Centre for the Just City — TU Delft
Planning is
never
neutral.
A research, policy and education platform at TU Delft advancing spatial justice through critical research, teaching, and civic engagement.
to Manifesto Vol. 3
worldwide
publications
participants each July
§ 01 — About
A platform
for spatial
justice.
Founded at the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment at TU Delft, the Centre bridges theory and practice, fosters international collaborations, and contributes to policies and actions that make cities more equitable, sustainable, and inclusive.
We value academic excellence, diverse thought, and committed action. Our work cuts across disciplines, regions, and sectors: research, education, advisory work with governments and civil society, and a global network of scholars and practitioners.
§ 02 — What we do
Six modes
of practice.
Research & policy
Critical research and practical policy tools to advance spatial justice, democratic urbanism, and inclusive sustainability transitions.
Summer School & workshops
Each July, 100 students, scholars, practitioners, and activists gather at TU Delft to explore planning for fairer urban futures.
Manifesto series
A global platform and book series where participants reflect on urban injustice and articulate commitments for more just cities.
Open educational resources
Freely accessible teaching materials, frameworks, and tools that support critical urban education and practice worldwide.
Networks
Connecting researchers, governments, practitioners, and civil society organisations to exchange knowledge and build alliances.
Advisory work
Supporting public institutions and community organisations in developing more equitable, democratic, and responsive urban policies.
§ 03 — Mission
Spatial planning is never neutral.
Across the world, growing inequality, democratic backsliding, ecological collapse, displacement, and the privatisation of urban life are reshaping cities and regions. These pressures are spatial. They are produced through housing systems, infrastructure networks, mobility regimes, environmental risk allocation, and the uneven distribution of visibility and political voice.
Planning decisions shape who belongs, who benefits, who participates, and who is pushed aside.
Our mission is to advance spatial justice through critical research, education, policy development, and civic engagement, while strengthening democratic and inclusive approaches to urban transformation.
Grounded in the principles of distributive, procedural, and recognitional justice, the Centre promotes forms of planning and governance that expand democratic participation, recognise diverse ways of inhabiting the city, and improve equitable access to housing, infrastructure, opportunity, care, and collective life.
§ 04 — Values
Five commitments.
-
01
Spatial Justice
Cities and regions must distribute opportunities, resources, visibility, and risks more fairly, while recognising the dignity, agency, and political presence of all communities.
-
02
Democratic Participation
Inclusive and meaningful participation in planning and decision-making. Just urban futures can only be built through collective democratic processes.
-
03
Pluralism and Recognition
Diverse ways of living, knowing, and inhabiting space. We amplify voices, experiences, and territorial practices that are often excluded or marginalised.
-
04
Critical Inquiry & Public Engagement
Rigorous, critical, and publicly engaged research that bridges theory and practice and contributes to transformative social and spatial change.
-
05
Care & Collective Responsibility
Cities organised around care, solidarity, and shared responsibility, supporting human flourishing, ecological sustainability, and collective wellbeing.
“We need cities that are life-giving, rather than profit-making.”
Prof. Faranak Miraftab — University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
§ 05 — Explore
Resources
& tools.
Open-access platforms, interactive tools, and curated collections built to support researchers, educators, practitioners, and students working on spatial justice worldwide.
A searchable, open-access collection of publications, reports, videos, teaching frameworks, and policy tools on spatial justice from around the world.
An interactive world map of partner universities, researchers, and institutions advancing spatial justice across 110+ countries and five continents.
The Centre’s flagship platform and book series — 1,500 + students have articulated their commitments to just cities across four volumes and counting.
A curated open-educational package: key texts, conceptual frameworks, case studies, and teaching tools for anyone approaching spatial justice for the first time.
An interactive, searchable glossary of spatial justice concepts — each definition authored and attributed to a leading scholar in the field.
A visual reference tool mapping the core concepts of spatial justice — designed to be used in research, teaching, and public debate.
An archive of Master’s theses and graduation projects from across the globe, exploring spatial justice across 13 countries and six graduation years.
Ongoing doctoral research at the Centre — profiles of current PhD candidates and their projects on governance, planning, and spatial justice.
§ 06 — Position paper
World Urban
Forum 2026.
The Centre’s submission to the World Urban Forum 2026. Read the full document below or download for offline reading.
§ 07 — Latest
From the blog.
TOO BIG TO FAIL: WE NEED A RESCUE PLAN FOR DEMOCRACY
by Roberto Rocco Remember 2008, when we were told banks were too big to fail? Even though they were the ultimate culprits for the financial crisis, generous rescue plans were rapidly drawn. So much for the minimum State and non-interference in the economy. We are now facing the reality of a democracy that is “too…
Power, Awards, and the Neglected Ground: A Reflection on “Majara” and the Aga Khan Award Nima Tabrizi Architect | Urban Researcher+ Stroller September 4, 2025 Photo: Majara by ZAV Architects [photo by Deed Studio, taken from the.akdn] // A community-oriented layout for what community? My fellow Iranian architects have won the Aga Khan Award. Is…
MANIFESTO FOR THE JUST CITY 2025
Registrations open! REGISTRATIONS OPEN FOR THE 6th CALL FOR A MANIFESTO FOR THE JUST CITY 2025! REGISTER HERE The Delft University of Technology Centre for the Just City is proud to announce the call for the Manifesto for the Just City workshop, now in its sixth edition. This is an engaging digital lecture and debate series featuring…
Centre for the Just City
Dedicated to pursuing social justice through the lens of urban development.
Contact
Centre for the Just City
Department of Urbanism
Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment
Delft University of Technology
Julianalaan 134, 2628BL, Delft
e-mail: justcitycentre-bk@tudelft.nl
Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm CET
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