This research offers a critical reassessment of Chilean urbanism through the integration of territorial memory and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) of Indigenous peoples. From an interdisciplinary perspective that bridges urbanism, anthropology, history, and ecology, it explores how Indigenous communities have inhabited and understood the land for millennia, in contrast to the colonial, extractive, and technocratic logics that have dominated in recent centuries. The thesis argues that incorporating these perspectives is not a symbolic gesture, but a fundamental strategy for confronting climate change, building territorial resilience, and responding to natural disasters from a situated, contextual, and relational viewpoint.
Through the concept of radical spatial imagination, it proposes a methodological framework to envision and project more just and sustainable urban futures, rooted in reciprocity with nature. This proposal challenges the dominant narratives of modern urbanism and disaster management, promoting a paradigm shift: from viewing territory as a resource to understanding it as a living being.
Accordingly, planning, design, and public policy must evolve toward practices that recognize the land as an extension of collective identity, fostering a mode of inhabiting that is conscious, restorative, and deeply connected to ancestral territorial knowledge.

The emission of CO2 is a significant contributor to global warming, with the mobility sector being a major source. The EU has set a goal to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, requiring substantial CO2 reduction efforts, particularly in densely populated regions like the Rhine-Delta (RDR). This region’s extensive mobility network, serving both urban and global trade needs, generates significant CO2 emissions.
To address this, a research initiative aims to make the Rhine-Delta’s mobility network CO2-neutral by 2050 through reimagining its design and operations. The focus lies on peri-urban areas, where urban and rural landscapes intersect. These areas are essential for economic and social functions but are currently reliant on polluting road transportation.
The research identifies the need to rethink connectivity to peri-urban areas for sustainability. Traditional urban-focused transportation concepts often overlook peri-urban needs. Therefore, the initiative proposes developing context-based mobility nodes tailored to peri-urban requirements. These nodes aim to promote sustainable transportation and enhance network efficiency.
The approach involves creating an interconnected network of such nodes throughout the Rhine-Delta region, addressing the specific needs of lower-density areas like peri-urban zones. By considering local contexts, these nodes can effectively serve peri-urban areas, promoting sustainable transportation practices.
To demonstrate the feasibility of this approach, the research zooms in on a representative area within the Rhine-Delta region, focusing on peri-urban patches around Arnhem-Nijmegen. By showcasing how context-based mobility nodes can be implemented in such areas, the research seeks to pave the way for a broader transition towards a CO2-neutral mobility network by 2050.
In conclusion, the research aims to transform the Rhine-Delta’s mobility landscape by making it CO2-neutral through the implementation of sustainable transportation solutions tailored to peri-urban areas. By recognizing and addressing the unique challenges and opportunities presented by peri-urban zones, the initiative seeks to contribute significantly to the EU’s climate neutrality goal by 2050.