Markus Neppl is a partner at ASTOC and holds the Chair of Urban Neighbourhood Planning and Design at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. As a co-founder of the firm, he has shaped the company’s strategic and operational direction since 1990. He is responsible for developing city-wide strategic visions, for the planning and realisation of numerous neighbourhoods, and for the implementation of architecture that shapes the urban landscape. In his research and teaching, he combines the disciplines of architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, sociology and spatial planning, with a focus on the development and application of spatially oriented design methods. His work combines the theory and practice of urban planning and construction. In this context, neighbourhoods are the key to meaningful urban development that understands buildings, urban structures and open spaces within their functional contexts. Markus Neppl initiates debates on current issues in urban development, linking academic findings with proven practical approaches. In doing so, he makes a significant contribution to positioning urban development as a social responsibility. In addition to his work as an architect, he serves as a jury member, publicist and member of numerous committees, and regularly advises cities and local authorities on matters of strategic urban development.