V.' was established in 1975 at the University of Dortmund, Germany. Today, it represents about 1.700 planners of various fields. Its members work for public planning agencies on all levels of government and administration, for private planning consultants, housing corporations, planning branches of private businesses, chambers of commerce, associations, political parties, at universities in the areas of teaching as well as research and in other research institutions.
All members share a common interest in the wide range of planning topics and their discussion.
The IfR serves as an information exchange ready to supply planning-related news, facts and contacts in a timely and uncomplicated way. The IfR therefore plays an important role in disseminating news and trends in the areas of spatial planning practice as well as theory. Differing interests and opinions may use the IfR as a platform for presentation, discussion, and the development of new ideas. The importance that the IfR places on facilitating networking and communication between different interests, subjects, administrative levels of planning, students and practitioners reflect the interdisciplinary and complex nature of spatial planning.