Publications

1. Rocco, R., Hein, C. M., & Rooij, R. M. (2021). The UfM Strategic Urban Development Action Plan 2040: For sustainable, resilient, and inclusive cities and communities in the Mediterranean. Union for the Mediterranean.
2. Rocco, R., Hein, C. M., & Rooij, R. M. (2021). The UfM Strategic Urban Development Action Plan 2040 — Axis of Intervention 1 Housing Action Plan: For inclusive, integrated, and sustainable urban development and regeneration. Union for the Mediterranean.

1. Rocco, R. (2025). Spatial Justice: The Basics. Routledge.
2. Rocco, R., & Gonçalves, J. E. (2025). Guide to Effective Report Writing in Urbanism. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15316462. Open access, 367 downloads.
3. Rocco, R. (Ed.), Newton, C. (Ed.), & Gonçalves, J. (Ed.). (2025). A Manifesto for the Just City, Volume 4. TU Delft OPEN Publishing, 603 pp. Open access, 2,434 downloads (Nov 2025).
4. Rocco, R., Gonçalves, J., & Lopez, H. (2025). The Spatial Justice Handbook. TU Delft Open. Open access, 370 downloads.
5. Rocco, R. (2025). A Planner’s Guide to Public Goods. Palgrave Macmillan. Open access for TU Delft.
6. Rocco, R., Bracken, G., Newton, C., & Dąbrowski, M. (2025). Aprender, Enseñar e Investigar la Planificación Territorial. Translated by A. M. Fernández-Maldonado. TU Delft Open. Open access, 1,260 downloads.
7. Rocco, R., Gonçalves, J., & Lopez, H. (2024). The TU Delft Strategic Planning Cycle. TU Delft OPEN Publishing. 152 downloads.
8. Rocco, R., & Silvestre, G. (2024). Insurgent Planning Practice. Agenda.
9. Rocco, R., & Newton, C. (2023). A Manifesto for the Just City, Volume 3. TU Delft OPEN. Open access, 3,079 downloads (Nov 2025).
10. Rocco, R., Thomas, A., & Ferradas, M. N. (Eds.). (2022). Teaching Design for Values: Concepts, Tools & Practices. TU Delft OPEN. Open access, 1,106 downloads.
11. Rocco, R., Bracken, G., Newton, C., & Dąbrowski, M. (Eds.). (2022). Teaching, Learning & Researching Spatial Planning. TU Delft OPEN. Open access, 2,737 downloads.
12. Rocco, R., & Newton, C. (2022). A Manifesto for the Just City, Volume 2. TU Delft OPEN. Open access, 2,323 downloads (Nov 2025).
13. Faludi, A., & Rocco, R. (Eds.). (2022). Faludi Blogging: Chasing Territorialism. TU Delft OPEN. 700+ downloads.
14. Rocco, R., Newton, C., Vergara d’Alençon, L. M., van der Watt, A., Babu, G., Tellez, N., Subendran, J., Caradonna, G., Meneses Di Gioia, L., & Tempels Moreno Pessôa, I. (2021). A Manifesto for the Just City. TU Delft Open. https://doi.org/10.34641/mg.14. Open access, 5,454 downloads (Nov 2025).
15. Rocco, R., Newton, C. E. L., Vergara d’Alençon, L. M., Tempels Moreno Pessôa, I., & van der Watt, A. (Eds.). (2021). The New Urban Normal: Urban Sustainability and Resilience Post COVID-19. TU Delft Urban Thinkers Campus, June/July 2020. Delft University of Technology.
16. Rocco, R., & Ballegooijen, J. v. (Eds.). (2019). The Routledge Handbook on Informal Urbanisation. Routledge. 400+ copies sold.
17. Rocco, R., Rooij, R., Stead, D., & Bracken, G. (2019). Celebrating Spatial Planning at TU Delft 2009–2019: Summary of achievements of the Spatial Planning and Strategy section. TU Delft Open.
18. Abascal, E., Rocco, R., & Borges, H. (2019). Urban projects in areas near riverfronts in transformation neighbourhoods: An exercise for the region of CEAGESP, São Paulo. Editora Mackenzie.
19. Rocco, R., & Silva, S. d. (Eds.). (2018). Cities and Citizenship. Delft University of Technology.
20. Rocco, R. (Ed.). (2018). Jane Jacobs is still here: Jane Jacobs 100, her legacy and relevance for the 21st century (Vol. 1). Delft University of Technology. 313 downloads.
21. Rocco, R. (2016). Jane Jacobs 100: Her legacy and relevance in the 21st Century. TU Delft OPEN.

