Citizens & Living

This is the 23st episode of a series 25 building blocks to create better streets, neighbourhoods, and cities. Its topic is the way how the quality of the living environment benefits from good governance.

In 1339 Ambrogio Lorenzetti completed his famous series of six paintings in the town hall of the Italian city of Siena: The Allegory of Good and Bad Government. The image above refers to the characteristics of governance: Putting the interests of citizens first, renouncing self-interest, helpfulness, and justice. These characteristics still apply.

Rooted in the community

The starting point of urban policy is a long-term vision on the development of the city that is tailored to the needs and wishes of citizens, as they become manifest within and beyond the institutional channels of representative democracy. In policies that are rooted in the community, knowledge, experiences, and actions of those involved are also addressed. Each city has a pool of experts in every field; many are prepared to commit themselves to the future of their hometown.

Participation

Governance goes beyond elections, representative bodies, following proper procedures and enforcing the law. An essential feature is that citizens can trust that the government protects their interests and that their voices are heard. The municipality of Amsterdam has access to a broad range of instruments: co-design, Initiating a referendum, subsiding local initiatives, neighbourhood law, including the 'right to challenge' and neighbourhood budgets. I will deal with participation in the next post.

Two-way communication

Barcelona and Madrid both use technical means to give citizens a voice and to make this voice heard in policy. Barcelona developed the platform Decidem (which means 'We decide' in Catalan) and Madrid made available Decide Madrid ('Madrid decides'). Both platforms provide citizens with information about the policy, allow them to put topics on the policy agenda, start discussions, change policy proposals, and issue voting recommendations for the city council.
Madrid has developed its participatory electronic environment together with CONSUL, a Madrid-based company. CONSUL enables cities to organize citizen participation on the internet. The package is very extensive. The software and its use is free. Consul is in use in 130 cities and organizations in 33 countries and has reached some 90 million citizens worldwide.

City management

Each city offers a range of services and facilities, varying from the fire brigade, police, health services, municipal cleaning services to 'Call and repair' lines, enabling residents to report defects, vandalism, damage, or neglect. Nuisance has many sources: non-functioning bridges, traffic lights, behavior of fellow citizens, young and old, traffic, aircraft noise and neighbours. In many cases, the police are called upon, but they are too often unable or unwilling to intervene because other work is considered more urgent. This is detrimental to citizens' confidence in 'politics' and seriously detracts from the quality of the living environment.

Resilience

Cities encounter disasters and chronic problems that can take decades to resolve. Resilience is needed to cope and includes measures that reduce the consequences of chronic stress (e.g., communal violence) and - if possible - acute shocks (e.g., floods) and eliminate their occurrence through measures 'at the source.'
For an adequate approach to disasters, the fire brigade, police, and ambulances work together and involve citizens. This cooperation must be learned and built up through practice, improvisation and trust and is not created through a hierarchical chain of command.
 
 
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Kom op 29 november naar de KL Brouwerij, laat je inspireren door het theaterstuk ‘De zaak Shell’ en ontrafel samen met ons – midden in de buurt – de wirwar aan verantwoordelijkheden bij het aanpakken van de klimaatcrisis.

Een aantal keer per jaar organiseert Kennisland de KL Brouwerij. Dan laten we ons werk even voor wat het is en brouwen we samen nieuwe ideeën voor maatschappelijke uitdagingen. We brengen leven in de brouwerij door te ontdekken, smeden, broeden, fantaseren en borrelen. Dit doen we met partners, experts, ervaringsdeskundigen en betrokkenen bij het vraagstuk dat centraal staat, en waar we meer over willen leren. De derde KL Brouwerij staat in het teken van de klimaatrechtvaardige samenleving: hoe zorgen we ervoor dat iedereen op een eerlijke manier verantwoordelijkheid neemt in het aanpakken van de klimaatcrisis?

Hoe ziet een klimaatrechtvaardige samenleving eruit?

De klimaatcrisis is niet eerlijk. Rijke mensen, bedrijven en landen veroorzaken de meeste schade, terwijl vooral arme mensen de gevolgen voelen. Als we de klimaatcrisis willen stoppen, moeten we deze cirkel doorbreken. Maar wiens verantwoordelijkheid is dat eigenlijk en wie is er het eerst aan zet? De consument die zijn eigen klimaatvoetafdruk moet verkleinen? Vervuilende bedrijven die steeds meer winst maken en ondertussen profiteren van fossiele subsidies? Of de overheid die met wetten, regels en beleid belangrijke koerswijzigingen kan realiseren, maar dat te weinig doet? Tijdens deze KL Brouwerij ontrafelen we samen die wirwar. Dat doen we met theater, inspirerende buurtinitiatieven en vooral veel ruimte voor uitwisseling en gesprek.

De zaak Shell

We starten met live theater uit het prijswinnende stuk De zaak Shell. Regisseurs Anoek Nuyens en Rebekka de Wit bezochten Shells aandeelhoudersvergaderingen, ploegden door beleidsnota’s van de overheid en schreven mee met opmerkingen van familieleden aan het kerstdiner. In dit stuk komen alle stemmen in het klimaatdebat samen en zien we hoe elke partij de verantwoordelijkheid naar de ander doorschuift.

Klimaatrechtvaardigheid in de wijk

Na het theaterstuk brengen we dit gigantische onderwerp terug tot het niveau van de wijk. Hoe kunnen we ervoor zorgen dat de klimaatmaatregelen in wijken op een rechtvaardige manier vorm krijgen? We verhuizen voor deze editie van de KL Brouwerij naar buurthuis De Witte Boei, in het hart van de Oostelijke Eilanden, niet ver van het Marineterrein, midden in de buurt.

