DREAMS (DREAMS) May 2021 until April 2023

The aim in DREAMS is the development of an integrated approach for participatory scenario development that anticipates the future development of informal settlements in African cities (Ghana, Uganda, South Africa).

Our transdisciplinary research project seeks to create new sustainability pathways for African cities and contribute to building partnerships for achieving the UN SDGs, and address this through a strong, cross-continental partnership (SDG 17). We partner up with researchers from Africa, Germany and US and combine expertise from natural and social sciences who bring in experience on urban planning processes and methods that embrace Charettes as a key participatory approach for addressing particular local hotspots, where the cooperation between communities and planners is particularly needed. We include also experiences how to connect planning with actions through integrated urban development concepts that support prioritizing spatially and thematically where and how to overcome key problems in existing and developing informal settlements. DREAMS aims also at developing an integrated approach for participatory scenario modelling, impact assessment and integrated strategic urban planning.