A 4-dimensional model and combined methodological approach to inclusive Urban planning and design for ALL

Due to the emerging complexity of cities, this paper argues for a holistic, integrative and relational approach to more inclusive city planning and design to fit the needs of citizens with diverse impairments. It proposes and tests a new theoretical model called the combined methodological approach (CMA). The backbone of this model is an often-overlooked qualitative, bottom-up-driven, slow, small and deep-data-oriented ethnographic research, combined with components or phases of post-occupancy evaluation and behavioural mapping as two user-oriented techniques for assessing usage-space relationships. The paper is rather theoretical, as it focuses on the argumentation of different approaches in city planning, design and governance. However, tests of the proposed model were conducted in public open spaces of four pilot cases in two European cities (Maribor and Ljubljana, in Slovenia). The proposed CMA was tested against its applicability to real urban environments. The results, in accordance with the methodology used, showed that such a combination of often closely related, overlapping and complementary techniques can significantly enhance the understanding of complex relations and interactions between people, space and technology within the city. Hence, it can empower stakeholders towards more informative and responsive measures – and, finally, more inclusive, individualized, tailor-made cities.