1. Newton, C., Gonçalves, J., Murray, M., & Rocco, R. (2026). A case study of deteriorating services in two South African townships and possible implications for spatial justice for cities in the Anthropocene. In M. Murray & J. C. Pauw (Eds.), Development in the Anthropocene: The Tough Task of Working towards Planetary Well-Being with Low-Income Households. University of Johannesburg Press.
2. Carvalho, H., Royer, L., José, B. K., & Rocco, R. (2025). Revisiting social resilience in informal settlements: The strength and the limits of Paraisópolis community action during the COVID-19 pandemic in São Paulo. In L. Rajendran, N. Odeleye, & A. Can (Eds.), Learning Resilience from the Global South: Re-conceptualising Informalities as an Urban Planning and Design Paradigm (pp. 185–199). Routledge.
3. Rocco, R. (2025). The capabilities approach as an opportunity for spatial justice. In C. Newton (Ed.), Envisioning Spatial Justice: Explorations, Reflections and Design. Jap Sam Books.
4. Rocco, R. (2023). Manifestos as exercises of hope and care. In R. Rocco & C. Newton (Eds.), A Manifesto for the Just City, Volume 3 (pp. 8–24). TU Delft OPEN.
5. Rocco, R., & Clarke, N. (2022). Heritage as commons: Implications for classification, design, and management. In M. Hoekstra, L. Lousberg, R. Rooij, W. Wilms Floet, & S. Zijlstra (Eds.), Inzicht: Academische vaardigheden voor bouwkundigen 2021–2022 (pp. 359–376). Delft University of Technology. 77 downloads.
6. Rocco, R. (2022). Towards the global commons. In R. Heymans, J. T. Fooh, F. Mohammadi, F. Lodewijks, & E. Fransen (Eds.), More Perspectives on Designing Cities for All (Vol. 2, pp. 143–150). Pakhuis de Zwijger.
7. Rocco, R. (2022). Spatial justice: A crucial dimension of sustainability. In R. Rocco, G. Bracken, C. Newton, & M. Dąbrowski (Eds.), Teaching, Learning & Researching Spatial Planning. TU Delft OPEN. 173 downloads.
8. Rocco, R. (2022). Teaching spatial justice: Four exercises on communicative rationality. In R. Rocco, A. Thomas, & M. Novas (Eds.), Teaching Design for Values: Concepts, Tools & Practices (pp. 54–77). TU Delft OPEN.
9. Rocco, R., José, B. K., Carvalho, H., & Royer, L. (2021). The impact of socio-spatial inequity: COVID-19 in São Paulo. In B. Doucet, R. van Melik, & P. Filion (Eds.), Global Reflections on COVID-19 and Urban Inequalities (Vol. 1: Community and Society, pp. 129–140). Bristol University Press.
10. Rocco, R. (2021). Urbanización informal en tiempos de corona: Cómo el coronavirus podría cambiar la forma como tratamos a la urbanización informal. In R. E. Donoso & A. Carrión (Eds.), Ciudades y Territorios Sostenibles: Aportes desde la Academia (pp. 31–36). FLACSO Ecuador.
11. Rocco, R. (2020). Text and image: The relationship between text and image in research. In M. Hoekstra, L. Lousberg, R. Rooij, W. Wilms Floet, & S. Zijlstra (Eds.), Inzicht: Academische vaardigheden voor bouwkundigen 2020–2021 (pp. 141–153). Delft University of Technology.
12. Rocco, R., & Ballegooijen, J. v. (2018). The political meaning of informal urbanisation. In R. Rocco & J. v. Ballegooijen (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook on Informal Urbanisation. Routledge.
13. Rocco, R. (2017). Planning for rights: Bewildered young planners in Brazil. In T. Tasan-Kok & M. Oranje (Eds.), From Student to Urban Planner: Contemporary Ethical Challenges and Reflections of a Young Practitioner (pp. 168–181). Routledge.
14. Rocco, R. (2014). São Paulo: Constructing the city, reinventing democracy. In W. Vanstiphout & M. Relats (Eds.), Are We the World? Randstad Holland vs. São Paulo, Detroit, Istanbul (Vol. 6). 010 Publishers.
15. Deak, C., & Rocco, R. (2013). São Paulo. In M. Carmona (Ed.), Global Research on Urban Planning and Development (pp. 208–211). China Architecture and Building Press.
16. Rocco, R. (2012). Location patterns of advanced producer services firms: The case of São Paulo. In M. van Geenhuizen & P. Nijkamp (Eds.), Creative Knowledge Cities: Myths, Visions and Realities (pp. 385–412). Edward Elgar.
17. Rocco, R. (2006). Economic flexibilisation and denationalisation in Brazil during the 1990s. In B. Hogenboom & A. F. Jilberto (Eds.), Big Business on the Rise: Conglomerates and Economic Groups in Developing Countries and Transition Economies under Globalization. Routledge.
18. Rocco, R. (2006). Foreign direct investment and regional growth: The role of FDI in the tertiary sector in triggering development. In F. van der Hoeven & J. Rosemann (Eds.), Urban Transformations and Sustainability: Progress of Research Issues in Urbanism 2005. DUP/IOS Press.
19. Rocco, R. (2005). La Operación Urbana Faria Lima: Un nuevo marco legal. In M. Carmona (Ed.), Globalización y Grandes Proyectos Urbanos: La Respuesta de 25 Ciudades (Vol. 1, pp. 426–432). Infinito.
20. Rocco, R. (2005). Reason, capital and urban space: The new role for urban planning in triggering societal change. In E. Hulsbergen, I. Klaasen, & I. Kriens (Eds.), Shifting Sense: Looking Back to the Future in Spatial Planning (pp. 141–152). Techne Press.
21. Rocco, R. (2004). The urban geography of globalisation: Advanced producer services and urban change. In M. Carmona & M. Schoonraad (Eds.), Globalization and Urban Transformation (Vol. 12). DUP.
22. Rocco, R. (2003). New legal framework and the return of the large urban projects: Urban Operation Faria Lima, São Paulo. In M. Carmona, M. Schoonraad, & D. Tunas (Eds.), Globalization, Urban Form & Governance (Vol. 7). Delft University Press.
23. Rocco, R. (2002). The creation of a new corporate axis in São Paulo. In M. Carmona & M. Schoonraad (Eds.), Globalization, Urban Form & Governance (Vol. 6, pp. 93–114). Delft University Press.
24. Rocco, R. (2001). FDI and world cities: Establishing parameters for comparison. In M. Carmona, J. Rosemann, & M. Schoonraad (Eds.), Globalization, Urban Form and Governance (Vol. 5, pp. 49–73). Delft University Press.
25. Rocco, R. (2000). São Paulo: Globalization, governance and urban form. In M. Carmona & J. Rosemann (Eds.), Globalization, Urban Form & Governance (Vol. 2, pp. 15–28). Delft University Press.

