Environmental justice through superblocks? A geospatial analysis of Berlin's Kiezblock initiatives

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

In urban planning, superblocks evolve as a concept that prioritizes liveability in urban spaces. The concept aims to reduce individual motorized transport while enhancing the quality of public spaces and is thus associated with improving health-related aspects. However, this paper asks whether superblocks emerge in those neighbourhoods that are environmentally the most disadvantaged and thus most in need of such an improvement. By using the distributional layer of environmental justice as a lens, the paper explores the spatiality of superblocks. We use Berlin and its 69 superblock initiatives (called Kiezblocks) as a case study to analyse whether these initiatives contribute to a more environmentally just city. We do so by joining data on environmental justice with the spatial distribution of superblocks, based on an existing environmental justice mapping tool. Our study shows parallels between the objectives of superblocks and environmental justice. There is a balanced distribution of Kiezblocks throughout the city, although they are more likely to be located in environmentally disadvantaged neighbourhoods. This study, therefore, insinuates that Kiezblocks indeed improve environmental justice in Berlin from a distributional perspective. However, a more strategic development of superblocks would be necessary to link such projects to each other and discuss lessons learnt.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Number of pages23
JournalGeografiska Annaler: Series B, Human Geography
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 10 Apr 2026
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 105035399054
ORCID /0000-0003-0488-7297/work/212492637

Keywords

DFG Classification of Subject Areas according to Review Boards

Keywords

  • Berlin, Kiezblocks, Stadtplanung, Superblocks, Umweltgerechtigkeit