#Inclusion

Topic within Citizens & Living
Herman van den Bosch, professor in management development , posted

Expeditie Muziek

Featured image

 
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.

Herman van den Bosch's picture #Citizens&Living
Harmen van Sprang, co-founder & CEO Sharing Cities Alliance , posted

AI & The City

Featured image

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 ;))

Harmen van Sprang's picture Masterclass / workshop on Nov 1st
Ivanna Vinnicsuk, Content Marketer at Digital Society School, posted

Society 5.0 Festival

Featured image

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/
------

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/

Ivanna Vinnicsuk's picture Conference from Oct 31st to Nov 1st
Tom van Arman, Director & Founder at Tapp, posted

Ethics and other digital dilemmas

Featured image

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.
Tom van Arman's picture Meet-up on Nov 2nd
Herman van den Bosch, professor in management development , posted

18. Space for sporting and playing in a green environment

Featured image

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.
 
Follow the link below to find an overview of all articles.

Herman van den Bosch's picture #Citizens&Living
Andrei Bocin-Dumitriu, Founder , posted

6th Cassini Hackathon in Amersfoort

Featured image

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.

Andrei Bocin-Dumitriu's picture Masterclass / workshop from Nov 3rd to Nov 5th
Ruben Smolders, Living Lab Coordinator , posted

Kom 10 november naar de FoodCLIC visie workshop: Samen de route uitstippelen naar een gezonde, duurzame en toegankelijke voedselomgeving voor iedereen in de MRA.

Featured image

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

Ruben Smolders's picture Conference on Nov 10th
Herman van den Bosch, professor in management development , posted

17. A sociable inclusive neighborhood

Featured image

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.
 
Follow the link below to find an overview of all articles.  

 

Herman van den Bosch's picture #Citizens&Living
Herman van den Bosch, professor in management development , posted

15. Affordable housing

Featured image

This is the 15th episode of a series 25 building blocks to create better streets, neighbourhoods, and cities. This post is about one of the most serious threats to the quality of the living environment, namely the scarcity of housing, which is also unaffordable for many.
In many countries, adequate housing has become scarcer and too expensive for an increasing number of people. Unfortunately, government policy plays an important role in this. But good policy can also bring about a change. That's what this post is about.

As in many other developed countries, for a large part of the 20th century, the Dutch government considered it as its task to provide lower and middle classes with good and affordable housing. Housing associations ensured the implementation of this policy. Add to this well-equipped neighborhood shopping centers, ample medical, social, educational and transportation facilities and a diverse population. When the housing shortage eased in the 1970s, the nation was happier than ever. That didn't take long.

The emergence of market thinking in housing policy

During the last decades of the 20th century, the concern for housing largely shifted to the market. Parallel to this, housing corporations had to sell part of their housing stock. Mortgages were in easy reach and various tax facilities, such as the 'jubelton' and the mortgage interest deduction, brought an owner-occupied home within reach of many. In contrast, the waiting time for affordable rental housing increased to more than 10 years and rental housing in the liberalized zone became increasingly scarce and expensive. In Germany and Austria, providing good housing has remained a high priority for the government and waiting times are much shorter. The photo at the top left part shows the famous housing project Alt Erla in Vienna. Bottom shows left six affordable homes on the surface of one former home in an American suburb and top right is the 'Kolenkit', a social housing project in Amsterdam.

The explosive rise in housing costs

In order to adapt housing cost to the available budget, many people look for a house quite far away from the place where they work. Something that in turn has a negative effect on the travel costs and the time involved. Others settle in a neighborhood where the quality of life is moderate to poor or rent a too expensive house. More than a million households spend much more than the maximum desirable percentage of income (40%) on housing, utilities, and transport.
Between 2012 and 2022, the average price of a home in the Netherlands rose from €233,000 to €380,000. In Amsterdam, the price doubled from €280,000 to €560,000. Living in the city is becoming a privilege of the wealthier part of the population.
It is often assumed that around 900,000 housing units will be needed in the Netherlands by 2030, of which 80% is intended for single-person households.

An approaching change?

