In their latest working paper, Tobias Chilla and Markus Lambracht examine the reasons for the success of regions within the 'Arbeitsgemeinschaft Alpenländer' (Arge Alp). The question is to what extent this success is due to the topography, and to what extent it is in spite of it. Their analysis is based on secondary demographic statistics, comparing areas belonging to the Alpine region as defined by the Alpine Convention with areas outside this region.
The results show that Arge Alp has estab...
In September, Markus Lambracht and Dominik Bertram attended the International Mountain Conference 2025 (#IMC25) in Innsbruck, which is one of the most important events in the field of interdisciplinary mountain research. Over the course of the four-day event, they actively contributed as conveners, presenters, and discussants in sessions that addressed the various challenges and opportunities of spatial development facing mountain regions today.
A particular highlight was the focus session “M...
Insights from Erlangen (Siemens) and Basel (Novartis)
Our latest research, published in Raumforschung und Raumordnung | Spatial Research and Planning, examines the urban integration of major company campuses, focusing on Siemens in Erlangen and Novartis in Basel. We identify key challenges and conditions for successfully embedding such campuses into existing urban dynamics.
The literature on large-scale urban development projects often focuses on drastic failures and their causes. Recently, ho...
The InTerAlp project (Jan-Nov 2024), funded by ESPON EGTC examined interface territories across the Alpine region. Alpine ‘interface territories’ are a highly relevant and interesting spatial category. By linking mountainous and inner-Alpine areas with pre-Alpine lowlands, they are a very specific territorial type: Highly dynamic flows and interdependencies as well as controversial stakeholder interests meet in a rather limited spatial framework. Organizing sustainable spatial development in thi...
A new report by Tobias Chilla, Hannah Paul, Dominik Bertram and Markus Lambracht brings together important arguments towards an Alpine Spatial Development Perspective (ASDP). This synthesis report brings together three input papers focusing on sectoral perspectives, namely transport & connectivity, green infrastructure and economic development. This process was initiated by the Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development Working Group of the Alpine Convention.
The document summarises the...
Urban networks play a crucial role for spatial development in mountain regions. Efficient settlement systems are an important basis for a good quality of life. Effective spatial organization of urban functions can improve overall economic, social and environmental development.
A variety of obstacles, including relief and altitude, demographic change, and cross-border barriers, complicate spatial development efforts in mountain areas. Settlement systems assume a vital function in addressing th...
Viele Facetten der europäischen Integration werden an den Binnengrenzen Europas besonders deutlich. Das vom Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung geförderte Projekt ‚Cohesion in Border Regions (CoBo)‘ hat die Organisation des Zusammenhalts in den Grenzregionen Deutschlands mit seinen Nachbarländern untersucht und bestehende Potenziale ausgelotet (Laufzeit 2021 bis 2023).
Die unterschiedlichen Governance-Strukturen der Grenzregionen, ihre Themen, Herausforderungen und Potenziale und die ...
Qualitatives Process-Tracing: Ländliche Digitalisierungsprozesse als Beitrag zu sozialen Innovationen – und was wir anhand sogenannter ‚Critical Junctures‘ (Wendepunkte) lernen können.
Die neue Publikation von Carola Sommer und Tobias Chilla gemeinsam mit Lisa Birnbaum und Stephan Kröner (Lehrstuhhl für Empirische Bildungsforschungs, FAU) liefert eine vergleichende Perspektive auf vier ländliche Digitalsierungsprojekte. Basierend auf Fallstudien in Bayern, Niedersachsen, Sachsen und dem Most...
Cities and their networks play an important role in spatial development. This is true for settlement systems in general, and there is no reason why this should be different in mountain contexts. However, research on this topic is scarce, and it remains a relatively niche topic.
In our latest article, we present a scoping review of settlement systems in mountain regions. We reflect on thematic foci, temporal developments, and regional differences in the global scientific debate. The paper is p...
A short new article in the ESPON magazine TerritoriALL: Dominik Bertram and Tobias Chilla reflect on ‘roles beyond size’ of small towns in the European Alps. Providing equitable access to services of general interest (SGI) is an explicit objective of the EU Territorial Agenda 2030. Especially in mountain regions, ensuring fair accessibility to SGI is a significant challenge due to low population density and topographical barriers.
The TerritoriALL article refers the concept of Population Catc...