1. Gonçalves, J., Rocco, R., Sitzoglou, M., et al. (2025). Spatial justice in participatory planning: An integrated framework and lessons from practice. Frontiers (manuscript ID 1656745).
2. Alasiri, F., Dąbrowski, M., Rocco, R., & Forgaci, C. (2025). The impact of recent policies on the transformation of local participatory urban planning in Saudi Arabia. Urban Science, 9(3), 69.
3. Alasiri, F., Dąbrowski, M., Forgaci, C., & Rocco, R. (2026). Evaluating the capacity of local authorities in implementing participatory urban planning: The case of Khobar City, Saudi Arabia. Urban Governance, 6(1), 18–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ugj.2025.09.005
4. Lin, X., Dąbrowski, M., Qu, L., Hausleitner, B., & Rocco, R. (2025). Urban regeneration through circularity: Exploring the potential of circular development in the urban villages of Chengdu, China. Land, 14(3), 655. https://doi.org/10.3390/land14030655
5. Nowak, M. J., & Rocco, R. (2024). Opportunities and barriers related to the implementation of the Right to the City concept in the Brazilian and Polish urban planning systems: A comparative study. Europa XXI, 46, 41–58. https://doi.org/10.7163/Eu21.2024.46.7
6. Namwanje, P., Muñoz Sanz, V., & Rocco, R. (2023). The pattern language approach as a bridge connecting formal and informal urban planning practices in Africa. Urban Planning, 8(3), 212–223. https://doi.org/10.17645/up.v8i3.6799. 453 downloads (Feb 2024).
7. Rocco, R. (2023). Creating built environments: Bridging knowledge and practice divides (book review). Housing, Theory and Society, 40(1), 130–132. https://doi.org/10.1080/14036096.2022.2096312
8. Newton, C. E. L., & Rocco, R. (2022). Actually existing commons: Using the commons to reclaim the city. Social Inclusion, 10(1), 91–102. https://doi.org/10.17645/si.v10i1.4838. 1,204 downloads (Feb 2024).
9. Dąbrowski, M., Spaans, M., Fernandez-Maldonado, A. M., & Rocco, R. (2020). Cohesion policy and the citizens’ perceptions of the EU: The role of communication and implementation. European Planning Studies, 29(5), 827–843. https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2020.1805413. 2,324 views (Feb 2024).
10. Rooij, R. M., Rocco, R., Hausleitner, B., Newton, C. E. L., & Aalbers, K. P. M. (2020). Education for the resilient city: Teaching and learning urban design and planning in COVID-19 times. Proceedings of the ICE — Urban Design and Planning, 173(4), 119–124. https://doi.org/10.1680/jurdp.20.00052. 12 citations (Feb 2024).
11. Rocco, R., & Pojani, D. (2020). Edutainment: Role-playing versus serious gaming in planning education. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 43(3), 585–597. https://doi.org/10.1177/0739456X20902251. 728 downloads (Feb 2024).
12. Rocco, R., Royer, L., & Mariz Gonçalves, F. (2019). Characterisation of spatial planning in Brazil: The right to the city in theory and practice. Planning Practice and Research, 34(4), 419–437. https://doi.org/10.1080/02697459.2019.1636552. 7,390 downloads (Jan 2024).
13. Rocco, R. (Ed.). (2019). Introduction to special theme practice forum: Latin American spatial planning beyond clichés. Planning Practice and Research, 34(4), 365–367.
14. Pojani, D., Kimpton, A., & Rocco, R. (2019). Planning students’ conceptions of research. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 43(2), 402–415. https://doi.org/10.1177/0739456X19884107. 597 downloads (Feb 2024).
15. Tempels Moreno Pessoa, I., Vergara d’Alençon, L., Korthals Altes, W., & Rocco, R. (2019). Rethinking planning education using massive open online courses: The case of Rethink the City. Transactions of the Association of European Schools of Planning, 3(1), 72–84. https://doi.org/10.24306/TrAESOP.2019.01.006
16. Wandl, A., Rooij, R., & Rocco, R. (2017). Towards sustainable territories-in-between: A multidimensional typology of open spaces in Europe. Planning Practice and Research, 32(1), 55–84. https://doi.org/10.1080/02697459.2016.1187978. 2,763 downloads (Jan 2024).
17. Rocco, R. (2016). Policy frameworks for energy transition in England: Challenges in a former industrial city. Journal of Settlements and Spatial Planning (Special Issue 5), 41–52. https://doi.org/10.19188/05JSSPSI052016
18. Plijter, E. B., van der Voordt, T. J. M., & Rocco, R. (2014). Managing the workplace in a globalised world: The role of national culture in workplace management. Facilities, 32(13/14), 744–760.
19. Ballegooijen, J. v., & Rocco, R. (2013). The ideologies of informality: Informal urbanisation in the architectural and planning discourses. Third World Quarterly, 34(10), 1794–1810.
20. Rocco, R. (2013). Why governance will make urban design and planning better: Dealing with the communicative turn in urban planning and design. Planum, 27(2), 25–31.
21. Rocco, R., Biggs, M., & Buchler, D. (2011). The academicisation of the arts and the challenge of research methods training: A European experience. International Journal of Technology and Design Education.
22. Rocco, R. (2004). Reason, capital and urban space. Dimensi Teknik Arsitektur, 32(1), 13–18.
23. Rocco, R. (2003). Podoba mesta São Paulo: Prepoznavnost in kriza [The image of the city: São Paulo identity and crisis]. Urbani Izziv, 14, 53–57.
24. Rocco, R. (2003). Governança: De instrumento da democracia a instrumentalização de um conceito. Revista da POS, 1(14), 94–108.