Kom ook en praat mee!

Deze KL Brouwerij vindt plaats op woensdag 29 november van 16.30-18.30 uur in buurthuis De Witte Boei op Kleine Wittenburgerstraat 201 in Amsterdam. Er is een beperkt aantal plaatsen, dus meld je snel aan via onderstaande link! Stuur voor vragen een mailtje naar Nina Sandford via ns@kl.nl.

During this Meetup we will discuss how modular construction with wood and steel transforms traditional construction practices and opens new doors for efficiency, sustainability and creativity. The project team of the project “Modular and c
Circular Bridge Systems” will show the results of this project and would like to discuss the challenges that modular construction brings with it in the areas of creativity versus standardization, digitalization, circular materials and new business models.

Modular and industrial construction is an umbrella term for innovative construction methods that promote efficiency and sustainability. In modular construction, structures are built from prefabricated modules or components that are produced in a factory and then assembled on the construction site. This speeds up construction time and minimizes waste. Industrial construction focuses on advanced manufacturing technologies and standardized processes to improve quality and efficiency, while also offering flexibility in design. Both approaches contribute to cost savings, reduced environmental impact and faster project delivery in the construction sector.

The project team that will give the presentation consists of:
Thijs Asselbergs - Thijs Asselbergs Architectuurcentrale
Arjan Karssen - Bureau Arjan Karssen
Anke Rolvink - Packhunt
Jasper Dol - 3D Makers Zone (3DMZ)
Mark Feijen - Isaac
Chris Aerts - AplusV
Annette Beerepoot - BouwLab R&Do

16:00 - 18:00 | BouwLab - Oudeweg 91-96, Haarlem

During this Meetup we will discuss how modular construction with wood and steel transforms traditional construction practices and opens new doors for efficiency, sustainability and creativity. The project team of the project “Modular and c
Circular Bridge Systems” will show the results of this project and would like to discuss the challenges that modular construction brings with it in the areas of creativity versus standardization, digitalization, circular materials and new business models.

Modular and industrial construction is an umbrella term for innovative construction methods that promote efficiency and sustainability. In modular construction, structures are built from prefabricated modules or components that are produced in a factory and then assembled on the construction site. This speeds up construction time and minimizes waste. Industrial construction focuses on advanced manufacturing technologies and standardized processes to improve quality and efficiency, while also offering flexibility in design. Both approaches contribute to cost savings, reduced environmental impact and faster project delivery in the construction sector.

The project team that will give the presentation consists of:
Thijs Asselbergs - Thijs Asselbergs Architectuurcentrale
Arjan Karssen - Bureau Arjan Karssen
Anke Rolvink - Packhunt
Jasper Dol - 3D Makers Zone (3DMZ)
Mark Feijen - Isaac
Chris Aerts - AplusV
Annette Beerepoot - BouwLab R&Do

Waag lecture and workshop: BioCommons

In the BioCommons project, Waag investigates how we can combine and use our genetic data, while managing them as a community.

Free entrance | Register here

Join us for a thought-provoking event that puts you at the forefront of genomic research and health decision-making. Have you ever wondered how your DNA can contribute to medical research and improve your healthcare journey?

We invite you to explore this exciting frontier at our workshop: it is you who can decide what type of research questions can be formulated about your genetic information.

The evening will start with an introduction to BioCommons by Waag's Lucas Evers, followed by a keynote of professor Karien Stronks on The Helius study, insights in the biological, psychological and social causes of the unequal burden of disease across ethnic groups in Amsterdam. After this, a hands-on workshop follows for you to participate in.

In this workshop you will be able to:

• Discover what kind of research you would like to see conducted with your DNA. Explore how patient-centered genomic services can empower you to shape the future of medical investigations.
• You will delve into the importance of genetic literacy and informed consent. Understand how individuals can make informed decisions regarding the use of their genetic data in research and healthcare.
• Learn about Waag's BioCommons project and learn about its latest findings. Our experts will provide brief interventions and mediate discussions to help you understand the impact of genetic information as a common good.
• Enhanced Decision-Making: Consider how an improved approach to direct consumer testing, which is more inclusive and diverse, can grant individuals more control over their genetic and non-genetic health-data. We will explore how this new data management paradigm influences your behaviour and health.
• Cultural and Ethical Aspects: Reflect on the intricate connections between culture, identity, ethnicity, and genetics. Discuss the implications and potential benefits of a patient-centered approach to genetics.

Programme

19:00-19:15 hrs - Welcome
19:15-19:30 hrs - Introduction to BioCommons by Lucas Evers
19:30- 19:55 hrs - Keynote by Karien Stronks: The Helius study, insights in the biological, psychological and social causes of the unequal burden of disease across ethnic groups in Amsterdam
19:55-20:45 hrs - Workshop
20:45 to 21:00 hrs - Conclusion

Free entrance | Register here

This is the 22st episode of a series 25 building blocks to create better streets, neighbourhoods, and cities. Its topic is the way how the quality of the living environment benefits from reducing the contrast between urban and rural areas.

Photos from space show a sharp contrast between city and countryside. Urban areas are predominantly gray; rural areas turn green, yellow, and brown, but sharp contrasts are also visible within cities between densely built-up neighborhoods and parks. Even between neighborhoods there are sometimes sharp transitions.

