The chair of urban design, led by Prof. Fabienne Hoelzel investigates contemporary urbanization processes and how (strategic) urban design approaches can respond in meaningful, productive, and future-oriented ways. Case studies through the means of research-by-design and research include the urban regions of Lagos (Nigeria); Addis Abeba, Hawassa, and Zeway (Ethiopia); Mumbai (India); Stuttgart and the region of the Allgäu (Germany), among others.
The staff and the projects of the chair of urban design were awarded several prizes and stipends, for instance the outcomes of the urban design studios “Mumbai. Urban Metabolism” and “Stuttgart 22+” were awarded the 3rd prize at Global Schindler Award 2019, the first prize (ex aequo) with special appreciation at the Studentenförderpreis 2019 of the Architektenkammer Baden-Württemberg, the 3rd prize at the Bau 2018/ BAKA, Berlin, and were shortlisted for the Bau 2019/ BAKA, Munich, respectively. The chair maintains institutionalized academic partnership with the ECL-EiABC-AAU, Addis Abeba (Ethiopia), and the University of Lagos, Nigeria. Project partners include the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Nigeria, the Goethe-Institute Addis Abeba, the Moovel-Lab (subs. Daimler AG), the DAAD, and the Architekturforum Allgäu, among others. The chair collaborates closely, continuously and in various, ongoing projects with the ABK degree programs in communication design and in industrial design.