has been substituted by steering development of cities, i.e. urban regions. This approach tries in different ways to redefine the leading motives of city concepts, adapted to the current processes in space - from „the city of short routes, „compact city", „in between city" (Sievert, 1998) to „the net city" (Venturi, 1998). We may speak about the new planning'concepts also as a task of observing and presenting events in different dimensions: transmitting previous development directions or their parts to the future, translating abstract political and development visions into the physical reality and vice versa, striving to adjust and equalise public interests and those of the private economic sector, etc. ^ In practise this approach is determined by taking into consideration development processes in particular spaces as parts of larger structural systems. Thus, when managing these processes it is of vital importance to take space into consideration as a whole in all its uniformity'* Although we frequently hear the idea that.....a city is not to be re-established, it should be allowed to form itself..." (Kroll, 1988)5, complex conditions demand a certain spatial construction within which different cultures may be expressed. They are a rough framework which enables structuring of open areas for manifold programmes. In practise this means the need for such mechanisms that enable phase planning, i.e. some sort of growing models of spatial structures that have the ability of simultaneous adaptation to given circumstances (Christiaanse, 1994). These approaches have become commonly known as „open urban concepts" or „open city", where detailed definition of use and formation is given only in the concrete realisation phase and not 5, 10, or 15 years in advance. For an unclear/uncertain future visions of city development also demand definite open space for intermediary utilisation or utilisation for a certain period of time. That is why it is possible to give a more detailed definition of city space within global aims only on a smaller scale, where in reality it is possible to integrate new urban elements into the existing surroundings, this being one of the primary demands of sustained city planning. This approach is very appropriate for processes of restructuring particular city areas, especially those with out-of-date industry. City limits that cannot express their own spatial identification capabilities pose a special problem. These are areas where future changed demands and the development of particular processes of regional renovation/modernisation should be given utmost attention. They should reflect both historical experiences and present change, which in the cultural sense potentially means a possibility for new visions and their realisation. They present new institutional and substantial directions that accentuate the sociological aspect of a new planetary culture.® 4. Planning dilemmas of the future spatial planning development means public activity connected to politics, ethics, culture. The beginning/starting point of particular processes is always defining political targets. Following these targets means primarily recognising trends, forecasting development guidelines and reacting to assessments by management, guidance. For such processes it is necessary to continuously create favourable preconditions for realisation, and at the same time, with considerations for public interest, inform and warn the professional and lay public about the existing conflicts and problems. We are talking about „city management" which also includes decisionmaking processes about spatial development and their transformation into practise. In times of social transition one can feel that the existing instruments are becoming more and more in-efficient, which are in turn exposed to criticism from various quarters: the construction economy demands deregulation of construction legislature; they are also viewed as limitations to creative freedom by urban planners and architects. In general, all the participants in physical space - investors, planners as well as transactions and consumers - would appreciate it if the processes of getting licences for different interventions in physical space were simplified and quicker. That is why successful management essentially depends on local/city authorities, which should act as a uniformly directed system and not as a sum of various services. Horizontal co-ordination between the local and the central level of decision-mak-ing is of utmost importance. Besides having a clear political will it also demands appropriate leadership, since even in planning success „... depends not only on the wind but also on how we direct the sails..." (Wirth, 1993; pg. 57) One should also mention the viewpoint of many specialists: that involving oneself/occupying oneself with new construction regulations is not reasonable, since in practise they do not ensure a consensus for their validity. Regulations also envisage exceptions that permit introduction of new, more appropriate instruments. Putting them into practise requires an individual's high level of expert knowledge as well as diplomatic skills on all levels of creating and decision-mak-ing. Therefore, under new circumstances we need competent experts, personally responsible for their own decisions. It is the very exceptions that make creativeness possible and with it also a favourable climate for the emergence of timely appropriate city culture.