Modulverantwortung: Caroline Ting
Lehrteam: Caroline Ting
Assistant: Asiya Sharipova

On Polycentricity

Polycentricity has long been a key concept in debates on urbanization, regional development and spatial planning. In ‹Raumkonzept Schweiz›, it forms a central principle, which envisions parts of Switzerland as a network of towns, cities and regions rather than a system dominated by a few metropolitan areas. Yet polycentricity is more than a planning objective. It also provides a theoretical lens through which to understand how territories are organized, connected and transformed, shaping specific patterns of accessibility, everyday life, social relations and spatial organization. As infrastructures are planned and connections evolve, polycentricity raises fundamental questions about how architecture engages with territories whose character and development increasingly emerge through networks, interdependencies and spatial organization.

This module explores polycentricity from the perspective of architecture and urban theory. Through the discussion of key texts and critical analysis of the context of Central Switzerland, students will examine different concepts and interpretations of polycentric urban development and reflect on their implications for architectural and spatial practice. Particular attention will be given to the relationships between infrastructure, architecture and urban transformation. Using the evolving Central Swiss rail network as a case study, the module investigates how spatial connections contribute to the production of new spatial networks, relationships and emerging urban futures.