It seems that there is a shift going on, at least in policy thinking. The aim is to build an average of 100,000 homes per year in the coming years and to shorten the lead time between planning and realization. Achieving these intentions is uncartain because construction is being seriously delayed by the nitrogen crisis. The slow pace of new construction has once again drawn attention to the possibility of using existing houses and buildings for a significant proportion of these new housing units. More so as it is estimated that 80% of demand comes from single-person households.
The existing housing stock offers large potential for the creation of new living spaces. This potential has been investigated by, among others, the Kooperative Architecten Werkplaats in Groningen, resulting in the report <em>Ruimte zat in de stad</em>. The research focuses on 1800 post-war neighbourhoods, built between 1950 and 1980 with 1.8 million homes, 720,000 of which are social rental homes. The conclusion is that the division and expansion of these homes can yield 221,000 new units in the coming years. Eligible for this are single-family houses, which can be divided into two, and porch apartment blocks, which can be divided into more units per floor. Dividing up existing ground-access homes and homes in apartment blocks is technically not difficult and the costs are manageable. This applies even more if the adjustments are carried out in combination with making the relevant homes climate neutral. In addition, huge savings are made on increasingly expensive materials.
Even more interesting is to combine compaction with topping. This means the addition of one or two extra floors, so that a lift can also be added to the existing apartments. In construction terms, such an operation can be carried out by using light materials and installing an extra foundation. A project group at Delft University of Technology has designed a prototype that can be used for all 847,000 post-war porch houses, all of which need major maintenance. This prototype also ensures that the buildings in which these homes are located become energy-neutral and include facilities for socializing and play. Hence the extra wide galleries, with stairs between the floors and common areas in the plinth (image below right).
 
Follow the link below to find an overview of all articles.  

Herman van den Bosch's picture #Citizens&Living
Herman van den Bosch, professor in management development , posted

14. Liveability

Featured image

The picture shows the average development of the liveability per household in residential neighborhoods in the Netherlands from 2014 (source: Leefbaarheid in Nederland, 2020)
 
This is the 14th episode of a series 25 building blocks to create better streets, neighbourhoods, and cities. This post discusses how to improve the liveability of neighbourhoods. Liveability is defined as the extent to which the living environment meets the requirements and wishes set by residents.

Differences in liveability between Dutch neighbourhoods

From the image above can be concluded that more than half of all households live in neighborhoods to be qualified as at least 'good'. On the other hand, about 1 million households live in neighborhoods where liveability is weak or even less.
These differences are mainly caused by nuisance, insecurity, and lack of social cohesion. Locally, the quality of the houses stays behind.
The neighborhoods with a weak or poorer liveability are mainly located in the large cities. Besides the fact that many residents are unemployed and have financial problems, there is also a relatively high concentration of (mental) health problems, loneliness, abuse of alcohol and drugs and crime. However, many people with similar problems also live outside these neighbourhoods, spread across the entire city.

Integration through differentiation: limited success

The Netherlands look back on a 75 years period in which urban renewal was high on the agenda of the national and municipal government. Over the years, housing different income groups within each neighbourhood has played a major role in policy. To achieve this goal, part of the housing stock was demolished to be replaced by more expensive houses. This also happened if the structural condition of the houses involved gave no reason to demolishment.
Most studies show that the differentiation of the housing stock has rarely had a positive impact on social cohesion in a neighborhood and often even a negative one. The problems, on the other hand, were spread over a wider area.

Ensuring a liveable existence of the poor

Reinout Kleinhans justly states: <em>Poor neighborhoods are the location of deprivation, but by no means always the cause of it.</em> A twofold focus is therefore required: First and foremost, tackling poverty and a structural improvement of the quality of life of people in disadvantaged positions, and furthermore an integrated neighborhood-oriented approach in places where many disadvantaged people live together.
I have already listed measures to improve the quality of life of disadvantaged groups in an earlier post that dealt with social security. I will therefore focus here on the characteristics of an integrated neighbourhood-oriented approach.
• Strengthening of the remaining social cohesion in neighborhoods by supporting bottom-up initiatives that result in new connections and feed feelings of hope and recognition.
• Improvement of the quality of the housing stock and public space where necessary to stimulate mobility within the neighborhood, instead of attracting 'import' from outside.
• Allowing residents to continue living in their own neighborhood in the event of necessary improvements in the housing stock.
• Abstaining from large-scale demolition to make room for better-off residents from outside the neighborhood if there are sufficient candidates from within.
• In new neighborhoods, strive for social, cultural, and ethnic diversity at neighborhood level so that children and adults can meet each other. On 'block level', being 'among us' can contribute to feeling at home, liveability, and self-confidence.
• Curative approach to nuisance-causing residents and repressive approach to subversive crime through the prominent presence of community police officers who operate right into the capillaries of neighbourhoods, without inciting aggression.
• Offering small-scale assisted living programs to people for whom independent living is still too much of a task. This also applies to housing-first for the homeless.
• Strengthening the possibilities for identification and proudness of inhabitants by establishing top-quality play and park facilities, a multifunctional cultural center with a cross-district function and the choice of beautiful architecture.
• Improving the involvement of residents of neighbourhoods by trusting them and giving them actual say, laid down in neighborhood law.
 
