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New and experimental research methods to understand and co-steer processes of spatial transformation are called for. From the perspective of designing urban landscapes this paper draws a connection between Research through Design and transformative science. (Urban) landscapes constantly undergo (spatial) transformation, and not only have landscape architects always dealt with perpetual change, they increasingly often catalyze it. Designing is an integrative activity and the central means of the discipline to understand issues and draw up possible solutions. Furthermore, design often reaches out to other disciplines, involves multiple participants, and can be paradigm shifting. Research through Design is an increasingly acknowledged approach in landscape architectural research. With regard to the procedures, characteristics and goals of knowledge production, this paper presents commonalities between Research through Design and transformative research, highlighting the integrative and projective nature of designing. In conclusion, I suggest positioning Research through Design among the methods of transformative research.

New and experimental research methods to understand and co-steer processes of spatial transformation are called for. From the perspective of designing urban landscapes this paper draws a connection between Research through Design and transformative science. (Urban) landscapes constantly undergo (spatial) transformation, and not only have landscape architects always dealt with perpetual change, they increasingly often catalyze it. Designing is an integrative activity and the central means of the discipline to understand issues and draw up possible solutions. Furthermore, design often reaches out to other disciplines, involves multiple participants, and can be paradigm shifting. Research through Design is an increasingly acknowledged approach in landscape architectural research. With regard to the procedures, characteristics and goals of knowledge production, this paper presents commonalities between
Research through Design and transformative research, highlighting the integrative and projective nature of designing. In conclusion, I suggest positioning Research through Design among the methods of transformative research.

Was kann unter räumlicher Transformation verstanden werden, wie "zeigt" sie sich und wodurch zeichnen sich Transformationsprozesse eigentlich aus? Dieser Forschungsbericht setzt an diesen Fragen an und stellt aktuelle Forschungsprojekte und Herangehensweisen aus wissenschaftlicher und (planungs-)praktischer Perspektive dar. Ein zentraler Bezugspunkt ist dabei der Begriff der "Großen Transformation", der einem Gutachten des Wissenschaftlichen Beirats der Bundesregierung Globale Umweltveränderungen (WBGU) entlehnt ist. Das Gutachten stellt die künftig notwendig werdenden tiefgreifenden Veränderungen von Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft in Richtung Nachhaltigkeit heraus und beschreibt sie als "Große Transformation". Hiernach manifestieren sich gesellschaftliche Umbrüche auch im Raum, sodass raumrelevante Veränderungen als räumliche Transformationen gefasst werden können. Unklar bleibt jedoch, was im Detail unter Prozessen räumlicher Transformation zu verstehen ist und in welchen Erscheinungsformen sie auftreten. Vor dem Hintergrund dieses Forschungsbedarfes widmet sich der Forschungsbericht konkreten Fragestellungen der Erforschung und Gestaltung räumlicher Transformationsprozesse. Ziel ist es, das weitgehend ungeordnete Wissen zu Prozessen der räumlichen Transformation zu systematisieren und einen Beitrag zu einem gemeinsamen Begriffsverständnis zu leisten, das eine Grundlage für die weitergehende Erforschung und Steuerung dieser Prozesse sein kann. Wie räumliche und gesellschaftliche Transformationsprozesse sich wechselseitig bedingen und welche Chancen und Herausforderungen inter- und transdisziplinäre Forschungsdesigns in diesem Zusammenhang bieten, zeigen die Beiträge zu folgenden Themenlinien auf: Perspektiven auf Transformationsprozesse, Sozial- und Siedlungsstrukturen im Wandel, Regionalentwicklung und Innovation, Transformationsprozesse im sogenannten Globalen Süden, Neue Herausforderungen für Planung, Prozesse und Akteure, Forschen zur Transformation. Die Beiträge zu theoretischen, methodischen und praktischen Ansätzen sollen eine kritische Diskussion zum Thema "Räumliche Transformation" anregen, die offen für neue, fachübergreifende Perspektiven ist. ; What can be understood by spatial transformation, how does it "show" itself and what are the characteristics of transformation processes? The research report addresses these questions and presents current research projects and approaches from a scientific and (planning-)practical perspective. A central point of reference is the term "Great Transformation", which derives from a report by the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU). It outlines the profound changes in the economy and society towards sustainability that will become necessary in the future and describes them as a "Great Transformation". Accordingly, social upheavals also manifest themselves in space, thus enabling spatial changes to be understood as spatial transformations. However, it remains unclear what is to be understood in detail by processes of spatial transformation and in which manifestations they occur. Against the background of this need for (further) research, the research report is addressing concrete issues in the research and design of spatial transformation processes. The aim is to systematize the largely disordered knowledge of processes of spatial transformation and to contribute to a common understanding of terms, which can form the basis for further research and control of these processes. The contributions on the following topic lines show how spatial and social transformation processes are mutually dependent and what opportunities and challenges interand transdisciplinary research designs offer in this context: Perspectives on transformation processes, Changing social and settlement structures, Regional development and innovation, Transformation processes in the so-called Global South, New challenges for planning, processes and stakeholders, Research on transformation. The contributions to theoretical, methodological and practical approaches are intended to stimulate a critical discussion on the topic of spatial transformation that is open to new, interdisciplinary perspectives.

