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Enhancing Institutional Learning and Embracing Disruptive Interventions as a Bottom-Up Way to Innovate Planning Practice

Amsterdam strives to combat a shortage of homes by launching an ambitious housing development scheme for 32 designated most deprived neighborhoods. After decades of urban renewal projects, the local communities still suffer from difficult to resolve socioeconomic problems. Aside from a minimum of 40% social dwelling units, 40% of homes are reserved for the middle class and only 20% for high-end. Mixing income segments on its own will not lead to an improved socio-economic status of the inhabitants thus, a new urban renewal program has been developed. On top of that, the new progressive municipal council, intends to democratise the urban renewal processes towards more community-led developments with local support and structural solutions. Some experts may argue that we require a radical new way of planning whilst others counter, that current standardised planning procedures cannot be easily changed.In partnership with themunicipality, we reflect on Amsterdam’s urban regeneration program and enhance collective crossborder learning by organising monthly learning sessions with the managers involved. Now that thefirst phases of the planning process have been completed, we follow a Grounded Theory (GT)method to structure the collected data and analyse the perceived barriers hindering the modernisation of planning practice. Observations and promising actions to make the participation process more inclusive, interactive and influential will be discussed. One example is that some managers on the ground who have to work with the system, are taking short cuts in planning procedures to ensure that citizens’ needs are incorporated in the developed plan. These disruptiveinterventions may be used to formalise and implement new policy and more effective pathways ofcommunity-based development.

Architects and ‘Architecture without architects’: Modernization of Iranian housing and the birth of a new urban form Narmak (Tehran, 1952).

Review ‘The Nature Spectacle’ by Jim Igoe

The Nature Spectacle: On Images, Money, and Conservation Capitalism by Jim Igoe is, as its Preface states, an ambitious book that seeks to make connections between diverse times and places. The preface also, in many ways, tells more about the background and intention of the book than its chapters do, tying together the author’s origins and motivation. Igoe recalls his childhood in St. Louis, Missouri, much of which he spent “in front of a television and at a neighborhood movie theatre” (p. XII), once watching a musical, which was “essentially an extended Chevrolet commercial set among the geysers of Yellowstone” (P. 109). It is the mix of such absurd and comical observations of commercialism merging with Nature, and much heavier criticism of the capitalist cult of economic growth, development, and also conservation that characterizes The Nature of Spectacle. Much of Igoe’s outdoor experiences were shaped by green spaces, created in St. Louis as part of commodity exhibits at the 1904 World’s Fair. The author admits to feeling both critical and nostalgic of those places that have merged (sub)urban aesthetics with that of industrially developed commercial “spaces” (p. XII) – important concepts that form a leitmotif throughout the book. https://doi.org/10.1080/03066150.2018.1488355 https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenkopnina/

Digitalisering dienstverlening corporatiesector

In dit artikel worden de resultaten die KWH (Kwaliteitscentrum Woningcorporaties Huursector) jaarlijks ophaalt met haar huurdersonderzoeken verder geanalyseerd om in kaart te brengen hoe het gesteld is met het gebruik van digitale kanalen binnen de corporatiesector. Verder gaan we in dit artikel in op hoe het gebruik van online kanalen zich verhoudt tot andere sectoren en wordt er getracht verklaringen te geven voor de mate van digitalisering in de sector.

Roadmap datagedreven vastgoedsturing gemeente Groningen

Om haar doelstellingen te behalen en op professionele wijze om te gaan met haar vastgoed wil het Vastgoedbedrijf van de gemeente Groningen op een innovatieve manier gaan sturen op de maatschappelijke vastgoedportefeuille. Het gebruik van data en informatietechnologieën, oftewel datagedreven werken en sturen geeft inzicht in de effectiviteit en efficiëntie van de portefeuille. Deze roadmap omvat, naast een theoretisch kader, een stappenplan waarmee het proces naar data-gedreven vastgoedsturing wordt beschreven. Uitgangspunt hierbij is stapsgewijs uitvinden aangezien datagedreven vastgoedsturing vraagt om een andere manier van denken en doen. Er worden actionable insights gecreëerd zodat strategisch sturen mogelijk wordt. Het te ontwikkelen datamodel vormt de basis voor het aangaan van de dialoog, het nemen van beslissingen en het opstellen van lange termijndoelen. De uitkomst is een datamodel voor een proactieve, wendbare, toekomstbestendige organisatie die in staat is in te spelen op een veranderende omgeving en stuurt op een zo hoog mogelijk maatschappelijk rendement.De opkomst van Big Data en vooral Smart Data stelt ons in staat om op een andere manier inzicht te verkrijgen in wat er in de toekomst gaat gebeuren en hierin te sturen. Smart Cities, slimme apparaten en andere voorbeelden van Internet of Things - niet alleen mensen zijn online, maar ook dingen - genereren waardevolle data en maken dat dit eenvoudig gedeeld kan worden. En de introductie van Blockchain in het vastgoed zorgt bijvoorbeeld voor een andere manier van waardeoverdracht (Veuger, 2017). Het zijn voorbeelden van de inzet van data en technologische mogelijkheden die zorgen voor grote veranderingen en invloed hebben op en potentiële waarde - transparanter, professioneler, objectiever - hebben voor de vastgoedwereld. Maar hoe kan de gemeente Groningen nieuwe data en informatietechnologieën gebruiken om strategisch te sturen op de maatschappelijke vastgoedportefeuille?

Exploring experiences with stressors and coping resources among Dutch socioeconomic groups during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 crisis impacts populations globally. This impact seems to differ for groups with low- and high-socioeconomic status (SES). We conducted a qualitative study in the Netherlands using a salutogenic perspective to examine experiences with stressors and coping resources during the pandemic among both SES groups to gain insight on how to promote the health and well-being of these groups. We conducted 10 focus group discussions and 20 interviews to explore the experiences, including resources and stressors, of respondents from low- (N = 37) and high-SES (N = 38) groups (25-55 years, Dutch speaking). We analyzed the findings at individual, community, and national levels. The results show that coping depends on government-imposed measures and the way individuals handle these measures; restriction to the home context with positive and negative consequences for work and leisure; psychological negative consequences and resourcefulness; and social effects related to unity (e.g. social cohesion or support) and division (including polarization). Respondents with lower SES expressed more problems with COVID-19 measures and experienced more social impact in their neighborhood than those with higher SES. Where low-SES groups especially mentioned the effects of staying at home on family life, high-SES groups mentioned effects on work life. At last, psychological consequences seem to differ somewhat across SES groups. Recommendations include consistent government-imposed measures and government communication, support for home schooling children, and strengthening the social fabric of neighborhoods.