The division between city and country

Large and medium-sized cities on the one hand and rural areas on the other are worlds apart in many respects and local government in municipalities would like to keep it that way. For a balanced development of urban and rural areas, it is much better if mutual cohesion is emphasized, that their development takes place from a single spatial vision and (administrative) organization and that there are smooth transitions between both. The biggest mistake one can made is regarding the contrast between city and country as a contradiction between city and nature. Where large-scale agriculture predominates in the rural area, the remaining nature has a hard time. Where nature-inclusive construction takes place in cities, biodiversity is visibly increasing.
The idea that urban and rural areas should interpenetrate each other is not new. At the time, in Amsterdam it was decided to retain several wedges and to build garden villages. Some of the images in the above collage show such smooth transitions between urban and rural areas: Eko Park, Sweden (top right), Abuja, Nigeria (bottom left), and Xion'an, China (bottom center). The latter two are designs by SOM, an international urban design agency that focuses on biophilic designs.

Pulling nature into the city

Marian Stuiver is program leader Green Cities of Wageningen Environmental Research at WUR. In her just-released book The Symbiotic City, she describes the need to re-embed cities in soil, water and living organisms. An interesting example is a design by two of her students, Piels and Çiftçi, for the urban expansion of Lelystad. The surrounding nature continues into the built-up area: soil and existing waterways are leading; buildings have been adapted accordingly. Passages for animals run between and under the houses (see photo collage, top left). Others speak of rewilding. In this context, there is no objection to a small part of the countryside being given a residential destination. Nature benefits!

Restoration of the rural area

The threat to nature does not come from urban expansion in the first place, but mainly from the expansion of the agricultural area. Don't just think immediately of the clearing of tropical rain woods to produce palm oil. About half of the Dutch land area is intended for cows. Usually, most of them are stabled and the land is mainly used to produce animal feed.
The development of large-scale industrialized agriculture has led to the disappearance of most small landscape features, one of the causes of declining biodiversity. Part of the Climate Agreement on 28 June 2019 was the intention  to draw up the Aanvalsplan landschapselementen . Many over-fertilized meadows and fields that are intended to produce animal feed in the Netherlands were once valuable nature reserves. Today they value from a biodiversity point of view is restricted and they are a source of greenhouse gases. Nature restoration is therefore not primarily focusses at increasing the wooded area. Most of the land can continue to be used for agricultural and livestock farming, provided that it is operated in a nature-inclusive manner. The number of farmers will then increase rather than decrease.

Pulling the city into nature

There are no objections against densification of the city as long this respects the green area within the city. So-called vertical forests by no means make up for the loss of greenery. Moreover, space is needed for urban agriculture and horticulture (photo collage, top center), offices, crafts, and clean industry as part of the pursuit of complete districts. Nature in the Netherlands benefits if one to two percent of the land that is currently used to produce animal feed is used for housing, embedded in a green-blue infrastructure. Some expansion and densification also apply to villages, which as a result are once again developing support for the facilities, they saw disappearing in recent decades.
Finally, I mentioned earlier that nature is more than water, soils, plants, and trees. Biophilic architects also draw nature into the built environment by incorporating analogies with natural forms into the design and using natural processes for cooling and healthy air. The 'Zandkasteel' in Amsterdam is still an iconic example (photo collage, bottom right).
 
Follow the link below to find an overview of all articles.

KOM NAAR JUST.CITY.AMSTERDAM.2023

Amsterdam is al 750 jaar in beweging. De ontwikkelingen van de afgelopen jaren maken het een stad waarin niet voor iedereen plek is. Basisvoorzieningen zoals wonen, onderwijs, zorg, voedsel, de publieke ruimte en een leefbaar klimaat staan bijvoorbeeld steeds meer onder druk. We merken allemaal dat er zaken niet rechtvaardig zijn en daar willen wij, samen met jou, verandering in brengen.

Vanaf 16 november voert het Centre of Expertise Urban Governance and Social Innovation daarom officieel de naam Centre of Expertise Rechtvaardige Stad. Op die datum organiseren wij als lancering Just.City.Amsterdam.2023; een middag vol workshops, lezingen, gesprekken en persoonlijke ontmoetingen. Tijdens deze middag in Ru Paré Community willen we elkaar inspireren en aanzetten tot manieren om naar een rechtvaardige stad te kijken en er samen aan te werken. Jij bent van harte welkom!

We hebben schrijvers, dichters, onderzoekers, ondernemers, studenten, bestuurders en buurtorganisaties uit de stad gevraagd om een bijdrage te leveren aan ons programma. Met onder andere: Gökhan Aksoy, Abdelkader Benali, Joris Lechêne, Ria Braaf-Fränkel, Lucia Kula, Roberto Rocco, Arnt Mein.
Via onderstaande knop vind je meer informatie over de lancering en het aanmelden.

This is the 21th episode of a series 25 building blocks to create better streets, neighbourhoods, and cities. Its topic is the combination of living and working in the same neighbourhood. This idea is currently high on the agenda of many city councils.  

Benefits for the quality of the living environment

If there is also employment in or near the place where people live, several residents might walk to work. That will only apply to relatively few people, but urban planners think that bringing living and working closer together will also increase the liveliness of the neighborhood. But more reasons are mentioned: including cross-fertilization, sharing of spaces, the shared use of infrastructure (over time), a greater sense of security and less crime. Whether all these reasons are substantiated is doubtful.
In any case, mixed neighbourhoods contributes to widening the range of residential environments and there is certainly a group that finds this an attractive idea. The illustrations above show places were living and work will be mixed (clockwise): Deventer (Havenkwartier), The Hague (Blinckhorst), Leiden (Bioscience Park), Amersfoort (Oliemolenterrein), Amsterdam (Ravel) and Hilversum (Wybertjesfabriek).  