Follow the link below to find an overview of all articles.

Herman van den Bosch's picture #Citizens&Living
Neeltje Pavicic, Public Tech, Participation, Community Management at Gemeente Amsterdam, posted

OPEN CALL: Sociale digitale oplossingen gezocht

Featured image

Heb jij ideeën over en kennis van hoe je technologie zou kunnen inzetten als middel om het leven van kwetsbare of gemarginaliseerde doelgroepen in Amsterdam iets makkelijker te maken? Werk je bijvoorbeeld voor een tech bedrijf met ideeën over digitale oplossingen voor deze Amsterdammers? Bekijk dan de 'challenges' op de website van CommuniCity. CommuniCity - Tweede Open Call
De winnende voorstellen krijgen een subsidie van 12.500 euro om hun oplossing te piloten. De deadline is 31 oktober.

In totaal zijn er door zeven Europese steden twintig challenges uitgeschreven. Maximaal 38 voorstellen zullen worden geselecteerd om een pilot uit te voeren.

De challenges in Amsterdam

  1. Hoe kunnen ouders ondersteund worden in (seks)educatie en veiligheid?
  2. Hoe maak je een lokaal betaalsysteem onder inwoners en lokale ondernemers in Amsterdam Nieuw-West toegankelijk en geaccepteerd?
  3. Hoe stimuleer je meisjes in Nieuw-West om te sporten en bewegen?
  4. Hoe betrek je bewoners bij een gemeenschapspaar- en krediet coöperatie die sociale initiatieven in de stad ondersteunt?
  5. Hoe kunnen doven en slechthorenden worden betrokken bij het uitzenden van informatie over het openbaar vervoer?
  6. Hoe pas je een bestaande technologische oplossing aan voor een specifieke groep?

Voor uitgebreide beschrijvingen van alle challenges en informatie over de beoordelingscriteria, voorwaarden en het aanmeldproces, ga naar CommuniCity - Tweede Open Call

CommuniCity wordt gefinancierd door de EU.

#DigitalCity
Herman van den Bosch, professor in management development , posted

12. Water Management

Featured image

This is the 12th episode of a series 25 building blocks to create better streets, neighbourhoods, and cities. This post deals with the question of how nature itself can help to deal with excessive rainfall and subsequently flooding of brooks and rivers, although these disasters are partially human-made.
Until now, flooding has mainly been combated with technical measures such as the construction of dykes and dams. There are many disadvantages associated with this approach and its effectiveness decreases. Nature-inclusive measures, on the other hand, are on the rise. The Netherlands is at the forefront of creating space for rivers to flood, where this is possible without too many problems.

Sponge areas

An important principle is to retain water before it ends up in rivers, canals, and sewers. The so-called sponge city approach can be incorporated into the fabric of new neighbourhoods and it creates sustainable, attractive places too. A combination of small and large parks, green roofs, wadis, but also private gardens will increase the water storage capacity and prevents the sewer system from becoming overloaded and flooding streets and houses. Steps are being taken in many places in the world; [China is leading the way](https://www\.dropbox\.com/s/47zxvl3kgbeeasa/Tale of two cities.pdf?dl=0) (photo top right). However, the intensity of the precipitation is increasing. In 2023, 75 cm of rain fell in Beijing in a few days. Under such conditions, local measures fall short. Instead, nature-inclusive measures must be applied throughout the river basin.

Retention basins

In new housing estates, water basins are constructed to collect a lot of water. Their stepped slopes make them pleasant places to stay in times of normal water level. The pictures on the left are from Freiburg (above) and Stockholm (below). The top center photo shows the construction of a retention basin in Lois Angeles.
Wadis
Wadis are artificial small-scale streams in a green bed with a high water-absorbing capacity. In the event of heavy rainfall, they collect, retain and discharge considerably more water than the sewer system (bottom center photo). Green strips, for example between sidewalks, cycle paths and roads also serve this purpose (photo bottom right: climate-adaptive streets in Arnhem).