^ 5. Planning procedures and instruments in city management City and municipal regions are constantly engaged with current decisions that could have a powerful effect on spatial development, however in general they are not directed towards precisely defined goals. City politics oscillate between, on the one hand, benevolence to the economic sphere (in terms of competitive capabilities of cities and regions) and generally quite the contrary aspiration for optimising living conditions for the citizens - voters on the other, who rightly expect this from their legitimate representatives of authority. Involved in these decisions are also active groups of citizens as members of a modern, plural and multicultural society. On behalf of the democratic public it is their desire to directly or indirectly have influence on decisions concerning development. Thus, public critical reaction has become a component of planning and one of its basic postulates. The old systems, that are to a large extent still in force, include the public only in the phase of testing the formed projects of spatial development. What is an absolute necessity nowadays is dialogue between all the participants in the initial phase of the planning process. It should verify common goals and create measures based upon them. Processes that allow various subjects of the democratic public to be involved should be introduced. Only in this manner can we expect a future positive public reaction. In this sense particularly procedures and instruments of modern information and communication techniques of professional work with the public are becoming more important. An example of a possible procedure to form development goals on the basis of dialogue ® Analysis of condition and trends Treatment of development goals based on dialogue - analysis of existing condition and possible scenarios (experts of different professions) involvement of different sections of urban public (round tables, city councils including laymen, experts, politicians Measures aimed at development goals within trends of spatial development - grid partial plans: economic and social planning, municipal infrastructure policies, city urban plans, etc. (experts) RECURRENT INFORMATION TO URBAN PUBLIC Transparency is the next ctnaracteristic of contemporary planning procedures. However, town planning data is complex and nowadays too extensive to allow this. Because of time intervals that have been legally determined, In which corrections are possible (as a rule revisions every 3 to 5 years), spatial planning is becoming some kind of a „subsequent bookkeeping" of decisions that had been made in different circumstances.^ Long processes present a special problem from various aspects, which are not appropriate for quick reactions, i.e. flexible adaptation to changes, but at the same time they demand that basic visions of city development are unconditionally preserved. Numerous problems in the plans' revision processes arise from the conflict of interests between the land owners and the city/municipal authorities (presenting the public in such cases!) particularly concerning changes of intended land usage. Reaching a consensus between the involved partners demands special efforts for the profession and politics. In fact it is participation and decision making that are^ essential instruments in planning processes.^"^ I 6. Introducing new planning instruments into practise The common goal of all the spatial planning activities has to be forming clear conceptions - visions on where and how in a chosen time dimension a particular region, city, area will be developed. Development concepts (plans) should include guidelines how to overcome present and future problems from the economic, regional and environmental point of view. In terms of spatial documentation we differentiate: - the long-term aspect, represented by higher ranking/superior general spatial guidelines as components of development concepts of regions, municipalities - the middle-term aspect, represented by plans of zoning in the framework of municipalities - short-term aspect - town planning studies for districts, centres, neighbourhoods, etc. The term development planning should firstly take into consideration aspects of preserving urban and landscape uniformity of particular regions, cities, settlements and their own particular identities. Perception of the pressing need for such preservation/protection which essentially means concern for environmental protection, has reacently compelled municipalities and regions to adopt new generations of combinations of plans and plans of spatial development. In the physical sense they cover the whole of the municipality or region for which they determine principal development guidelines, focus of measures and protected areas. In larger cities there are separate plans for parts of these areas which are adapted to a particular area by taking into consideration its specifics, natural and landscape. Therefore, formation aspects of development planning are derived from a particular area, i.e. location and are the essential criteria for future development. Taking into account the incomplete legal framework, decisions supported by competent representatives of the profession are required for their realisation. In the formal sense they are supplementing the middle-term aspect of planning instruments; that is why they have to be legally binding."''' When we assess that planning activities are no longer primarily directed at classical planning in vacant space, we see that the central topic of city planning is primarily the question of putting into effect changes in space, especially those concerning the purpose and usage of areas.These demands on a small scale turn on a bigger scale into changes of whole city districts. One of the main obstacles is the outdated categorisation of planning data. Although recently it allows leaps, these in practise somehow loose their importance because of the rigidity of the original documents. 