The contributions presented are reflecting the ongoing efforts to redefine the discipline of urbanism under globally changing conditions. The conditions of urban development are changing rapidly; technological transformations, new transportation and distribution systems, communication technologies, globalisation and environment problems all cause new challenges. The planning of the future can no longer be based on the certainty of programs and conditions. Instead, the planner is confronted with changing conditions and shifting programs. In this framework, more than before, design approaches will be pivotal. Exploratory research, the reflexive exploration of spatial potentials and the integration of design methods in spatial research will become a key issue for the scientific development of the discipline. The Delft University of Technology intensified and enlarged the research in the field of urban transformation and sustainability and new issues and methodological approaches were discussed in order to develop new research collaborations. With this publication, a broader public has the opportunity to deal with this debate.