Design in the planning arena : how regional designing influences strategic spatial planning

Regional designing is a form of spatial design that engages with the future physical form and arrangement of regions, including its aesthetic appearances and how it can come about. As such it is closely entangled with spatial planning. This thesis studies the influence of regional designing on strategic spatial planning and how this influence is realized. From the case studies, four categories of influence emerge: regional designing influences 1) the aims, 2) the process and 3) the conditions of spatial planning, and it can impact 4) the planning and design disciplines. However, not every regional design effort has similar effects. Regional designing is highly responsive to its context. The expertise of the designer, the interaction with stakeholders, and the context in which regional designing is embedded, are critical factors, making the design process the breeding ground for the influence of regional designing.