Eva Krings

This paper explores how migrants’ communities shape and contest their urban spaces, focusing on Aachen. The primary objective of this research was to capture the cultural urban change in migrants’ settings. It further contributes to building an insight into the various urban typologies strengthened by migrants’ settings, which could have implications on the urban fabric of the city, thus adding value to socially inclusive development. Qualitative approaches in identifying a street taxonomy were adopted in this paper. An in-depth analysis encompassing narrations behind urban layouts, behavioral patterns, and typological distinctions was made to highlight the differences within the setting. Notably, a pivotal aspect of this study is the endeavor to underscore the constructive, yet frequently underappreciated contributions made by migrants to the dynamics and development of urban areas. Therefore, more attention shall be given to the urban layouts contributing to more socially cohesive communities in and around such settings. In doing so, this research makes a substantial contribution to the broader discourse surrounding urban resilience and the fluid planning strategies adopted by cities in response to evolving demographic landscapes.

Contemporary societies are increasingly embossed with migration. Multi-cultural and multi-ethnic communities often live side by side with host communities in cities all over the world. Significant efforts have been made to embrace the different challenges occurring at different levels, among which are the social structure and layout of such cities; however, challenges still prevail, and continue to showcase socially fragmented patches with significant relevance to everyday life. In this research, a qualitative approach will be adopted to investigate the qualities of life that hinder sound integration, and, therewith, call for new types of planning to overcome such challenges, such as fluid planning. Celebrating identities through integrating new ethnic economies in different settings has resulted in a stepping stone towards integrated solutions, leading to a more coherent and integrated community.