What influence do new media have on active participation and involvement in the city? How can planning be democratically legitimized? What are the challenges faced by planning law and procedures, as a result of the increasingly vocalized requests for participation? And in what ways can and should citizens’ contributions complement the knowledge of experts? The involvement of civil society is a synonym for the willingness to shape the living environment, therefore it is increasingly becoming a permanent feature of politics and planning. Volume 6 of the IBA series discusses the opportunities brought by this development and its consequences for the future of cities. Practical examples afford insight into the planning and participation methods of several German cities and world regions. The experiences IBA Hamburg have had with very varied participation models, commented on from a range of perspectives, form a central point of focus.
Lastly, it is about the relationship between planners and politicians on the one hand and citizens on the other, and how the planning procedures should adapt to the constantly changing social circumstances in a forward-looking and innovative way.