The aim of this approach is to consider how national urban planning traditions are shaped by conflict-related constraints during periods of escalation towards war and of occupation. National historiographies have long considered this period as a parenthesis in the circulation of ideas and models. In contrast to this approach, the perspective of the session involves an in-depth investigation of urban planning theories on a European scale, as well as an analysis of personal and institutional exchanges, technical transfers and expertises before and during World War II.

Session 69, specialist session

EAUH Congress, City Networks in Europe and Beyond

Argument

The session proposes a reflection on the evolutions of modern architecture and urbanism in times of conflict on the European continent, in a transnational perspective covering the period from 1937 to 1945.

The aim of this approach is to consider how national urban planning traditions are shaped by conflict-related constraints during periods of escalation towards war and of occupation. National historiographies have long considered this period as a parenthesis in the circulation of ideas and models. In contrast to this approach, the perspective of the session involves an in-depth investigation of urban planning theories on a European scale, as well as an analysis of personal and institutional exchanges, technical transfers and expertises before and during World War II. In this sense, we make the assumption that the war constituted a moment of acceleration for the establishment of legislative and technical frameworks for urban and regional planning, as well as the outcome of previously decided infrastructure programs. In addition, there is the construction of new infrastructure geared towards military logistics and passive defense.

The session aims to reconstruct the interactions in urban planning, between occupied nations and occupying nations, in light of the constraints of administrative apparatus and the war economy. Presentations may focus on specific projects and on different scales (cities, regions) as well as on trajectories of architects and urban planners or even military and repressions situations that manifest themselves in space. In order to measure the continuities, ruptures and compromises, we propose to go back to the start of the global conflict, with the 1937 World’s Fair in Paris as our anchor point, with its urban planning congresses and national pavilions exhibiting the major metropolitan plans (Paris region, Greater Berlin, Greater Moscow).

A number of research avenues can be explored:

• The importance given to urban and architectural modernism
• The effects and significance of foreign occupations
• Administrative, architectural and urban planning congresses
• Portraits of key actors and groups
• Architectural and urbanistic ruptures
• Completed as well as unfinished planned urban and infrastructure projects.

Submission guidelines

Candidates to present a paper or to participate in a roundtable must send the abstract of their proposal with no more than 450 words through the website: https://eauh2026.confnow.eu/ before October 22, 2025.

Each author can submit a maximum of one single-authored proposal, two co-authored proposals, or one-single authored and one co-authored paper.

Notification of acceptance is set for Friday December 5, 2025. 

Organizers

• Corinne Jaquand, ENSA Paris Belleville / IPRAUS
• Olivier Ratouis, Paris Nanterre University / UMR CNRS 7218 LAVUE / Société Française d’Histoire Urbaine (SFHU)
• Markus Tubbesing, Fachhochshule Potsdam Universität
• Jannik Noeske, Fachhoschule Potsdam Universität