Prof. Jan Dieterle

Researcher role and contact

Professor of Sustainable Open Space and Urban Design

Research details

Research

Research impact statement

Jan Dieterle is Professor of Sustainable Open Space and Urban Design at Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences. His research and teaching focus on regenerative, ecosystem-based design strategies that foster climate adaptation, biodiversity, and social inclusion in urban transformation processes. Central to his approach is ecosystem-based design, which he implements in collaborative municipal projects and practice-oriented teaching formats.

Supported by external funding such as the GFB Future Prize and two contributions to the World Design Capital 2026, his work integrates design-oriented research, mapping projects, and transdisciplinary knowledge exchange.

With a strong practice-based orientation, Dieterle works closely with municipalities and local stakeholders to co-develop climate-adaptive, water-sensitive, and nature-based solutions tailored to existing urban contexts.

His research actively advances several UN Sustainable Development Goals—particularly SDG 6 (Water) SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities), 13 (Climate Action), 15 (Life on Land), and 17 (Partnerships)—by promoting low-tech, socially inclusive, and ecologically effective planning approaches.

Bringing over 25 years of experience in design practice, research, and teaching, Dieterle bridges landscape architecture, urban planning, architecture, and social sciences in transdisciplinary collaborations. His academic background includes positions at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, University of Stuttgart, and Geisenheim University. Since 2022, as Professor at Frankfurt UAS, he emphasizes open space design that enhances both the ecological and social performance of everyday urban landscapes.
 

My research works towards UN Sustainable Development Goals

  1. Clean Water And Sanitation

    Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

  2. Sustainable Cities and Communities

    Making cities and settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

  3. Climate Action

    Take immediate action to combat climate change and its effects.

  4. Life On Land

    Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.

  5. Partnerships For The Goals

    Strengthen the means of implementation and breathe new life into the global partnership for sustainable development.

I'm interested in collaborating on

  • Adaptive and regenerative urban design, with a focus on water-sensitive, biodiverse, and climate-adaptive design approaches.
  • Practice-based research on ecosystem-based design, particularly in collaboration with municipalities, civil society, and local stakeholders.
  • Urban resilience and transformation strategies in both large urban agglomerations and small to mid-sized cities, especially within the existing urban fabric.
  • Transdisciplinary teaching and research formats that integrate ecology, landscape architecture, urban design, architecture and social sciences to address socio-ecological transformation.
  • International and cross-institutional partnerships on regenerative urban transformation, especially in the context of applied research, design studios, and urban living labs.
     

Biography

Educational background

  • Doctorate in Landscape Planning from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), with a dissertation on integrating ecological and social dimensions in landscape planning (“Risk Landscape Upper Rhine”)
  • Diploma (Dipl.-Ing.) in Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, providing a strong foundation in spatial design, ecology, and sustainable development
  • Additional training and workshops in regenerative design, urban resilience, and climate-adaptive planning
  • Continuous professional development through collaborative research projects and teaching engagements at several universities
     

Academic experience

  • Design-based research in regenerative urban and regional planning, with a focus on climate adaptation, biodiversity, and water-sensitive design
  • Expertise in ecosystem-based design methodologies, particularly in practice-based and municipal contexts
  • Experience in leading inter- and transdisciplinary teaching formats, bridging ecology, landscape architecture, urban design, architecture and social sciences
  • Strong background in urban resilience strategies and transformation processes across different urban scales
  • Lecturer and academic at Frankfurt UAS, Geisenheim University, the University of Stuttgart and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
     

Industry experience

  • Extensive experience as a practicing landscape architect for over 25 years, specializing in the design of ecological and regenerative urban open spaces
  • Long-standing collaborations with municipalities, planning offices, and civil society actors on sustainable urban development and open space planning
  • Applied design and research projects focused on urban transformation, including nature-based solutions, participatory planning, and spatial strategies for climate resilience
     

Teaching and supervision

Undergraduate

  • Fundamentals of open space in urban design
  • Basics of ecological design
  • Introduction to sustainable and regenerative urban development
  • Urban resilience and climate adaptation strategies
  • Design studios focused on water-sensitive and biodiverse urban spaces
     

Postgraduate

  • Advanced ecosystem-based design
  • Regenerative design for socio-ecological transformation
  • Climate change adaptation and urban green infrastructure
  • Research methods in sustainable urban design
     

I can supervise students on

  • Regenerative design for socio-ecological transformation
  • Advanced concepts of ecological urban design, especially climate adaptation and green infrastructure applications
  • Open space design in urban planning contexts, focusing on water sensitivity and biodiversity
  • Urban resilience and socio-ecological transformation processes
  • Research methods and practice-based approaches in sustainable and ecosystem-based design
     

Publications

Key publications

  • Risikolandschaft Stadt. Prinzipien für eine nachhaltige Stadtentwicklung, die Krisen mitdenkt

    written by

    Dieterle, Jan (2024)

    In: Sozialmagazin. Ausgabe 9-10. Jahr 2024 (pp. 87-92). Beltz, Weinheim.