What can be understood by spatial transformation, how does it manifest itself and what are the characteristics of transformation processes? This Research Report addresses these questions and presents current research projects and approaches from an academic and practical (planning) perspective. A central point of reference is the concept of a "Great Transformation", which stems from an expert report by the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU). It outlines the profound changes in the economy and society towards sustainability that will become necessary in the future, describing them as a "Great Transformation". Likewise, social upheavals also manifest themselves in space, enabling spatial changes to be understood as spatial transformations. However, on a detailed level it remains unclear what is to be understood by spatial transformation processes and how they manifest themselves. Against the background of this need for (further) research, this Research Report addresses concrete issues in the research and shaping of spatial transformation processes. The aim is to systematise the largely unordered or disordered knowledge of spatial transformation processes and to contribute to a common understanding of the associated concepts, which can form the basis for further research and for the steering of these processes. The articles on the following topics show how spatial and social transformation processes are mutually dependent and what opportunities and challenges inter- and transdisciplinary research designs can offer in this context: Perspectives on transformation processes; Social and settlement structures in change; Regional development and innovation; Transformation processes in the so-called Global South; New challenges for planning, processes and stakeholders; Research on transformation. The contributions to theoretical, methodological and practical approaches are intended to stimulate a critical discussion on spatial transformation that is open to new, interdisciplinary perspectives.

Was kann unter räumlicher Transformation verstanden werden, wie "zeigt" sie sich und wodurch zeichnen sich Transformationsprozesse eigentlich aus? Dieser Forschungsbericht setzt an diesen Fragen an und stellt aktuelle Forschungsprojekte und Herangehensweisen aus wissenschaftlicher und (planungs-)praktischer Perspektive dar. Ein zentraler Bezugspunkt ist dabei der Begriff der "Großen Transformation", der einem Gutachten des Wissenschaftlichen Beirats der Bundesregierung Globale Umweltveränderungen (WBGU) entlehnt ist. Das Gutachten stellt die künftig notwendig werdenden tiefgreifenden Veränderungen von Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft in Richtung Nachhaltigkeit heraus und beschreibt sie als "Große Transformation". Hiernach manifestieren sich gesellschaftliche Umbrüche auch im Raum, sodass raumrelevante Veränderungen als räumliche Transformationen gefasst werden können. Unklar bleibt jedoch, was im Detail unter Prozessen räumlicher Transformation zu verstehen ist und in welchen Erscheinungsformen sie auftreten. Vor dem Hintergrund dieses Forschungsbedarfes widmet sich der Forschungsbericht konkreten Fragestellungen der Erforschung und Gestaltung räumlicher Transformationsprozesse. Ziel ist es, das weitgehend ungeordnete Wissen zu Prozessen der räumlichen Transformation zu systematisieren und einen Beitrag zu einem gemeinsamen Begriffsverständnis zu leisten, das eine Grundlage für die weitergehende Erforschung und Steuerung dieser Prozesse sein kann.