Green roofs, roof gardens and soils

Green roofs look good, they absorb a lot of CO2 and retain water. The stone-covered urban environment is reducing the water-retaining capacity of the soil. Sufficiently large interspaces between paving stones, filled with crushed stone, ensure better permeability of streets and sidewalks. The same applies to half-open paving stones in parking lots.

Refrain from building in flood-prone areas

Up to the present day, flood-prone parts of cities are used for various purposes, often because the risk is underestimated or the pressure on space is very great. London's Housing and Climate Crises are on a Collision Course is the eloquent title of an article about the rapidly growing risk of flooding in London.
Hackney Wick is one of 32 growth centers set to help alleviate London's chronic housing shortage, which has already been repeatedly flooded by heavy rainfall. However, the construction of new homes continues. Measures to limit the flood damage at ground floor level include tiled walls and floors, water-inhibiting steel exterior doors, aluminum interior doors, kitchen appliances at chest height, closable sewers, and power supply at roof-level. Instead, floating neighbourhoods should be considered.

Follow the link below to find an overview of all articles.

Herman van den Bosch's picture #Citizens&Living
Catalina Iorga, Content Lead at Amsterdam Impact (City of Amsterdam) , posted

Join SEWF23 week (9-13 October) in Amsterdam

Featured image

The Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF) is a global annual flagship event that brings together social entrepreneurs, policymakers, investors, academics and other impact-led professionals to strengthen impact entrepreneurship and encourage systemic change.

This year, the main event takes place in Amsterdam Noord and online and is co-hosted by Amsterdam Impact, the City of Amsterdam’s impact entrepreneurship initiative, and Social Enterprise NL.

Here’s what you can look forward to during SEWF23 week.

Catalina Iorga's picture #CircularCity
Harmen van Sprang, co-founder & CEO Sharing Cities Alliance , posted

AI & The City

Featured image

Join us on 28 September to explore how (generative) AI will impact our cities and change the way we live, work & play.

From livability to sustainability, from health/wellbeing to public safety, from transportation to infrastructure, and from economic opportunities to urban planning: there are many opportunities ahead (and already happening).

From ethical implications to regulation, from awareness to safety/trust, and from data quality to technological infrastructure: we also got plenty of challenges to address and overcome.

Like to join this virtual roundtable session on 28 September? Visit http://sharingcitiesalliance.com/events to sign up (for free).

We welcome you to already share your ideas, cases as well as concerns regarding (generative) AI via LinkedIn.

AI & The City is an initiative of the Sharing Cities Alliance & Studio Sentience.

Harmen van Sprang's picture Online event on Sep 28th
Xander Bakker, Community Manager at Green Innovation Hub, posted

De stad van de toekomst bouwen ze in Almere in Minecraft

Featured image

Met een spetterende kick-off door Justin Edwards, Director of Learning Programmes van Microsoft, zijn 200 studenten van hogeschool Windesheim Flevoland vandaag in teams gestart met het in Minecraft bouwen van het nog te realiseren stadsdeel Pampus. Bijzonder omdat Almere als tweede stad na London start met een Minecraft challenge voor de realisatie van een nieuwbouwopgave. Het winnende studententeam van Windesheim mag haar concept van 7 – 9 november presenteren in het Holland paviljoen tijdens de Smartcity Expo World Congres in Barcelona.

De komende anderhalf jaar biedt Almere honderden jongeren tussen de 8 en 21 jaar op deze unieke manier de kans om zelf op de stoel van de architect te zitten en zo mee te denken over grote maatschappelijke vraagstukken. Basisschoolleerlingen en studenten bouwen op hun eigen niveau aan een virtueel Almere Pampus. Dit als plek waar zij in de toekomst zelf willen wonen. Dit stadsdeel bouwen ze met een speciale versie van Minecraft Education Edition.

Wethouder Maaike Veeningen van Almere (Economische ontwikkeling, hoger onderwijs): ‘we dagen leerlingen tot 21 jaar uit om met oplossingen te komen voor vraagstukken op het gebied van duurzaam, energiezuinig en inclusief bouwen. Op deze manier leren zij bijvoorbeeld over het gebruik van Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual Reality (VR) en robotisering bij het ontwikkelen van een nieuw stadsdeel. Zo betrekken we onze toekomstige inwoners bij het bouwen aan de ideale stad van de toekomst.’

