"If the Lisbon agreement (encouraging the knowledge economy) and Gothenburg agreement (sustainable development) are to succeed, the city must play a central role!"
What is the future of cities? Why is it important to invest into cities? What changes should we make in our investment policies in cities? Twelve leading European thinkers about cities answer these three questions. Here the thoughts of Joost Schrijnen, The City Is Worth Investing In.
The new urban regeneration challenge can be summed up in four themes:
1 - the realignment of the concept of the city;
2 - the dynamics of urban identity;
3 - investments in space and
4 - the integral approach.
1. The realignment of the concept of the city
In the past 30 years, it is not only cities that have changed in nature, the surroundings of the city have also altered. For example, in the 1970s in the west of the Netherlands, we spoke of autonomous cities in a green setting. Now in 2006, there is hardly any trace left of all that. The cities in the western Netherlands, including the green spaces, are part of a larger whole: ‘the Randstad', which has again taken its place among the world's metropolises. But that is not how the residents see their city. They still see the city as an autonomous phenomenon and not as part of a larger whole. The past is, as it were, blocking the broader view. That can result in tensions. Future generations will probably have a more relaxed approach.
2. The dynamics of urban identity
There is a strange chemistry between the physical appearance of cities and cultural life. Both were fixed long ago and they still play a role in how people see cities. For example, The Hague was always the stylish courtly city snuggling up against the dunes. Gradually, our seat of government is being transformed into the UN capital of peace and justice, a city of international importance. The city centre of Amsterdam was impoverished in the 19th century; now it is an advanced commercial city and the cultural capital of the Netherlands. We take history with us to the future, but give it a new look. This variety in Dutch cities seems to be linked to the autonomy they once had, but it fits in wonderfully with the entire metropolis concept. The Randstad is unique in the world, precisely because of the various identities: the whole is more than the sum of the parts.
3. Investments in space
In the past seventy years, most investments were made in the outlying areas of the city. In the years to come, the money will mostly go to the development of existing urban space, including industrial estates, airports, market gardening areas and ports. During this process, there will be a search for new functions. Investments in buildings and infrastructure are important, because good housing, good schools and good outside spaces are important for all layers of the population.
4.Integral approach
Investments in outlying areas had another far-reaching effect: the strict separation between home and work. We are now seeing a trend towards embracing the European city again; it was compact, it had a public domain, diversity and opportunities for cultural exchanges. Living, working and mobility are once again being seen as a whole. There are even ideas for housing in market garden areas and on industrial estates. A great example of an integral approach is the Stedenbaan project, with the railway network in South Holland being upgraded to a metropolis network. Here, a link is being established between urbanisation and a new approach to mobility.
Lessons learnt
ReUrbA2 makes clear the importance of continued investment in cities, not only in the physical environment, but above all in people. For example, national governments should be reconsidering the role and structure of education in urban development. Another lesson is that we have to get acquainted with the city again. Who and what make their mark on the dynamics of the city? Government authorities, private parties and other stakeholders all have their own role to play. The government should provide direction geared towards an impact on quality and, in that way, encourage private initiatives. The city needs smart coalitions for which completely new skills have to be developed. It is the task of government to monitor quality. Above all, urban development must be highly imaginative and creative in order to produce new urban concepts of a highly distinctive nature.
The central role of the city
This publication contains a Statement and it shows what urban planners, philosophers, economists and others are thinking about the future of urban development. One thing is clear: the city never stops developing and it is worth investing in. That is why this European project is calling on the European Union. If the Lisbon agreement (encouraging the knowledge economy) and Gothenburg agreement (sustainable development) are to succeed, the city must play a central role!
At the time of this interview in 2006, Joost Schrijnen was Space and Mobility director of the South Holland Provincial Authority, and commissioner for the ReUrbA project. Currently, he is project director in Almere for the expansion plan of this New Town in the coming decades.
Downloads / links
- ErasmusPC article on ReUrbA’s Statement for Strong Cities
- Danuta Hübner EU Commission Website
- View the compilation of quotes from the interviews on film
- View EU commissioner Danuta Huebner’s welcoming response to the Statement for Strong Cities on film
