The Association of European Schools of Planning (AESOP) held its 36th Annual Congress at the Sciences Po Paris. Each year, AESOP’s Annual Congress provides a significant platform for the exchange of knowledge and ideas in the fields of research, education, and practice in urban planning. With around 20 thematic tracks and distinguished keynote speakers, the Paris Congress brought a key question on the multitude of ongoing transitions: what exactly constitutes a “Game Changer? Planning for Just and Sustainable Urban Regions.” This question is particularly pertinent given the increasing uncertainty in long-term planning processes. Therefore, there is a growing need to reevaluate conventional methods, as global externalities and complex local changes challenge traditional planning approaches.

Technische Universität Darmstadt was represented by two scholars from the Chair of Land Management under the auspicious of Prof. Hans-Joachim Linke.

M.Sc. Laura Mato Julcamoro delves into the changing landscape of German urban districts. Her study emphasizes the ongoing amendments to Germany’s Building Code, which aims to prioritize inner-city development and create resource-efficient, resilient urban areas. At the heart of her work is the concept of land readjustment, which needs changes to remain effective in achieving development goals, including the need for local heating networks, wastewater reuse plants, and affordable housing. To address these challenges, Mato Julcamoro employs a methodology that combines expert interviews with an analysis of international land readjustment practices. This approach allows her to develop political action options aimed at strengthening and enhancing the usage of the legally bidding planning instrument.

Dr. Felipe Francisco De Souza’s comprehensive research explores the profound impact of critical junctures on land readjustment practices, offering a nuanced comparative analysis of projects in Frankfurt, Germany, and Nagoya, Japan. He traces the historical evolution of these practices from their roots in the Prussian’s 1902 Lex Adickes and Japan’s 1919 City Planning Law. The initial selection of disruptions hypothesized to change the course of institutions and produce legacies was the Japanese Asset Price Bubble (1986–1991) and the German Reunification Process (1990). He employs a multi-dimensional methodology that combines archival data analysis with statistical interpretation to reveal the long-term effects of economic downturns on land readjustment projects. De Souza’s findings illuminate the adaptability of land readjustment practices to changing socioeconomic realities, demonstrating that economic crises can lead to extended project durations, increased financial burdens on stakeholders, and notable shifts in the proportional distribution of costs and benefits. These findings simultaneously highlight the flexibility of land readjustment as a strategy that evolves in response to changing circumstances, rather than remaining a static model.