Toekomstige leefomgeving
Het toekomstige Almere Pampus wordt in het zuidwesten van Almere gebouwd, met meer dan 30.000 woningen en 16.000 arbeidsplaatsen. Projectdirecteur Almere Pampus en senior stedenbouwkundige bij de gemeente Almere Paola Huijding over de Minecraft Challenge: “Deze leerlingen zijn misschien de toekomstige bewoners van Pampus. Hiermee bouwen we aan woon- en werkplekken omringd door water en groen. Het is daarom zo mooi dat juist de toekomstige generatie nu meedenkt over hun leefomgeving.”

Digitaalvaardig
De speciale editie van Minecraft die de studenteams gebruiken is ontwikkeld door Iamprogrez. Het gebruik ervan moet op een speelse en laagdrempelige manier bijdragen aan een digitaal vaardige samenleving. Scholieren krijgen zo inzicht in de banen van de toekomst. Ook kunnen zij in een buddysysteem ouderen meenemen in hun digitale kennis en vaardigheden.
Fleur van Beem, Executive Director bij VodafoneZiggo: “Het vooruithelpen van twee miljoen mensen in de samenleving willen wij bereiken door initiatieven als Online Masters, een online lesprogramma voor scholen over de digitale wereld. De Minecraft Challenge sluit hierop naadloos aan en het is natuurlijk fantastisch om dankzij gamification jongeren digitaalvaardig te krijgen.”

Bouwen aan innovatieve concepten
De leerlingen kunnen alleen of in teams werken aan de challenge en krijgen hiervoor een digital skills-certificaat. Na de ontwerpfase, kunnen zij hun toekomstige visie op Pampus uploaden op de website van de Green Innovation Hub (GIH). Een groep experts kiest de winnaar. Danny Frietman, Projectdirecteur van de GIH: “De winnende uitkomsten van de Minecraft Challenge vormen de basis voor ons om start-ups en scale-ups uit te dagen om de concepten van de scholieren daadwerkelijk in de praktijk te brengen.”

“Hoe ziet het er dan uit”
Kijk HIER naar de video aankondiging van de eerder gehouden Minecraft-challenge in Londen. Daarin zie je duidelijk hoe de challenge werkt en welke mogelijkheden Minecraft hiervoor biedt.

Fotografie Daan Klunder, Almere City Marketing

Xander Bakker's picture #Citizens&Living
Angèle Rolland, Coordinator of the Mobility Sphere think tank , posted

Forum The Mobility Sphere | October 4, Amsterdam

Featured image

The Mobility Sphere Forum is scheduled to take place in Amsterdam on October 4th, 2023 - a gathering of high-level experts across the public and private sectors aimed at rethinking mobility to disrupt the status quo, foster new perspectives, and craft innovative solutions.

Created in 2023, The Mobility Sphere by Transdev is a European think tank aimed at envisioning and providing a comprehensive outlook on the future of mobility. Our approach to mobility is firmly rooted in the concept of transition — whether environmental, social, economic, or territorial. We champion mobility as the cornerstone of inclusive, sustainable, and resilient cities and society.

Centered around the theme ‘Decarbonized mobility, mobility for all: transforming the way we move’, the upcoming Forum will gather approximately 100 mobility stakeholders from various European countries (France, Spain, Portugal, United Kingdom, Sweden, etc.) for a half-day in the heart of Amsterdam. The discussion will be moderated in English by François Gemenne, Scientific Advisor of The Mobility Sphere.

Panel 1 - Desirable and decarbonized mobility: How to anticipate and adapt to uses?

  • Karima Delli, Member of the European Parliament, Chair of the Committee on Transport and Tourism (EU)
  • Katarína Cséfalvayová, Director of the Institute for Central Europe & Executive Lead of the Danube Tech Valley Initiative, Former Member of Parliament (Slovakia)
  • Zeina Nazer, Co-Founder of Cities Forum (United Kingdom)

Panel 2 - Desirable mobility for all: How to foster an inclusive shift towards decarbonization?

  • Charlotte Halpern, Researcher at Sciences Po’s Centre for European Studies and Comparative Politics (France)
  • Madeleine Masse, Architect Urban Planner, Founding President of Atelier SOIL (France)
  • Brian Caulfield, Professor in Transportation & Head of Department at Trinity College Dublin, Expert to the Irish National Transport Authority (Ireland)

Three keynotes:

  • Antoine Grange, CEO Europe of Transdev, Chairman of The Mobility Sphere
  • Elke Van den Brandt, Minister of the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region, responsible for Mobility, Public Works and Road Safety (Belgium)
  • Samah Karaki, Neuroscientist – Transitioning towards Sustainable Mobility: Cognitive Biases and the Impact of Social Environment.

