Paper short abstract:

Future spatial planning guidance on how to urbanise without abandoning agricultural productivity in Luxembourg will be made through two composite "envelopes": one for tracing optimum densification trajectories, and one for optimum allocation of agricultural land.

Paper long abstract:

The challenges of urbanisation, the decline of arable land and the rise in climate uncertainty across the world raise concerns about food security for a booming global population. One key to meeting this challenge is the exploration of alternative scenarios of densification in the built environment without giving up productive agricultural land. This talk reflects on work undertaken as part of a PhD research project on the territory of Luxembourg, which is highlighted as an example because of the extreme contradiction between its economic, political and environmental performance. The study aims to explore the future of spatial development in Luxembourg through two composite "envelopes": one for tracing optimum densification trajectories, and one for optimum allocation of agricultural land. It thus explores alternative land-use scenarios, responding to (i) the country's intensive population and economic patterns and (ii) its unsustainable spatial materialisations that affect the agricultural landscape. The research accentuates a multi-scalar nature by articulating three components:

(1) The development of a hybrid landscape classification through the investigation of a landscape suitability analysis of a development and soil capacity index. (2) The identification of sustainable and ecological criteria that go beyond conventional dichotomies of existing fabrics. Based on that, Luxembourg will be re-mapped to uncover new potential areas for optimised urban development without giving up productive agricultural land. (3) Eventually, the research will explore future land-use scenarios for productive agro-urban landscapes with alternative typologies for future growth projections.

Contributions will be made by providing spatial planning guidance on how to urbanise without abandoning agricultural productivity in Luxembourg.