The Soft City

The Netherlands faces a huge housing challenge in the coming years. This has consequences for existing neighborhoods, but also for new ones to be built. At the same time, the Netherlands is facing enormous environmental and sustainability tasks and social challenges. These challenges demand that we think now about how we can tackle problems in the area of the livability of neighborhoods, so that they remain livable in the long term.

The ideas of Soft Cities can provide guidance in this regard. This philosophy connects the built city with the people who live there and focuses on the 'soft', lived world of people in urban development assignments instead of the 'hard', systemic world of buildings and infrastructure.

Lecturers and researchers from Platform Stad en Wijk explore in the magazine 'The soft city' on the basis of research articles, essays and interviews what the soft city of the future might look like. But also how it is possible that we still see so little of the ideas of Soft Cities in current urban development. What barriers need to be broken down?

Program
On June 26, the magazine will be launched during a mini-symposium in Groningen. The program includes a lecture by Endry van Velzen, master builder of neighborhood renewal in Groningen, presentations by various authors of the magazine and an excursion along recently redeveloped places in the city center.

Date: June 26, 2024
Time: 13:00 - 18:00 (including drinks)
Location: Academy of Architecture (Zuiderkuipen 19, 9711 HR Groningen)

• Walk-in (13:00 - 13:30)
• Welcome
• Lecture Endry van Velzen, master builder for neighborhood renewal Groningen
• Magazine launch with presentations by various authors & discussion
• Reflection by Tijmen Hordijk, program director Wijkmakers
• Pause
• Excursion along recently redeveloped places in the inner city led by Urban Development staff (Groningen municipality)
• Drink (17:00 - 18:00)

Want to know more and/or register? Click here.

This is a Dutch-speaking event.