A transdisciplinary case study focuses on a particular phenomenon in its social, cultural, economic and ecological context. Transdisciplinary means, first of all, that people from different fields - such as science, administration, art or business - conduct research together on socially relevant problems, learn from each other and develop interventions. Cases can be understood as boundary objects, which allow participants' perspectives to be identified and discussed. An approach to transdisciplinary research that is sensitive to differences can help to better understand and shape spatial transformation processes. In-between spaces that exist between disciplines, sectors, fields of work and living environments offer the potential to examine spatial processes from different perspectives and to question what is usually taken for granted as well as non-sustainable ways of thinking and acting. The conceptual contributions are illustrated using examples from a transdisciplinary case study in the district of Oldenburg with actors from science, art, the regional administration and civil society.

This article critically examines the new guiding concept of transformation in the spatial sciences with regard to its underlying narrative - namely the Anthropocene. Without such an examination, spatial science research might contribute to apolitical, spatially undifferentiated and Eurocentric governance and transformation research. Hence, I propose to place political aspects and questions of power more firmly in the focus of theoretical, methodological and empirical interest and to take up a general perspective of inequality. Plurality and diversity (from a social and spatial perspective as well as with regard to knowledge production) therefore become the central transverse dimensions of governance and transformation research, which should essentially be reflexive.

At the conference on 'Spatial Transformation: Processes, Concepts and Research Designs', a number of local and regional case studies from spatial research were presented alongside research papers about transformation processes conducted in the so-called Global South. This short article offers a reflection on the role of research ethics and their potentially transformative power within such contexts. First, the article argues that within research projects conducted by researchers from the socalled Global North in the Global South, a critical self-reflection of ones' own position is necessary, as the researcher will inevitably be confronted with various ethical, logistical, and political challenges. Second, it is argued that it is precisely these challenges that enable critical self-reflection and the development of a transformative potential at the personal, institutional, project and output level. Research on spatial transformations may benefit from such ethico-political moments as those proposed by the social scientist Vinay Gidwani to achieve a deeper level of ethical self-reflection and perhaps a transformation on the level of knowledge production.

A Great Transformation from fossil-based unsustainability to post-fossil sustainable development is on the horizon. This article provides an introduction to the research and debate on the sustainability transformation, with a special focus on the spatial dimension. Examples of current approaches and research are presented. Spatially orientated transformation research requires a view of the temporal processes.

This article uses research in relation to the provision of public services and infrastructures to support the thesis that primarily one particular perspective on space - namely a material or quantifying perspective - is reflected in current empirical research. The article thus proposes the use of the concept of relational space by Martina Löw (2001) in empirical research to improve our empirical understanding of the space relevant for local people. To conclude, potential insights gained are outlined on the basis of the conceptualisation of a study of private colleges in rural areas in Germany.

This article summarises the results and findings of a study of young people in the slums of Nairobi based on participatory research methods. The study investigated the engagement of these young people, as a civil society that is growing in strength, and their contribution to a spatial transformation of the district in question.

Limiting the anthropogenic environmental impact as part of the 'great transformation' is one of the central challenges of our time. However, ambitions to broaden sustainable ways of living are at odds with the consumeristic self-image of Western societies. In order to initiate a transformation, practices of sufficiency, which can already be found in nascent forms, can be used as exemplars for shaping social innovation processes. Based on alternative concepts of housing and living, resourcesaving lifestyles which diverge from established ways of living can be identified. These can lead to mental infrastructures that motivate alternative lifestyles, as well as the need for infrastructures that enable sufficiency.