National ‘governance matrix’ for the mapping and display, optimization, and funding of spatial and urban planning across institutions (BW STMX STB)

Starting Point / Motivation

Spatial planning as such and the classical tools of urban planning in particular are crucial for the sustainable development of our built and natural environment. Their formal and informal instruments offer enormous potential, particularly where governance and long-term planning regarding conservation, restoration, restructuring, development and design are concerned. This potential is often not entirely acknowledged by politicians and administrators – including in the preparation of the integrated National Climate Plan for Austria – and therefore not fully utilized.

A key aspect here is not the lack, but rather the fragmentation of the existing policy programs and funding instruments for nationwide spatial and urban planning. Despite recognizing the need for an interdepartmental and interdisciplinary approach, past attempts to create a coherent, unified management system have failed due to differences in priorities set by the federal and provincial governments as well as competing interests among various departments.

This is precisely where our intention to develop a national governance matrix comes in.

Contents and Goals

The aim of the project is to develop a digital governance matrix to provide an overview of the diverse policies and governance instruments, including respective fundings and subsidies available for spatial and urban planning. Instead of a fully centralized governance- and funding system, however, we aim to establish a matrix that preserves the autonomy and responsibility of the participating institutions while simultaneously pursuing a coherent, sustainable common strategy.

Our focus is on the following thematic priorities:

1. Transparency: Structured presentation of existing and future policies and instruments for governance and planning.
2. Inter-institutional cooperation: Enabling cooperation across departments and sectors between ministries and other civil institutions.
3. Flexibility: The different priorities of the stakeholders involved are respected without forcing unification into one singular funding instrument.
4. Optimization: Comparison of existing funding and planning instruments to identify and eliminate weaknesses as well as to develop new, sustainable instruments for spatial planning
5. Sustainability: Basis for efficient, medium, and long-term spatial planning and building culture (Baukultur).

Methodology

• Basic research, data collection and evaluations: Collection of relevant policies, identification of the needs of municipalities and cities.
• Peer review via echo groups (experts) for quality assurance.
• Use of focus groups (administration and government representatives) to update and further develop the governance matrix
• User interface design: Development of a user-friendly platform for different user groups based on an interactive data feed.
• Public relations: Accompanying measures to publicize the platform and promote acceptance.

Anticipated Results

The primary result of the project should be the creation of a digital governance matrix as a strategic tool of the federal government, the provinces, cities, and municipalities for the sustainable coordination and optimization of policies and funding instruments for spatial and urban planning.

Project Lead

MArch Susan Kraupp
skstadtplanung&architektur

Consortium Partners

• Institut Forschung & Entwicklung Städte(UM)bau IFEST e.U.

Third Party Providers

• KDZ – Center for Administrative Research
• Interactives OG
• Wolfgang Gerlich, PlanSinn

and other experts.

Associated Partners

• Chamber of Architects and chartered Engineering
  Consultants, Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland

and so far:

• Two ministries
• Two universities

MArch Susan Kraupp, skstadtplanung&architektur
Mariahilfer Straße 93/1/14, 1060 Vienna
Tel.: +43(0) 676/7350134
E-Mail: office@skstadplanung.at
Web: www.skstadtplanung.at