Cities in Europe are grappling with common challenges: Housing shortage, climate impacts, demographic change, political polarization and social segregation. These issues highlight the need to learn from the diverse experiences across national borders. An increasing availability of urban data opens up vast opportunities for comparative analysis and political solutions. Yet, that potential is rarely used. In close collaboration with data journalists and visualization experts from Germany and various European cities, this course explores innovative formats that blend data visualization with interactive storytelling on urban matters. This is highly relevant, particularly in light of the current polycrisis – the accelerating entanglement of political, environmental, and societal issues. Data can help us disentangling how these criticalities manifest at the urban level and moving forward, how we can imagine the city of the future.

This course has a dual focus: Firstly, to promote critical thinking about the role of data in shaping our urban lives. Secondly, to enhance practical skills in preparing data, designing visualizations, and developing interactive stories. The lectures review some fundamentals of data visualization and urban transformation. Selected readings will spark discussions about contemporary research on urbanism, visualization, and data analysis – for example: the power of mapping for uncovering social problems. Students will contribute brief method inputs on tools and theories they deem especially useful for their projects. The central question is: how can data visualization of urban issues contribute to create new visions for the city of the future? Students of interface design and urban futures will form interdisciplinary teams to pursue projects at the intersection of data visualization and urban transformation.

Please note: The class will be taught in English. All communication during the seminars as well as literature and auxiliary materials will be in English.