The Process of Valuation

This article investigates how urban quality emerges through situated practices in urban development. Through ethnographic engagement with Copenhagen's Railway District, I
trace the translation processes of 'the green'—a Danish planning concept akin to 'urban nature'—as it materialises from citizen-driven park proposal to quantified hectares of
‘green space’ to artificial football turf fields. Drawing on actor-network theory and Dewey's Theory of Valuation, I demonstrate how stakeholders perform competing
versions of 'the green' with distinct spatial, social, and financial implications despite shared vocabulary. The analysis reveals three key insights: urban quality emerges
through everyday translations rather than predetermined dynamics; power operates as performative agency rather than fixed hierarchy; and compelling narratives significantly
influence material outcomes. These findings reposition agency within everyday practice and urge practitioners to recognise urban development not merely as technical work but equally as a skilled performance of crafting and mobilising urban qualities.