Break with the past

Le Corbusier detested the geographical nearness of work and living. In his vision, all the daily necessities of residents of the vertical villages he had in mind had to be close to home, but the distance to work locations could not be great enough. Incidentally, very understandable because of the polluting nature of the industry in the first half of the 20th century. Nowadays, the latter is less valid. An estimated 30% of companies located on industrial sites have no negative environmental impact whatsoever. A location in a residential area therefore does not have to encounter any objections. The choice for an industrial site was mainly dictated because the land there is much cheaper. And that's where the shoe pinches. The most important reason to look for housing locations on industrial estates is the scarcity of residential locations within the municipality and consequently their high prices. Moreover, in recent decades the surface of industrial estates has grown faster than that of residential locations, at least until a couple of years ago.  

Companies are still hesitating

Companies are generally reserved about the development of housing in their immediate vicinity. Apart from the realistic expectation that the price of land will rise, they fear that this will be at the expense of space that they think they will need to grow in the future. This fear is justified: In the Netherlands 4600 hectares of potential commercial sites disappeared between 2016 and 2021. Another concern is that future 'neighbors' will protest against the 'nuisance' that is inherent to industrial sites, among others because of the traffic they attract. The degree of 'nuisance' will mainly depend on the scale on which the mixing will take place. If this happens at block level, the risk is higher than in case of the establishment of residential neighborhoods in a commercial environment. But as said, there is no need to fear substantial nuisance from offices, laboratories, call centers and the like. Companies also see the advantages of mixing living and working, such as more security.  

Searching for attractive combinations of living and working

Project developers see demand for mixed-use spaces rising and so do prices, which is an incentive for the construction of compact multifunctional buildings, in which functions are combined. To create sufficient space for business activity in the future, they advocate reserving 30% for business space in all residential locations. The municipality of Rotterdam counters this with a 'no net loss' policy regarding gross floor surface for commercial spaces.
Gradually, attractive examples of mixed living and working areas emerge. Park More (from Thomas More), the entrance area of the Leiden Bioscience Park, which will consist of homes, university facilities and a hotel (photo top right). The idea is that in the future there will also be room for the storage of rainwater, the cultivation of food and the production of the estate's own energy.
Another example, which can probably be followed in more places, is the transformation of the Havenkwartier Deventer into a mixed residential and working area, although part of the commercial activity has left and the buildings are being repurposed as industrial heritage (photo above left). The starting point is that, despite hundreds of new homes, the area will retain its industrial and commercial character, although some residents complain about the 'smoothening' of the area'. Living and working remains a challenging combination, partly depending on where the emphasis lies. In this respect, many eyes are focused on the substantiation of the plans of Amsterdam Havenstad.
 
Follow the link below to find an overview of all articles.  

 
Ik heb de laatste jaren honderden posts geschreven over stedelijke ontwikkeling, innovatie en organisatie. Vele daarvan hebben op deze website gestaan. Ik verschuif mijn schrijfactiviteiten geleidelijk naar het thema waarvan mijn hart sneller gaat kloppen, namelijk muziek.  In mijn nieuwe Nederlandstalige blog 'Expeditie muziek' (zie de link hieronder) verken ik wekelijk een ander facet.  Deze week is dat de geschiedenis van de blues, vorige week heb ik een top tien samengesteld van de in mijn ogen mooiste Nederlandstalige liedjes 'ooit'. Neem eens een kijkje.

This is the 20th episode of a series 25 building blocks to create better streets, neighbourhoods, and cities. Its topic is to enable citizens having daily necessities in a walking and bicycling distance.

During the pandemic, lockdowns prevented people from leaving their homes or moving over a longer distance. Many citizens rediscovered their own neighbourhood. They visited the parks every day, the turnover of the local shops increased, and commuters suddenly had much more time. Despite all the concerns, the pandemic contributed to a revival of a village-like sociability.

Revival of the ‘whole neighbourhood’

Revival indeed, because until the 1960s, most residents of cities in Europe, the US, Canada, and Australia did not know better than their dally needs were available within a few minutes' walk. In the street where I was born, there were four butchers, four bakers, three greengrocers and four groceries, even though the street was not much longer than 500 meters. No single shop survived. My primary school was also on that street, and you had to be around the corner for the doctor. This type of quality of life went lost, in the USA in particular. However, urban planners never have forgotten this idea. In many cities, the pandemic has turned these memories into attainable goals, albeit still far removed from reality. Nevertheless, the idea of the 'whole neighborhood' gained traction in many cities. It fits into a more comprehensive planning concept, the 15-minute city.

Support for facilities

The idea is that residents can find all daily needs within an imaginary circle with an area of approximately 50 hectares. This implies a proportionate number of residents. A lower limit of 150 residents per hectare is often mentioned, considering a floor area of 40% for offices and small industry. The idea is further that most streets are car-free and provide plenty of opportunity for play and meeting.

Opportunity for social contacts

In a 'whole neighbourhood', residents find opportunity for shopping and meeting from morning to evening. There is a supermarket, a bakery, a butcher, a greengrocer's shop, a drugstore, a handful of cafes and restaurants, a fitness center, a primary school, a medical center, craft workshops, offices, green spaces and a wide variety of houses. Here, people who work at home drink their morning coffee, employees meet colleagues and freelancers work at a café table during the quiet hours. Housemen and women do their daily shopping or work out in the gym, have a chat, and drink a cup of tea. People meet for lunch, dinner and socializing on the terrace or in the cafes, until closing time. A good example is the Oostpoort in Amsterdam, albeit one of the larger ones with a station and a few tram lines.

