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Spatial Planning as a discipline of Urbanism has changed drastically over the last decades and Shifting Sense describes these dynamics and identifies important themes for the future. The book consists of four parts: the first two parts are mainly retrospective, considering the relation between societal and spatial aspects, needs and conditions, and new technological developments. The third and fourth part present relevant starting points for the future: 'Networks' considers concrete concepts and instruments for urban planning and design, related to time-space questions; in 'Strategies' attention is paid to sustainable transformations to urbanised areas, including aspects of economic developments at a European and global scale.

The book reviews past, present and future perspectives of spatial planning. It shows its development as a discipline in the context of urban planning and design (urbanism), resulting in a comprehensive book which recaps and sets cornerstones for formulating future outlooks. It hopes to serve as an inspiration for the next generation of students, researchers, and practitioners.

Shifting Sense presents Spatial Planning and Urbanism from a Delft perspective. The editors are staff members of the Chair of Spatial Planning; the 29 contributions present an international selection of authors whose work has a relation to this Chair of Spatial Planning and Urbanism in Delft, and who, through their work, have contributed to the outlook that Delft has on Spatial Planning.

Moreover, within the context of urbanism, Spatial Planning at Delft is different from Chairs of the same name elsewhereThe authors of this book view space as a workable reality, rather than a mere social construction, geographical entity or tool. Thus they are not restrained by conventional lines of development and exploitation of space, but can work with an open mind, to invent new possibilities, meanings and uses of space. This latter is the core identity of the Faculty of Architecture (and Urban Design and Planning) of the Delft University of Technology.

-Professor Hans Beunderman, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, Delft
in the preface of Shifting Sense.