To find out more about the forum and the programme, follow this link.

Places at the forum are limited, you can register by sending an e-mail before 25 September 2023 to themobilitysphere@transdev.com.

Angèle Rolland's picture Conference on Oct 4th
Dave van Loon, Onderzoeker / adviseur stedelijke vraagstukken at Kennisland, posted

KL Brouwerij ‘Leefomgeving van de toekomst’

Featured image

Waar je woont en hoe je leeft, heeft invloed op je gezondheid. Hoe kunnen we de leefomgeving inrichten om de gezondheid van bewoners te bevorderen en gezondheidsachterstanden te verminderen? Tijdens deze KL Brouwerij gaan we samen op buurtsafari op het Marineterrein in Amsterdam.

Het Marineterrein is een prachtige leefomgeving, waar veel geëxperimenteerd wordt met creatieve innovaties die de leefomgeving en publieke ruimte van de toekomst voorbereiden. Op 28 september gaan we samen op safari over het terrein. We ervaren zelf hoe een aantal van deze experimenten onze leefomgeving verbeteren. Daarna vertelt Annick Mantoua, directeur van De Gezonde Stad over hoe zij samen met bewoners en de gemeente een initiatief hebben opgestart dat leidt tot aanpassingen in de fysieke leefomgeving en de bevordering van de gezondheid in de buurt.

We laten ons inspireren door de leefomgeving van de toekomst. We zoeken naar inspiratie voor wat er allemaal mogelijk is en zal zijn in de openbare ruimte, en ontwerpen vervolgens onze eigen ideeën. Kom ook!

De KL Brouwerij wordt georganiseerd door Kennisland. Een aantal keer per jaar 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 die middag centraal staat, en waar we meer over willen leren.

Deze KL Brouwerij vindt plaats op <strong>28 september van 16.30-18.30 uur</strong>. Meer informatie en aanmelden kan via onderstaande link. Via e-mail houden we je op de hoogte over het programma. Heb je vragen? Stuur dan een mailtje naar Faduma Mukhtar via fm@kl.nl

Dave van Loon's picture Meet-up on Sep 28th
Zéger Nieuweboer, Founder / Teacher at Learning is growing.nl, posted

What can Amsterdam learn from YIMBY Arnhem!

Featured image

At the 22nd of September 2023 we celebrate the tenth YIMBY Harvest Festival at the Hoeve Klein Mariëndaal in Arnhem. What is YIMBY? YIMBY is the acronym for Yes-In-My-Back-Yard. YIMBY Arnhem! started in 2013 with the distribution of small scale food platforms, called YIMBY's, to the citizen of Arnhem. At the same time green education was offered to urban food growers to convert green enthusiasm into green harvest. During ten years hundreds of citizen in Arnhem joined the YIMBY social network of growing healthy, organic food in the city. The succes of YIMBY Arnhem! are the people supported by local government and local branches of green companies.

YIMBY is a culture of YES, positively stimulating social innovation for a healthier, greener and more social neighbourhood. The YIMBY experience demonstrates that changes do not start in The Hague, Brussels or Strasbourg. The change to a greener and more social Europe starts at home, in the backyard of people. We invited Frans Timmermans to the YIMBY Harvest Festival in Arnhem to share and to learn from ten years of YIMBY experience in the city of Arnhem. YIMBY Arnhem! shows that in due time small grassroots initiatives steadily grow and empower people to social inclusion and green cooperation.

Zéger Nieuweboer's picture #Citizens&Living
Rosa Tibosch, Community manager , posted

Stagiair social media voor Amsterdam Donut Coalitie

Featured image

Ben jij gepassioneerd over A) de donuteconomie B) Amsterdam en C) heb je communicatie & sociale media skills? Dan zijn we op zoek naar jou en jij naar ons! De Amsterdam Donut Coalitie is namelijk op zoek naar een gedreven social media stagiair. Of je nu de voorkeur geeft aan een deeltijd- of voltijds stage, wij staan open voor beide opties. Bovendien bieden wij een maandelijkse vergoeding van 400 euro voor voltijd!
 