Planning model

On the map above, the boundaries of the neighborhoods with an area of approximately 50 hectares are shown in the form of circles. The circular neighborhood is a model. This principle can already play a role on the drawing board in new neighborhoods to be built. In existing neighbourhoods, drawing circles is mainly a matter of considering local data. The center of the circle will then often be placed where there are already some shops. Shops outside the intended central area can be helped to move to this area. Spaces between existing homes can be reserved for small-scale businesses, schools, small parks, communal gardens and play facilities. Once the contours have been established, densification can be implemented by choosing housing designs that align to the character of the neighbourhood. Towards the outside of the imaginary circle, the building density will decrease, except at public transport stops or where circles border the water, often an ideal place for higher buildings.

If a thoroughfare passes through the center of the circle, this street can be developed into a city street, including a public transport route. Facilities are then realized around a small square in the center of the circle and the surrounding streets.
Incidentally, space between the circles can be used for through traffic, parks, and facilities that transcend districts, for instance a swimming pool or a sports hall or an underground parking garage. Mostly, neighborhoods will merge seamlessly into each other.
It will take time before this dream comes true.
 
 
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The Sharing Cities Alliance and the City of Amsterdam welcome you to take part in a roundtable discussion about ‘AI & The City', taking place during the Society 5.0 Festival in Amsterdam. This roundtable brings together a dynamic community of creative professionals to explore the profound intersections of Artificial Intelligence and urban life.

We'll explore the evolving landscape of AI and its transformative potential within our cities. Our discussion will touch upon the ways AI is reshaping urban environments, from livability to climate tech solutions and from transportation to the economy.

Together, we'll also delve into the ethical considerations surrounding AI deployment in urban settings, emphasizing the importance of preserving public values and ensuring positive outcomes for our communities.

Join us for a thought-provoking dialogue, where visionary minds come together to imagine and shape a future where AI and cities harmoniously coexist, fostering innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity. ‘AI & The City’ is your opportunity to be part of this essential conversation, where creativity meets technology to pave the way for brighter and more resilient urban landscapes.

#livability #climatechange #wellbeing #economy #urbanplanning #ethics #privacy #safety #trust

(Observant players might recognize the touch of generative AI throughout this invitation ;))

This is the 19th episode of a series 25 building blocks to create better streets, neighbourhoods, and cities. This post is about increasing the independent mobility of children and the elderly, which is limited due to the dangers that traffic entails.

For safety reasons, most urban children under the age of ten are taken to school. The same goes for most other destinations nearby. It hampers children’s independent mobility, which is important for their development.

Car-free routes for pedestrians and cyclists

For security reasons, car-free connections between homes and schools, community centers, bus stops and other facilities are mandatory (photo’s top left and bottom right). Car routes, in their turn, head to neighborhood parking spaces or underground parking garages. Except for a limited number of parking spaces for disabled people.

Design rules

Model-wise, the design of a residential area consists of quadrants of approximately 200 x 200 meters in which connections are primarily intended for pedestrians and cyclists. There are routes for motorized traffic between the quadrants and there are parking facilities and bus stops at the edges. Inhabitants might decide that cars may enter the pedestrian area at walking pace to load and unload to disappear immediately afterwards. The routes for pedestrians and cyclists connect directly with the shops and other destinations in the neighborhood, based on the idea of the 15-minute city. Shops 'ideally' serve 9 to 16 quadrants. In practice, this mode will have many variations because of terrain characteristics, building types and aesthetic considerations.

Examples

The number of neighborhoods where cars can only park on the outskirts is growing. A classic example is 'ecological paradise' Vauban were 50 'Baugruppen' (housing cooperatives) have provided affordable housing (photo bottom middle ). Car-free too is the former site of the Gemeentelijk waterleidingbedrijf municipal water supply company in Amsterdam - (photo bottom left). Here almost all homes have a garden, roof terrace or spacious balcony. The Merwede district in Utrecht (top middle) will have 12,000 inhabitants and for only 30% room for parking is available, and even then only on the edge of the district. Shared cars, on the other hand, will be widely available. The space between the houses is intended for pedestrians, cyclists and children playing.

More emphasis on collective green

Due to the separation of traffic types and the absence of nuisance caused by car, there are no obligatory streets, but wide foot- and cycle paths. Instead there are large lawns for playing and picnicking, vegetable gardens and playgrounds. Further space savings will be achieved by limiting the depth of the front and back gardens. Instead, large collective space appears between the residential blocks; remember the Rivierenwijk in Utrecht that I mentioned in the former post (top right). Behind the buildings, there is room for small backyards, storage sheds and possibly parking space.
 
Follow the link below to find an overview of all articles.

How can you help guide the planet’s well-being towards a Society 5.0?

This question is central to the Society 5.0 Festival. For two days, 31 Oct and 1 Nov, The Social Hub Amsterdam City will be the beating heart where knowledge institutions and the creative industry come together to indulge in masterclasses, workshops, performances, interactive installations and so much more guaranteed to spark your creativity.
 
More information and tickets, here: https://society5.event-hva.nl/
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Kunnen we samen een slimme, duurzame samenleving vormgeven zonder daarbij het welzijn van mens en planeet uit het oog te verliezen?

Op 31 okt en 1 nov komt de creatieve industrie tijdens Society 5.0 Festival bij elkaar in The Social Hub Amsterdam City om het antwoord op deze vraag te verkennen. Verwacht masterclasses, workshops, interactieve (kunst)installaties, performances en meer!
 
