More than a master plan: Amman 2025

The recent plan for Amman, Jordan, combined elements of both master planning and strategic planning while pushing beyond the boundaries of both to incorporate governmental reorganization, national development concerns, and the “branding” of the city. The paper explores this deviation from traditional master planning and documents the innovations that emerged from a commitment to bring planning and implementation closer together in time and use the planning process to build planning capacity in Amman and throughout Jordan. As planners continue to negotiate between holistic visions and the pressures of development, Amman 2025 exposes the strengths and weaknesses of strategic planning and offers useful lessons.

Research highlights
► Notes the transition from master planning to strategic planning.
► Explores the potential of strategic planning to extend beyond traditional planning concerns.
► Discusses the influence of strong development pressure and weak regulatory structures on Amman’s built environment and the planning process.