  • Public Usable Space as a Catalyst for Quality of Life Improvement: The Case of Cape Town’s Social Farming Projects

    written by

    Ley, A.; Ackermann, K.; Beretta, S.; Busch, S.; Dieterle, J.; El-Shahat, M. M. F.; Hosni, J.; Laue, F.; Moustanjidi, Y.; Stützel, V. (2020)

    In: Martinez, J., Mikkelsen, C.A., Phillips, R. (eds), Handbook of Quality of Life and Sustainability. International Handbooks of Quality-of-Life (pp. 469 – 495). Springer, Cham. Research on the case study and description of “Streetscapes Roeland Street”

    View publication

  • Landscape urbanism. Karlsruhe als Baustein einer metropolitanen Landschaft Oberrhein

    written by

    Dieterle, J (2019)

    In: Troll, H., Krimm, K. (Hrsg.): Stadt und Garten. Oberrheinische Studien. Band 40. Herausgegeben von der Arbeitsgemeinschaft für geschichtliche Landeskunde am Oberrhein e.V. (pp. 237-244). Thorbecke. Karlsruhe.

  • Risikolandschaft Oberrhein. Bewegtes Terrain als räumlich-strukturelle Herausforderung für die Landschaft am Oberrhein. Risky Landscape Upper Rhine. Shifting terrain - a challenge for the landscape on the Upper Rhine

    written by

    Dieterle, J (2017)

    Doctoral Thesis, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology - KIT. Repository KITopen.

    View publication

  • Wasser in der Stadt

    written by

    Stokman, A.; Dieterle, J. (2013)

    In: Jirku, A. (Hrsg.): StadtGrün. (pp. 174-180). Fraunhofer IRB Verlag. Stuttgart.

Research

Research impact statement

Jan Dieterle is Professor of Sustainable Open Space and Urban Design at Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences. His research and teaching focus on regenerative, ecosystem-based design strategies that foster climate adaptation, biodiversity, and social inclusion in urban transformation processes. Central to his approach is ecosystem-based design, which he implements in collaborative municipal projects and practice-oriented teaching formats.

Supported by external funding such as the GFB Future Prize and two contributions to the World Design Capital 2026, his work integrates design-oriented research, mapping projects, and transdisciplinary knowledge exchange.

With a strong practice-based orientation, Dieterle works closely with municipalities and local stakeholders to co-develop climate-adaptive, water-sensitive, and nature-based solutions tailored to existing urban contexts.

His research actively advances several UN Sustainable Development Goals—particularly SDG 6 (Water) SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities), 13 (Climate Action), 15 (Life on Land), and 17 (Partnerships)—by promoting low-tech, socially inclusive, and ecologically effective planning approaches.

Bringing over 25 years of experience in design practice, research, and teaching, Dieterle bridges landscape architecture, urban planning, architecture, and social sciences in transdisciplinary collaborations. His academic background includes positions at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, University of Stuttgart, and Geisenheim University. Since 2022, as Professor at Frankfurt UAS, he emphasizes open space design that enhances both the ecological and social performance of everyday urban landscapes.
 

My research works towards UN Sustainable Development Goals

  1. Clean Water And Sanitation

    Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

  2. Sustainable Cities and Communities

    Making cities and settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

  3. Climate Action

    Take immediate action to combat climate change and its effects.

  4. Life On Land

    Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.

  5. Partnerships For The Goals

    Strengthen the means of implementation and breathe new life into the global partnership for sustainable development.

I'm interested in collaborating on

  • Adaptive and regenerative urban design, with a focus on water-sensitive, biodiverse, and climate-adaptive design approaches.
  • Practice-based research on ecosystem-based design, particularly in collaboration with municipalities, civil society, and local stakeholders.
  • Urban resilience and transformation strategies in both large urban agglomerations and small to mid-sized cities, especially within the existing urban fabric.
  • Transdisciplinary teaching and research formats that integrate ecology, landscape architecture, urban design, architecture and social sciences to address socio-ecological transformation.
  • International and cross-institutional partnerships on regenerative urban transformation, especially in the context of applied research, design studios, and urban living labs.
     
