Ivan Filipović
https://doi.org/10.60152/u05iwc9k
Abstract: This article introduces soft power urbanism as a conceptual framework for understanding how spatial interventions operate as instruments of national influence in the global city. Expanding on the theoretical foundation of soft power architecture, soft power urbanism considers how states leverage dispersed urban nodes, such as embassies, cultural institutes, and educational facilities, not only as diplomatic outposts but also as elements in a broader geopolitical spatial strategy. These nodes, embedded within the host city’s infrastructure, form a matrix of influence that is as much symbolic as it is operational. The presented research proposes a two-pronged theoretical structure: first, Spatial Strategies of Influence in the Global City, which theorizes the pre-implementation logic behind the selection, design, and placement of these nodes, drawing on principles of urban acupuncture, visibility, and ideological alignment with host environments. Second, Architectural Networks of National Projection analyzes the emergent spatial, cultural, and political effects once these infrastructures become active, often forming loosely connected yet functionally coherent clusters that shape both perception and experience of national presence abroad. By distinguishing between these two phases, the article advances soft power urbanism as both a diagnostic and speculative tool; one that not only identifies how cities become stages for geopolitical expression but also suggests how urban space may be consciously shaped to accommodate, resist, or reframe such projections. This theoretical model emphasizes the performative and narrative capacities of urban space in the realm of international relations, foregrounding architecture and urban planning as active agents in the exercise of soft power. In doing so, it invites further research into the ethical, social, and spatial implications of deploying the city as a medium of global influence.
Keywords: Soft power urbanism, Spatial politics, Global city, Cultural diplomacy, Architecture and influence
How to cite this Paper (Harvard referencing style):
Filipović, I. (2025) ‘Soft Power Urbanism: Strategic Frameworks for Spatial Influence in the Global City‘, in R. Bogdanović (ed.) On Architecture — Crosscutting and Fusion of Disciplines, Proceedings. Belgrade, Serbia: STRAND, pp. 20–28.
See publication On Architecture (2025) Conference Proceedings