7. What are the endeavours to simplify and reduce spatial processes and documents? In democratic spatial conditions which are most significantly marked by private ownership, the principle dilemma between city and regional spatial policy arises from the duality of planning documentation. In principle it is divided into „plan", obligatory for the so-called authority (municipal, local) and „zoning plan" which is obligatory for land owners regarding intended use and use of areas The highest degree of conflict is present in the time dimension. Not only the plan but the zoning plan as well is in its character long-term and as a rule remains unchanged for several years. The possibilities and limits for efficient management with one's own property are regulated for the land owner. As an instrument of order it does not regulate space as a whole, but only onesidedly -two dimensionally But in essence space is uniform, although manifold, also a unifying conception. On the contrary the term zone is restrictive, dividing. (Zibell 1993, pg. 10). In fact, the document for zoning land use is the only all compromising document for deregulation trends seeking new forms of planning culture requires an especially critical approach. The plan (development, social, etc.) and the zoning plan are therefore the two essential documents, which are in most European countries obligatory for particular municipalities, irrespective of their size. Although the zoning plan may be a more appropriate and efficient instrument of space management in smaller municipalities, in larger ones, because of the complexity of spatial interventions it does not suffice for bigger planning decisions. There seems to be the need for an intermediary phase between two-dimensional defining of spatial use and the final phase of urban plans. What is missing are spatial studies, harmonised with the complete development concepts of cities and regions, which should define the rough frameworks and guidelines for concrete urban and architectural projects. In the planning sense we may talk about the diametric contrast between zoning as a form of reactive planning and respective studies as a form of active planning. Although the zoning plan includes/allows the possibility of. correction in longer intervals, it is only the three-dimensional urban study that is capable of spatial response and adapting to current circumstances. The urban study as an instrument of „soft" spatial management present a sort of a combination between urban and architectural planning. In fact it is the inclusion of such and similar mechanisms of constant testing and adapting to the changed circumstances that manifests the dynamic aspect of spatial planning. We are familiar with these instruments even in our own planning practise (guidelines, expert groundwork) where we miss their verification letnik 9, št. 2/98 within the hierarchy of spatial documents. Unfortunately these occur only in the phase just before the final realisation, often under time and economic pressure of investors. Since the processes are long-lasting numerous problems arise in putting them into effect. That is why it is interesting to discuss decision-making in the development process from various aspects of development planning. In this we can differentiate various dimensions.2 1. The spatial dimension includes defining targeted directions and secures the preservation of long-term and superior dependency; it reacts in differentiated ways with short-term spatial concepts to limited concrete situations. Examples: - superior level of general guidelines: what is the relation of the newly planned centre to the traditional city centre? - level of zoning: what are the most required land uses? - subordinate level: which urban and formal images are linked to this usage; which green areas could be included? 2. The time dimension emphasises that particular sections of the a city or region have their own history, which we should preserve clearly in all phases of planning. As a rule cities do not change abruptly; only in a longer period of time a new picture is formed out of small pieces; new decisions should be incorporated into the superior long-term interdependencies in space. Different processes of decision-making can be differentiated: - linear planning processes - tied to the existing traditional planning instruments - iterative planning processes - in principle they correspond to new social and time characteristics, since they allow previous decisions to be tested in every phase, but they are not in harmony with the legal and planning principles - structuring of planning processes by sequences - allows behaviour in sequences where in accordance with the passing of a number of sequences it is possible to determine intermediary decisions 3. The social dimension allows iterative processes of decision-making under the condition that the planning process remains transparent in all the sequences; it forwards the results of particular sequences into the following step of decision-making which can be examined by all the interested parties. The precondition for politicians, experts and the population is identification with the constructed and natural environment. When spatial planning again becomes a public task involving the public also becomes very important in terms of professional responsibility to the environment. Only tight intertwining of different dimensions of planning can stimulate the creative formation of common development concepts, In conclusion I will give a question containing all three dimensions of the city as a sociological phenomenon of today: are we the ones who change the city, or is it the city that changes us? British architect's Richard f^ogers answer about the new strength of public life is that.....the city humanises and bru- talises; it depends on us what we do with /f..." ^^ Dr. techn. Metka Sitar, Architect, Maribor Pictures Picture 1: Four cities in one (source: Lobnil<, Uroš et al.: Urban project of the city of Maribor, draft, volume 1 -Structure of the City ZUM d.0.0., Maribor, April 1998) Picture 2: Structural analysis of the city entrance roads (source: Urban worl