Dit is jouw kans om hands-on ervaring op te doen en direct impact te maken. Je zult in contact komen met pioniers en betrokken raken bij tal van inspirerende projecten en activiteiten in Amsterdam. Bovendien word je onderdeel van een ervaren team dat je begeleidt bij o.a. branding en vormgeving. Als kers op de taart krijg je de kans om bij te dragen aan het Donut Festival en internationale samenwerkingen!
 
Jouw verantwoordelijkheden omvatten onder andere:

  • Het beheren van de contentkalender
  • Twee keer per week posts plaatsen op LinkedIn en Instagram
  • Het verzorgen van een maandelijkse nieuwsbrief
  • Het verder ontwikkelen van onze LinkedIn- en Instagram-kanalen
  • Het publiceren van nieuwsitems op onze website
  • Het uitwerken van een promotiestrategie voor het jaarlijkse Donut Festival

 
We waarderen jouw eigen ideeën en inbreng en staan altijd open voor jouw suggesties! 
 
Ben je geïnteresseerd? Stuur dan snel een e-mail naar Rosa Tibosch: connect@amsterdamdonutcoalitie.nl met een korte motivatie en je cv.
 
#AmsterdamDonutCoalitie #DonutEconomie #DonutAmsterdam #AmsterdamDonut #DoughnutEconomics #DoughnutEconomy #DEAL  #Stage #Stagiair #Intern #SocialMedia

Rosa Tibosch's picture #Citizens&Living
Herman van den Bosch, professor in management development , posted

1. Lively streets and squares

Featured image

This article is the first in the series 25 building blocks to create better streets, neighbourhoods, and cities.Read how lively places contribute to the quality of streets and squares. Follow the link below to find an overview of all articles.
 
The public space is like a stage. The Dutch architect and urban planner Sjoerd Soeters, known for the Amsterdam Houthavens, likes to say that. He meant that it is the inhabitants and visitors of cities who provide the liveliness, but that streets and squares must ensure that they come. This apparently worked out well on the Rue Sainte-Catherine in Bordeaux (photo above right).

Shopping facilities and catering

Research shows that the quality of the shopping facilities, also for 'fun shoppers', is still the main driver to visit the center of cities. A varied catering offer follows in second place (photo bottom left). A welcome addition are spaces with a non-commercial purpose, such as museums, galleries, art lending, information centers of municipalities or companies, etcetera.

Sidewalks

Sidewalks use to be too narrow, due to the perceived need to accommodate motorized traffic. A sidewalk in central parts of the city must be at least 20 feet wide, such as that of Fillmore Street, San Francisco (top left photo). In that case, sufficient space is offered for greenery, free passage for passers-by and tables or chairs, billboards, and street vendors, who make a welcome contribution to the liveliness of the street.

Opportunity to rest

Places that invite you to linger increase the attractiveness of the area and the chance of unforeseen encounters (collision spaces). These can be terraces, but also non-commercial places such as tree-lined squares with benches, games, buskers (acoustic), an ice cream cart etcetera. One of the most famous examples is the Spanish Steps in Rome. Such spaces usually arise 'by themselves', but they can also be designed as such, for instance, squares in Barcelona and Shanghai (photos bottom center and bottom right). By no means it is certain that they will also be used as such.

Minimize traffic noise

In the more centrally located parts of a city, a certain level of sound is part of the experience, but traffic noise is a source of nuisance and drives away visitors. Through traffic is not compatible with all other (inner) urban functions; destination traffic must be reduced, channeled and its speed limited. Noise at events must also be reduced to an acceptable level for visitors, residents, and passers-by, knowing that events attract many people, but can also repel others as well.

Places with a different character

In an atmospheric city center you will find quiet places and others where it is bustling at the same time. Those quiet places can be small parks with playgrounds and benches to rest, but also publicly accessible courtyards of residential blocks.

Exploiting iconic places

Most cities have places with special characteristics. These are often historic or modern buildings, monuments, fountains etcetera. Sometimes it is a well-known square, such as the Vrijthof in Maastricht. Sometimes it is also the boulevard along a river or special viewpoints (photo top middle) that both city dwellers and visitors like to include in their route and where they linger for a while.

Art

All parts of a city with a central function should be amply supplied with art. For this purpose, also (temporarily) empty shops can be used, which also serve as an information center. Think of art objects on the street (possibly replica’s) and fascinating paintings on blind walls, which number must be limited by the way. In the evening, light art can be imagined on the facades of buildings surrounding streets and squares.

Herman van den Bosch's picture #Citizens&Living