- ##### [School of Architecture and Planning, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa](https://www.wits.ac.za/soap/)


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- ##### [Habitat Unit, Institute of Architecture, Technische Universität Berlin, Germany](https://habitat-unit.de/)

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- ##### [Centre for Housing and Sustainable Development, University of Lagos, Nigeria](https://chsd.unilag.edu.ng/)


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Principal Investigators

Recent Publications

- [**Beyer, E.**, Elsner L., Hagemann A. & Misselwitz P. (2020). Infrastructures For Global Production in Ethiopia and Argentina, in: Haid, C., Million, A., Castillo Ulloa I. & Baur N. (Eds.). *Spatial Transformations: Kaleidoscopic Perspectives on the Refiguration of Spaces*. London: Routledge.](https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/oa-edit/10.4324/9781003036159-12/infrastructures-global-production-ethiopia-argentina-elke-beyer-lucas-andr%C3%A9s-elsner-anke-hagemann)

- [**Beyer, E.** & Hagemann A. (2020). Transnational Urban Spaces. Production locations of the global clothing industry in Ethiopia, in: Moretto L., Fisher A. & Faldi G. (Eds.). *African Cities Through Local Eyes. Experiments in Place-Based Planning and Design*, 191-214. Springer.](https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-84906-1_10)

- [**Beyer, E.** (2017). Die Aushandlung der Moderne im Zeichen des Kalten Kriegs: Sowjetische, Afghanische und Westliche Experten bei der Stadtplanung in Kabul in den 1960er Jahren. Penter, T. & Meier, E. (Eds.). *Sovietnam: Die Sowjetunion in Afghanistan 1979–1989*, 55–81. Paderborn: Schöningh.](https://brill.com/display/book/edcoll/9783657778850/BP000005.xml)






Links

Habitat Unit

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former Principle Investigator

**Elke Beyer** is a full professor for architectur theory at the University  professor at the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences in Dessau. She has been teaching at Habitat Unit from 2019 to 2023 and served as PI of the project from 2021 until 2023.  Habitat Unit in the summer term of 2021. Elke studied History and East European studies at the University of Cologne and University College London. In 2017, she received her doctoral degree for the dissertation, “Producing Socialist Urbanity. City centre planning in the Soviet Union in the 1960s”, at the Department of Architecture at ETH Zurich.

Elke Beyer’s research focuses on urban affairs in the socialist and post-socialist world, the histories of post-war modern architecture and urbanism, transnational practice and the transfer of knowledge and ideas. She was a researcher at the Institute of History and Theory of Architecture, ETH Zurich (2006-11), where she also taught on the master’s and bachelor’s courses in Architecture, at the Leibniz Institute for Society and Space, Erkner (2013-14), and at the project “Shrinking Cities”, Berlin (2002-06). She has a wide range of experiences from exhibitions and publishing in the field of urban research. 

Prof Elke Beyer

Elke Beyer

- [**Huchzermeyer, M.** (2022). Rethinking Urban Resettlement and Displacement From the Perspective of "Home" in the Interruption and Uncertainty Brought About by the COVID-19 Pandemic. In: Beier, R., Spire, A. & Bridonneau, M. (Eds.). *Urban Resettlements in the Global South – Lived Experiences of Housing and Infrastructure Between Displacement and Relocation*, 193-209. New York: Routledge.](https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003124559-10/rethinking-urban-resettlement-displacement-perspective-home-interruption-uncertainty-brought-covid-19-pandemic-marie-huchzermeyer)

- [**Huchzermeyer, M.** (2021). A Critical Lefebvrian Perspective on Planning in Relation to Informal Settlements in South Africa. *Town and Regional Planning*, 79, 44-554. ](https://doi.org/10.18820/2415-0495/trp79i1.6)

- [**Huchzermeyer, M.** (2020). Vibrancy and Instability: Grappling with Tension in the Densification Trajectory of Nairobi’s Multi-Storey Tenement Districts. In: Rubin, M., Todes, A., Harrison, P. & Appelbaum, A. (Eds.). *Densifying the City? Global Cases and Johannesburg*. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing.](https://doi.org/10.4337/9781789904949.00015)


ResearchGate

University of the Witwatersrand

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Principal Investigator

**Marie Huchzermeyer** is a Professor in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of the Witwatersrand. She teaches in the field of housing and urban studies. Her research and publications are on housing and informal settlement policy, private rental housing and the right to the city. The research has spanned South Africa, Brazil, Kenya and Germany. Marie is also the current Director of the Centre for Urbanism and Built Environment Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Prof Marie Huchzermeyer

Marie Huchzermeyer

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**Dr. Mfaniseni Fana** Sihlongonyane earned his DPhil from Oxford University, he has been the undergraduate convenor, the director of the Planning Programme twice (3 year terms) and a Postgraduate coordinator for the School of Architecture and Planning. He also served as a member as well as the alternative chair of the South African Council of Planners (professional body).He is the current chair of the Heads of Planning Schools in the country. His research interests spread over a wide range of theoretical, applied and policy arenas in the global as well as African realms of development. Over the years, he has published in areas of land reform, planning, spatial development, urban politics, local economic development, community development, and African city. 

