Cursos / 1º Ciclo / Faculty of Architecture and Arts :: Architecture ( Integrated Master)

PLANEAMENTO REGIONAL E URBANO - 2025/2026

4º curricular year
Semestralidade: 2nd semester
ECTS: 2

Teachers

Leading Teacher: Prof. Doutora Patrícia Diogo
Assistant Professor: Prof. Doutora Patrícia Diogo

Class type and School hours

Teórico-prática : 2 Horas

Teaching Language

Portuguese

Main Aims/Objectives

The course on Regional and Urban Planning aims to develop a critical understanding of contemporary territorial planning processes as strategic, political, and multiscalar practices. It seeks to analyze planning models, instruments, and emerging paradigms, promoting an integrated, sustainable, and informed approach to territorial organization and governance.

Specific Aims/Objectives

The course aims to deepen knowledge of the foundations, strategies, and challenges of contemporary urban and regional planning. Students should understand the articulation between territorial scales, analyze public policies, governance and mobility models, and critically assess current paradigms of sustainability and inclusion in territorial planning.

Skills to be acquired

Students should acquire skills for the critical analysis of urban and regional planning, understanding the articulation between territorial scales, public policies, and planning instruments. The course aims to develop the ability to read and assess territorial strategies, governance models, mobility and sustainability frameworks, and to formulate informed technical positions regarding contemporary territorial challenges.

Teaching Procedures

The course adopts a theoretical-practical methodology, combining conceptual lectures with critical analysis of policies, instruments, and cases of urban and regional planning. Classes promote the reading and interpretation of texts, guided discussion, and the analysis of contemporary territorial contexts, fostering critical reflection on governance, sustainability, mobility, and multiscalar articulation.

Programme

The course on Regional and Urban Planning addresses the foundations, processes, and challenges of contemporary territorial planning, understanding it as a strategic, political, and multiscalar practice. The syllabus focuses on the critical analysis of urban and regional policies, governance models, and emerging paradigms related to sustainability, inclusion, and territorial resilience.
Part I – Contemporary planning and urban sustainability
Urban and regional planning within the context of contemporary transitions. Sustainability as a structuring principle of territorial policies. The Sustainable Development Goals and their application to urban planning. Integrated strategies for regeneration, resilience, and climate adaptation.
Part II – Mobility, governance, and territorial inclusion
Sustainable urban mobility and spatial planning. The relationship between accessibility, social equity, and spatial organization. Territorial governance, public participation, and collaborative planning. Planning as a process of mediation between public and private interests.
Part III – Metropolitan contexts and regional articulation
Specificities of planning in metropolitan areas. Metropolization processes, territorial fragmentation, and socio-spatial inequalities. Intermunicipal coordination, territorial cooperation, and regional policies. Analysis of Portuguese metropolitan contexts, with a focus on the Lisbon and Porto Metropolitan Areas.
Part IV – Emerging paradigms in urban planning
Critical analysis of contemporary territorial organization models. The 15-minute city: potential, limitations, and territorial impacts. Proximity, compactness, and quality of life. Risks of homogenization, exclusion, and gentrification resulting from uncritical application of urban paradigms.

Evaluation Type

Assessment is continuous and based on written tests and active class participation. Tests evaluate students’ critical understanding of theoretical content and their ability to articulate concepts, policies, and urban and regional planning processes. Participation is assessed through attendance, engagement in debates, and the quality of critical reflection developed throughout the semester.

Teaching Resources

Learning resources include reference bibliography, particularly the course core textbook, as well as scientific articles, public policy documents, and territorial planning instruments. Databases and digital platforms are used to support research, critical analysis, and understanding of contemporary urban and regional contexts.

Sustainability Objectives

Students are expected to integrate principles of sustainability, inclusion, and resilience into urban and regional planning, understanding the territorial impacts of public decisions. The course contributes to Sustainable Development Goal Nº 11 of the United Nations, fostering critical reflection on sustainable and equitable urban models.

Keywords

Urban Planning
Regional Planning
Territorial Governance
Sustainability
Mobility
Metropolitan Areas
15-Minute City

Main Bibliography

Complementary Bibliography