<strong>Meer informatie en tickets hier:</strong> https://society5.event-hva.nl/

The ground is full of cables, pipes, and other assets but we don’t always know exactly where they are located. Digging is the most common practice to look for assets, however, this has many negative impacts. It can lead to damage to assets, it costs time and money to dig, and it is often an inconvenience to the direct surroundings.

Therefore, it would be extremely convenient if we could find methods to locate assets without having to dig. We are looking for start-ups, research groups, and knowledge institutions that have developed or can develop a technology that can scan, detect, or sense, underground assets without digging.

Are you the person we are looking for, or do you know the person or organisation we are looking for? Please let us know by sending a message to noor@amsterdamsmartcity.com or leaving a comment below.

Our we spending more time than offline? Get off your screen and join us as we discuss ‘addiction by design’ and other digital dilemmas. Meet the experts on ethics and responsible technologies. During this event we will learn about how digital applications have evolved, how they have shaped our society, and how we can make them more humane. Don't miss this opportunity to network with fellow apps-for-good developers.

Next Thursday November 2nd, we will be discussing the bitter truths of ethics in web & app development. As a designer, coder or business developer, how can we keep our apps responsible? How can we create healthier relationships between app users (and makers)? What does our digital and social society look like in the next 15 years? The goal of this event is to showcase, discover and foster apps for good.

AGENDA:

• 17:00 Welcome drinks - Welcome drinks to break the ice and network a bit with fellow attendees.
• 17:30 Opening and Welcome - Pinch / Appsterdam
• 17:45 Kick-off Speaker - Mike Lee - Mayor of Appsterdam. Mike will be revisiting his 2013 flagship talk “Ethics Made Easy”. How does this talk still hold up ten years later? What has changed, what principles should app makers consider going forward?
• 18:10 Ethical Expert: Douwe Schmidt - Public Tech Gemeente Amsterdam. Douwe us a co-found of the Tada - 6 values that guide the responsible use of data and the responsible design of technology in the city based on inclusivity, with control, human centric, legitimate and controlled, open and transparent & from everyone, for everyone.
• 18:30 Food is served
• 19:00 TDB
• 19:20 Emiel Poot - De Jonge Strateeg & Appsterdammer - Emiel will delve into the balance between our human nature and todays digital landscape. We all have a fundamental need for social connection, but how have our instincts adapted to digital relationships, communication, and sense of belonging? Join us as we navigate the fascinating synergy between our wired brains and the virtual networks that have reshaped the very essence of human interaction.
• 19:45 - Closing and networking drinks.

When thinking about the decarbonization of cities, Local Energy Systems (LES) are often mentioned as one of the key enablers in the future. While there is agreement that LES have a role to play in the energy system of the future, what exactly is this role and how do we scale up implementation of this solution?

Cities are a major source of GHG emissions, with UN estimates suggesting that cities are responsible for ~75% of global emissions, mainly by means of transport and energy use in buildings. The decarbonization of buildings within urban areas can prove especially difficult, as space is limited, issues like grid congestion delay further electrification and there are a lot of stakeholders involved.

LES can be a solution in the decarbonisation of buildings in urban areas, like residential spaces, business parks and hybrid areas, creating positive energy districts that simultaneously reduce their impact on the grid.  Preliminary LES pilot programs indicate that a LES can support decarbonization by integrating renewable generation and efficiently using energy by decreasing energy losses due to smart grids, communal energy management systems and by combining generation and use as locally as possible. We are however still in the early stages of building and growing LES around the globe, which is why we are focused on getting the right stakeholders together and learning about the requirements for scaling up such systems.

## Case & Set-up of the Session

During the latest Transition Day we hosted a work session on the topic of LES. In the past months, a number of partners in the Amsterdam Smart City network have expressed interest in the topic and would like to work together on the topic. Simultaneously the HvA, who is working on the ATELIER project with the aim to create Positive Energy Districts (PEDs), developed a framework to structurally categorize the various aspects involved in implemeting a LES. During the Demo Day, we considered two topics related to LES The first was a the framework created by the HvA, with the intention of capturing feedback and validating the approach.  Secondly, we considered how we can move from an informal network around LES, to a structural coalition that can scale up the concept.

## Insights

A framework for structurally capturing aspects of a LES

Omar Shafqat from the HvA / ATELIer project presented their framework for structurally capturing and monitoring aspects of LES. The framework categorizes various aspects into policy, market, technical and social considerations (from top to bottom). Next to that, it divides these aspects on a timeline along a planning horizon from longer term (planning) to shorter term (management). The framework is shown below in this image.

In response to the framework, the participants shared some the following feedback:
-        Testing the framework is necessary to validate and improve it. This implies an inventorization of LES projects and working through a few specific cases to check how the framework can be applied, and how it can benefit project managers/owners.
-        The framework should also be presented and validated by other key stakeholders such as Amsterdam’s “Task Force Congestion Management”.
-        Participants raised the question of who exactly will use the framework, and how? Is this intended as an instrument to be used primarily by academics, and researchers, or also by practitioners?

Forming a coalition on the advancement of LES

The second part of the work session was moderated by Joost Schouten from Royal Haskoning DHV, who led the discussion on the need for building a coalition around LES. He argued that the further development of LES requires an ecosystem approach, since multiple parties with different interests are involved, but there is no clear ‘owner’ of the problem.

