A Catalyst for Innovation? A Conceptual Framework for Analyzing the Potential of Urban Experiments to Transform Urban Planning Practices

Abstract Urban experimentation is increasingly seen as a means to facilitate (social) innovation and to promote sustainability transitions. However, whether and how novel approaches developed in local experiments get adopted and contribute to changes in the municipal planning practice has been insufficiently investigated and theorized. This article develops a conceptual framework to study the ‘innovation potential’ of urban experiments for urban planning. By deciphering the factors, actors, and processes that influence how urban experiments impact or innovate planning practices, we offer a novel perspective on what should be considered in their analysis, design and implementation and suggest avenues for future research.