1. Dąbrowski, M., Lopez, H., Rocco, R., Gonçalves, J. E., & Maglione, A. D. M. (2024). How just are urban sustainability transition plans? Benchmarking spatial justice. Paper presented at the 2024 RSA Winter Conference, London, UK.
2. Gonçalves, J. E., Maglione, A. D. M., Rocco, R., Lopez, H., & Dąbrowski, M. (2024). Navigating spatial justice: From theoretical discourse to implementation. Paper presented at the 2024 RSA Annual Conference, Florence, Italy.
3. Du, Y., Viseu Cardoso, R., & Rocco, R. (2024). The challenges of high-quality development in Chinese secondary cities: A typological exploration. SSRN Working Paper. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4595386

1. Rocco, R. (Ed.). (2018). African Perspectives PrepCon, Addis Ababa, 25–27 January 2018: Executive Report. EiABC / TU Delft.
2. Rocco, R. (Ed.). (2018). Education for the City We Need: How to Teach the New Urban Agenda? Report of the event at the World Urban Forum 9, Kuala Lumpur, 7–13 February 2018. TU Delft.
3. Rocco, R. (Ed.). (2017). Urban Thinkers Campus: Education for the City We Need — How Do We Teach the New Urban Agenda? (Vol. 1). Delft University of Technology.
4. Rocco, R., & Villa, D. (2015). New Urban Languages: Tales and Images of Spatial Justice. Proceedings of the 3rd New Urban Languages Conference, Delft University of Technology, 24–26 June 2015. TU Delft.