A ‘coalition of the willing’ could help to advance the development of LES. A discussion in breakouts led to the following insights:
-        A coalition should be formed by the community itself, but it requires a party that coordinates during the kick-off phase. A discussion emerged around whose role should be to take on the coordination phase. Some participants were of the view that this should be led by a governmental party, others thought this should be organised by a network party like Amsterdam Smart City.
-        To effectively build a coalition, the involved parties need to be interdependent. To make sure that it is clear that the parties in a LES are interdependent, the parties need to state their interests in developing a LES, to determine whether there is a common goal.
-        Even when these interests are not fully aligned, communication between parties can help bridge gaps. Discussion leads to understanding and empathy.
-        An ambassador can be a vital enabler in the beginning of building a coalition, as a clear face and point of contact for such a group.
-        There are already many other communities and coalitions working on topics related to LES, including but not limited to 02025, New Amsterdam Climate platform, TET-ORAM, TopSector Energie, among others.  A key question is whether a new coalition is necessary, or whether it should be possible to join forces with an existing coalition / initiative.

## Conclusions and next steps

Many work session participants indicated support and interest to further contribute to the development of the LES project. The HvA framework was viewed as a useful tool to capture learnings from LES projects to facilitate scaling up. Additionally, the question of how to facilitate collaboration and coalition forming requires further attention. There are many parties involved in the development of LES, and they don’t always have the same interests. However, this is not an issue that any party can ‘own’ or ‘solve’ on its own. It requires an ecosystem approach, which is something that will need to be further detailed.

For now, we will simultaneously work on further building the coalition and looking for LES projects that can be used to test and further develop the framework. If you would like to know more or get involved in the project, for example by contributing you own LES to be tested by the framework itself, let me know via noor@amsterdamsmartycity.com.

This challenge was introduced in the Amsterdam Smart City network by Lennart Zwols from gemeente Amsterdam and Omar Shafqat (HvA). The session was prepared with and moderated by Joost Schouten from Royal HaskoningDHV. Do you have any questions or input for us? Contact me via noor@amsterdamsmartcity.com or leave a comment below. Would you like to know more about the LES challenge? You can find the overview of the challenge with the reports of all the sessions here.

This is the 18th episode of a series 25 building blocks to create better streets, neighbourhoods, and cities. This message is about the limited possibilities for children to play in a green environment because of the sacrifices that are made to offer space for cars and private gardens
 
Almost all residential areas in the Netherlands offer too little opportunity for children to play. This post deals with this topic and also with changing the classic street pattern to make way for routes for pedestrians and cyclists.
Everything previously mentioned about the value of a green space applies to the living environment. The rule 3 : 30 : 300 is often used as an ideal: Three trees must be visible from every house, the canopy cover of the neighborhood is 30% and within an average distance of 300 meters there is a quarter of a hectare of green space, whether or not divided over a number of smaller parcels.

Functions of 'green' in neighbourhoods

The green space in the living environment must be more than a grass cover. Instead, it creates a park-like environment where people meet, it is accompanied by water features and can store water in case of superfluent rain, it limits the temperature and forms the basis for play areas for children.

Legally, communal, and private green areas are different entities; in practice, hybrid forms are becoming common. For example, a communal (inner) garden that can be closed off in the evening or public green that is cadastral property of the residents but intended for public use. In that case the residents live in a park-like environment which they might maintain and use together. Het Rivierdistrict in Utrecht is an example of this.

Play at the neighborhood level

Children want wide sidewalks and a place (at least 20 x 10 m2) close to home that is suitable for (fantasy) games and where there may also be attractive play equipment. The importance of playground equipment should not be overestimated. For many children, the ideal playground consists of heaps of coarse sand, water, climbing trees and pallets. To the local residents It undoubtedly looks messier than a field full of seesaw chickens. Good playground equipment is of course safe and encourages creative action. They can also be used for more than one purpose. You can climb on it, slide off it, play hide and seek and more. Of the simple devices, (saucer) swings and climbing frames are favorites.
A somewhat larger playground to play football and practice other sports is highly regarded. Such a space attracts many children from the surrounding streets and leads to the children playing with each other in varying combinations.

Squares

Most squares are large bare plains, which you prefer to walk around. Every neighborhood should have a square of considerable size as a place where various forms of play and exercise are concentrated. In the middle there is room for a multifunctional space - tastefully tiled or equipped with (artificial) grass - for ball games, events, music performances, markets and possibly movable benches. Ideally, the central part is somewhat lower, so that there is a slope to sit on, climb and slide down. On the edge there is room for countless activities, such as different forms of ball games, a rough part, with climbing trees, meeting places, spaces to hide, space to barbecue and walls to paint, but also catering and one or more terraces. Lighting is desirable in the evening, possibly (coloured) mood lighting. There is an opportunity for unexpected and unforeseen activities, such as a food car that comes by regularly, street musicians that come to visit, changing fairground attractions and a salsa band that comes to rehearse every week.
Such a square can possibly be integrated into a park that, apart from its value as a green space, already offers opportunities for children to play. Adding explicit game elements makes parks even more attractive.

Connecting car-free routes

Safe walking and cycling routes connect playgrounds, parks, and homes. They offer excellent opportunities to use bicycles, especially where they are connected to those of other neighbourhoods.
By seeing facilities for different age groups in conjunction, networks and nodes are created for distinctive target groups. The children's network mainly includes play areas close to home, connected via safe paths to playgrounds in the vicinity. Facilities especially for teenagers are best located somewhat secluded, but not isolated. Essentially, they want to fit in. The teenage network also includes places where there is something to eat, but also various facilities for sports and at a certain age it includes the entire municipality.
 
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The CASSINI Hackathons take place simultaneously in 11 different countries. The 6th edition is scheduled for November 3-5, with events happening both in Amersfoort and online in the Netherlands. In Amersfoort, this exceptional event is co-organized by dotSPACE foundation and Royal Haskoning DHV.

