Order without design: How markets shape cities

Commentary and book review by Jens Kuhn, November 2021

Abstract

During the many years of working in the field of Planning and Housing at municipal level, I often had flashes of insight that I classified as ‘realistic’, those being a reappraisal of the very specific situation on which I am working from a ‘land market’ point of view. Whether it was working at shielding urban agricultural land from use-change; building low-cost (and restitution) housing in District Six, or, fighting to retain low-income families in gentrifying areas, at the back of my head there was always a sense that after us officials have left said flashpoint, ‘markets’ will undo it all again. In fact, markets will return urban form back to what is ‘normal’ under capitalism.