1. Rocco, R. (2017). Why governance will make urban design and planning better: Dealing with the communicative turn in urban planning and design. World Urban Campaign, UN-Habitat, Nairobi.
2. Rocco, R. (2010). Spatial structural change and socio-spatial duality under globalisation: The case of São Paulo. In C. Klaufus & A. Zoomers (Eds.), Latin American Studies Association: From Crisis to Recovery. LASA, Chicago.
3. Biggs, M., Buchler, D., Rocco, R., & Schjerven, C. (2010). The production of academic research and some barriers to academicisation in the creative and performing arts. Paper presented at ICERI 2010, Madrid.
4. Biggs, M., Buchler, D., & Rocco, R. (2010). An international collaboration for the development of a research training course in an emergent academic discipline. Paper presented at INTED 2010, Valencia.
5. Biggs, M., Buchler, D., & Rocco, R. (2009). Design practice and research: Interconnections and the criterion-based approach. In J. Malins (Ed.), European Academy of Design: Design Connexity (pp. 375–380). EAD & Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen.
6. Rocco, R., Biggs, M., & Buchler, D. (2009). A pedagogical proposal in an area of epistemological uncertainty. Paper presented at PROJETAR, FAU Mackenzie, São Paulo.
7. Boelens, L., & Rocco, R. (2008). Neighbourhood development in transnationality: A comparison between Randstad Holland, Buenos Aires and São Paulo. Paper presented at the ACSP–AESOP 4th Joint Congress, Chicago.
8. Rocco, R. (2008). The location of large advanced service firms in the network city region: Evidence from the Randstad–Holland. In H. van der Putte (Ed.), Corporations and Cities Colloquium. TU Delft & Berlage Institute, Brussels.
9. Rocco, R. (2008). A new role for comprehensive spatial planning. In H. van der Putte, H. de Jonge, J. Declerck, S. Frausto, V. Nadin, R. Rocco, J. Provoost, & J. van der Zwart (Eds.), Corporations and Cities Colloquium. TU Delft & Berlage Institute, Brussels.
10. Rocco, R. (2006). The geography of advanced producer services: New corporate centralities in polycentric urban structures. In P. Costa, I. Pires, J. A. Teixeira, & P. Pires (Eds.), 6th International Conference of RESER. ISCTE/RESER, Lisbon.

1. Rocco, R. (2008). An Urban Geography of Globalisation: New Urban Structures in the Age of Hyper-Connectivity. PhD dissertation, Delft University of Technology / International Forum on Urbanism.

1. Rocco, R., & Rooij, R. (2018). The Great Planning Game: Exploring the variety of values and worldviews in planning. Delft University of Technology.

Two further open-source teaching games developed for the Bachelor’s and Master’s curriculum — the Shark House Dilemma and the Mind-Mapping Games — are referenced in my CV but do not yet have a separate, citable publication record.

1. Member, Editorial Board, Revista Brasileira de Estudos Urbanos e Regionais (Brazilian Journal of Urban and Regional Studies), journal of the National Association of Graduate Studies and Research in Urban and Regional Planning (ANPUR), Brazil. 2024–present.
2. Member, Editorial Board, Planning Practice & Research. 2022–present.
3. Reviewer for Urban Studies, Cities, Planning Theory & Practice, and European Planning Studies.
4. External academic reviewer, Urban Planning undergraduate programme, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. 2026.
5. External reviewer, National Research Foundation (NRF), South Africa. 2026.

1. Newton, C., Yu, C., Czischke, D., Bracken, G., Gonçalves, J. E., Höller, L., Dąbrowski, M., Qu, L., Rooij, R., Rocco, R., Cardoso, R., Chereni, S., & Balz, V. (2023). Big Shifts in Spatial Planning in the Netherlands. The Evolving Scholar. https://doi.org/10.59490/6516baf3dd4bbd3edc360463
2. Urbanism Policy Briefs (2023–present). Co-organised with Gregory Bracken and Caroline Newton, published open access by The Evolving Scholar, TU Delft. Seven briefs published to date by staff and students of the Department of Urbanism.
3. Urbanism Methods Sheets (2022–present). A collection of research and design methods for use in Urbanism education, co-edited with Remon Rooij and Qu Lei.