The 6th edition of the hackathon revolves around three key themes:

1. <strong>Supporting sustainable infrastructure development.</strong> A strong national infrastructure facilitates critical services, promotes opportunities, and stimulates economic growth. Can you create a solution that supports the development of renewable energy, transport and mobility, or connectivity infrastructure?
2. Strengthening food security and access to clean water. Tackling the urgent global issues rooted in the scarcity of food and clean water, we’re challenging participants to explore how space technologies can be better prepared for humanitarian crises and more effectively manage precious resources. 
3. Understanding and forecasting forced migration. In this challenge, we’re looking for solutions that will help authorities to predict population movements from vulnerable areas. How can space data help us manage logistics, resources, and transportation during difficult times?

Who Can Participate? 
The CASSINI Hackathon is open to students, entrepreneurs, engineers, designers, researchers, and anyone interested in space technologies, international development, and humanitarian activities. To participate, you must be 18 or older and reside in an EU Member State, Norway, Switzerland, or Iceland. Teams should consist of at least 3 members and can have a maximum of 8. 

For your convenience, we’ve arranged accommodations for on-site participants at the Stayokay Hostel in Soest.

FoodCLIC is een Europees onderzoeksproject waarin onderzoek gedaan wordt naar voedselsysteemtransformatie in stadsregio's. Het project richt zich op de plekken waar productie en consumptie samen komen, oftewel de voedselomgeving van de Metropool Regio Amsterdam. Voedsel Verbindt is als een van de praktijk partners aangesloten bij dit project en wilt daarom graag ook jouw stem vertegenwoordigd hebben binnen het onderzoek. Samen met de Vrije Universiteit, Food Council MRA en de Gemeente Amsterdam werken we samen om tot mooie inzichten te komen.

FoodCLIC kenmerkt zich doordat we ons bezig gaan houden met actie-onderzoek. In de vorm van real-life interventies. Voor verandering moeten we namelijk gewoon iets gaan doen, op zoek naar de oplossingen dus!

Datum en tijd:
vrijdag 10 november van 09.30 tot 16.30 (borrel tot 17.30 uur. )
Inclusief lokale lunch.

De locatie is:
Cultureel centrum NoLIMIT, Geldershoofd 80, 1103 BG, Amsterdam

Programma
09:30: Inloop & registratie
09:45: Start van de bijeenkomst
10:30: Workshop 1 - Regionale visie op de voedselomgeving in 2050
12:00: Voedseltours door de wijk
12:30: Pauze (Lunch) - Lokale voedselinitiatieven op je bord
13:30: Workshop 2 - Het voedselsysteem begrijpen
15:00: Pauze
15:30: Workshop 3 - Uitkomsten en doelstellingen formuleren
16:30: Borrel

Registreer jezelf via de onderstaande link:

Aanmelden

Voel je vrij om contact op te nemen via ruben.smolders@voedselverbindt.nl

This is the 17th episode of a series 25 building blocks to create better streets, neighbourhoods, and cities. This post is about the contributions of sociability and inclusivity to the quality of the living environment.
Almost everyone who is going to move looks forward with some trepidation to who the neighbors will be. This post is about similarities and differences between residents as the basis for a sociable end inclusive neighborhood.

"Our kind of people"

The question 'what do you hope your neighbors are' is often answered spontaneously with 'our kind of people'. There is a practical side to this: a family with children hopes for a family with playmates of about the same age. But also, that the neighbors are not too noisy, that they are in for a pleasant contact or for making practical arrangements, bearing in mind the principle 'a good neighbor is better than a distant friend'. A person with poor understanding often interprets 'our kind of people' as people with the same income, religion, ethnic or cultural background. That doesn't have to be the case. On the other hand, nothing is wrong if people with similar identities seeking each other's proximity on a small scale.

All kinds of people

A certain homogeneity among the immediate neighbours, say those in the same building block, can go hand in hand with a greater variety at the neighbourhood level in terms of lifestyle, ethnic or cultural background, age, and capacity. This variety is a prerequisite for the growth of inclusiveness. Not everyone will interact with everyone, but diversity in ideas, interests and capacities can come in handy when organizing joint activities at neighborhood and district level.

Variation in living and living arrangements

The presence of a variety in lifestyles and living arrangements can be inspiring. For example, cohousing projects sometimes have facilities such as a fitness center or a restaurant that are accessible to other residents in the neighbourhood. The same applies to a cohabitation project for the elderly. But it is also conceivable that there is a project in the area for assisted living for (former) drug addicts or former homeless people. The Actieagenda Wonen “Samen werken aan goed wonen” (2021) provides examples of the new mantra 'the inclusive neighbourhood'. It is a hopeful story in a dossier in which misery predominates. The Majella Wonen project in Utrecht appealed to me: Two post-war apartment complexes have been converted into a place where former homeless people and 'regular' tenants have developed a close-knit community. It benefits everyone if the residents of these types of projects are accepted in the neighborhood and invited to participate.

Consultation between neighbours

It remains important that residents as early as possible discuss agreements about how the shared part of life can be made as pleasant as possible. This is best done through varying combinations of informal neighborhood representatives who discuss current affairs with their immediate neighbours. A Whatsapp group is indispensable.
Mixing income groups is also desirable, especially if the differences in housing and garden size are not too great. It does not work if the impression of a kind of 'gold coast' is created.
If functions are mixed and there are also offices and other forms of activity in a neighborhood, it is desirable that employees also integrate. This will almost happen automatically if there is a community center with catering.
Most of what is mentioned above, cannot be planned, but a dose of goodwill on the part of all those involved contributes to the best quality of living together.
 
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