Prof Mfaniseni Sihlongonyane

Mfaniseni Sihlongonyane

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Principal Investigator (on sabbatical)

**Philipp Misselwitz** is a professor at the Institute for Architecture of the Technische Universität Berlin. He was educated at Cambridge University and the Architectural Association London and received his PhD from Stuttgart University for research on socio-spatial development within urbanised refugee camps.

His current research focuses on user-driven urban development processes and co-production in housing in Europe and the Global South, rural urbanisation processes, translocal spatial production as well as transdisciplinary teaching methodologies in the urban design field. Since 2017, he is Visiting Professor at the School of Architecture and Planning, University of Witwatersrand Johannesburg in South Africa. He is currently managing director of the Bauhaus Earth, an interdisciplinary think-and-do tank working on the transformation of the built environment towards regenerative, circular and resource-efficient buildings and cities using bio-based materials. 





Prof Philipp Misselwitz

Philipp Misselwitz

- [**Lawanson, T.** (2021). Planning and Pentecostalism in the Spatial (Re-)Configuration of Lagos, Nigeria. Mohan, A. K., Pellissery. S. & Gómez Aristizábal, J. (Eds.). *Theorising Urban Development From the Global South*. London: Palgrave Macmillan.](https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82475-4_10)

- [Oni, T., **Lawanson, T.** & Mogo, E. (2021). The Case for Community-Based Approaches to Integrated Governance of Climate Change and Health: Perspectives from Lagos, Nigeria. *Journal of the British Academy*, 9(7).](https://doi.org/10.5871/jba/009s7.007)

- [Olajide, O., **Lawanson, T.** (2021). Urban Paradox and the Rise of the Neoliberal City: Case Study of Lagos, Nigeria. *Urban Studies*, 59(9), 1763-1781.](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00420980211014461)


Google Scholar

University of Lagos

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**Taibat Lawanson** is Professor of Urban Management and Governance at the University of Lagos, Nigeria  She holds a PhD in Urban and Regional Planning from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria. Her teaching and research focuses on the interface of social complexities, urban realities and the pursuit of spatial justice. She is well known for her inter-sectoral work which engages students, policy makers, local communities and civil society actors.

Prof Taibat Lawanson

Taibat Lawanson

Relevant networks and institutions

The Wits-TUB-UniLag Urban Lab and its members frequently collaborate with different organisations, institutions and universities in the organisation of events, teaching activities and the work on urban planning curricula. It also engages in pan-African networks for research and pedagogies. The project’s partners include global and regional networks and organisations as well as local planning entities and civil society organizations.



- ##### [African Urban Research Initiative (AURI)](https://africanurbanresearchinitiative.net/)


![auri.jpg](https://cms.urban-sdg-school.org/uploads/auri_b335bda839.jpg)

- ##### [Association of African Planning Schools (AAPS)](https://africanplanningschools.org.za/)

![aaps.jpg](https://cms.urban-sdg-school.org/uploads/aaps_f6c7f27963.jpg)


- ##### [Cities Alliance](https://www.citiesalliance.org/)

![cities_alliance.jpg](https://cms.urban-sdg-school.org/uploads/cities_alliance_a0467498f3.jpg)


- ##### [Global Platform for the Right to the City (GPR2C)](https://www.right2city.org/)

![right_to_the_city.jpg](https://cms.urban-sdg-school.org/uploads/right_to_the_city_1578883416.jpg)


- ##### [Habitat International Coalition (HIC)](https://www.hic-net.org/)

![hic.jpg](https://cms.urban-sdg-school.org/uploads/hic_28e7be46f3.jpg)


- ##### [UN-Habitat’s Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme (PSUP)](https://unhabitat.org/programme/the-participatory-slum-upgrading-programme-psup)

![un_habitat.jpg](https://cms.urban-sdg-school.org/uploads/un_habitat_1c50c2798f.jpg)



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The Wits-TUB-UniLag Urban Lab is a collaborative effort of the School of Architecture and Planning (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa), Habitat Unit (Institute of Architecture, Technische Universität Berlin, Germany) and the Centre for Housing and Sustainable Development (University of Lagos, Nigeria).