Biography

Educational background

  • Doctorate in Landscape Planning from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), with a dissertation on integrating ecological and social dimensions in landscape planning (“Risk Landscape Upper Rhine”)
  • Diploma (Dipl.-Ing.) in Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, providing a strong foundation in spatial design, ecology, and sustainable development
  • Additional training and workshops in regenerative design, urban resilience, and climate-adaptive planning
  • Continuous professional development through collaborative research projects and teaching engagements at several universities
     

Academic experience

  • Design-based research in regenerative urban and regional planning, with a focus on climate adaptation, biodiversity, and water-sensitive design
  • Expertise in ecosystem-based design methodologies, particularly in practice-based and municipal contexts
  • Experience in leading inter- and transdisciplinary teaching formats, bridging ecology, landscape architecture, urban design, architecture and social sciences
  • Strong background in urban resilience strategies and transformation processes across different urban scales
  • Lecturer and academic at Frankfurt UAS, Geisenheim University, the University of Stuttgart and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
     

Industry experience

  • Extensive experience as a practicing landscape architect for over 25 years, specializing in the design of ecological and regenerative urban open spaces
  • Long-standing collaborations with municipalities, planning offices, and civil society actors on sustainable urban development and open space planning
  • Applied design and research projects focused on urban transformation, including nature-based solutions, participatory planning, and spatial strategies for climate resilience
     
Teaching and supervision

Undergraduate

  • Fundamentals of open space in urban design
  • Basics of ecological design
  • Introduction to sustainable and regenerative urban development
  • Urban resilience and climate adaptation strategies
  • Design studios focused on water-sensitive and biodiverse urban spaces
     

Postgraduate

  • Advanced ecosystem-based design
  • Regenerative design for socio-ecological transformation
  • Climate change adaptation and urban green infrastructure
  • Research methods in sustainable urban design
     

I can supervise students on

  • Regenerative design for socio-ecological transformation
  • Advanced concepts of ecological urban design, especially climate adaptation and green infrastructure applications
  • Open space design in urban planning contexts, focusing on water sensitivity and biodiversity
  • Urban resilience and socio-ecological transformation processes
  • Research methods and practice-based approaches in sustainable and ecosystem-based design
     
Publications

Key publications

  • Risikolandschaft Stadt. Prinzipien für eine nachhaltige Stadtentwicklung, die Krisen mitdenkt

    written by

    Dieterle, Jan (2024)

    In: Sozialmagazin. Ausgabe 9-10. Jahr 2024 (pp. 87-92). Beltz, Weinheim.

  • Public Usable Space as a Catalyst for Quality of Life Improvement: The Case of Cape Town’s Social Farming Projects

    written by

    Ley, A.; Ackermann, K.; Beretta, S.; Busch, S.; Dieterle, J.; El-Shahat, M. M. F.; Hosni, J.; Laue, F.; Moustanjidi, Y.; Stützel, V. (2020)

    In: Martinez, J., Mikkelsen, C.A., Phillips, R. (eds), Handbook of Quality of Life and Sustainability. International Handbooks of Quality-of-Life (pp. 469 – 495). Springer, Cham. Research on the case study and description of “Streetscapes Roeland Street”

    View publication

  • Landscape urbanism. Karlsruhe als Baustein einer metropolitanen Landschaft Oberrhein

    written by

    Dieterle, J (2019)

    In: Troll, H., Krimm, K. (Hrsg.): Stadt und Garten. Oberrheinische Studien. Band 40. Herausgegeben von der Arbeitsgemeinschaft für geschichtliche Landeskunde am Oberrhein e.V. (pp. 237-244). Thorbecke. Karlsruhe.

  • Risikolandschaft Oberrhein. Bewegtes Terrain als räumlich-strukturelle Herausforderung für die Landschaft am Oberrhein. Risky Landscape Upper Rhine. Shifting terrain - a challenge for the landscape on the Upper Rhine

    written by

    Dieterle, J (2017)

    Doctoral Thesis, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology - KIT. Repository KITopen.

    View publication

  • Wasser in der Stadt

    written by

    Stokman, A.; Dieterle, J. (2013)

    In: Jirku, A. (Hrsg.): StadtGrün. (pp. 174-180). Fraunhofer IRB Verlag. Stuttgart.