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Making Space for Work in Urban Growth: The Case of Zaanstad Municipality, The Netherlands
Full text linkAn Austrian architect and senior strategist shares his insights from his experience in the Netherlands. His case study describes how municipalities can make space for work within the tension of addressing urgent global transitions, using the Urban Development Plan until 2040 of Zaanstad municipality called “Making Space” as an example. Zaanstad is a Dutch city next to Amsterdam and her 170.000 inhabitants will rapidly grow with 25% in the coming fifteen years. Their spatial vision, entitled “Making Space”, focuses on growth with quality within the existing built environment: a “no-net-land-take” urban development plan. The vision establishes five basic principles: 1. Climate-adaptive design; 2. Promoting walking, cycling and public transport; 3. Developing space for work within the city; 3. Embracing energy transition and, as a 5th principle: Investing spatially for social return. The urban development plan emphasizes nature-inclusive design and attention to biodiversity and climate adaptation are the foundations for a prosperous urban development.
This paper stresses the importance of developing space for work within the urban weave. As the cradle of Dutch industry, Zaanstad has a history with more work than housing. In recent years, old factories have been transformed into purely residential areas – while keeping employment within reach would have been important. The aim of the spatial vision is to reserve substantial amounts of space for work in all new urban developments. This is not self-evident in the Netherlands, because the business model of constructing houses is much more attractive in the short term. On the other hand, realizing space for work in the city contributes to fewer commuters, better use of public transport and a better work-life balance in the entire metropolitan region around Amsterdam, of which Zaanstad is a part.
The vision “Making Space” proposes intensifying peripheral industrial estates (where 20% space can be gained), adding space for work in currently monofunctional residential areas and dedicating 30% of all new surfaces to work in new transit oriented developments around stations. The paper also hints on appropriate planning strategies and instruments such as building codes and zoning. The vision entails that jobs come closer, become more accessible to less privileged residents contributing to equity, and commutes decrease. Spatial quality and the quality of life in the city increase, and the ecological footprint becomes smaller. Drawing up the vision was a long and complex process. But it was freshly adopted at the end of 2024. This case shows that future-proof urban development is also possible in medium-sized cities through discussion, integral cooperation and a long-term approach
A Bibliometric Analysis of the Literature on Affordable Housing and Segregation in Johannesburg
Full text linkAffordable housing remains a crucial factor in addressing spatial inequality and fostering inclusive urban development in Johannesburg, a city that continues to grapple with issues rooted in its apartheid legacy, including persistent socio-economic divides, inadequate infrastructure, and entrenched spatial segregation. This paper provides a comprehensive literature analysis on the challenges and approaches to affordable housing, highlighting critical insights from existing research and the implications for social integration and spatial equity.
Utilising a mixed-methods approach, the study focuses on a thorough literature review and a bibliometric analysis to contextualise the historical and contemporary challenges of housing equity. It examines policy shortcomings and socio-economic barriers that limit access to adequate housing, particularly for marginalised communities in informal settlements and low-income areas. Programs like the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) and Breaking New Ground (BNG) have sought to tackle these issues but often fall short of overcoming economic disparities and the spatial disconnect between affordable housing developments and economic opportunities. The bibliometric analysis further highlights trends and gaps in current research, underscoring the urgent need for innovative, community-driven housing solutions to effectively combat segregation and promote social cohesion in urban environments
Did we Build Enough? Pleadings based on Statistics and Technologies for the Building Stock
Full text linkThis contribution wants to argue for a fundamental transformative change for future development of the built
environment in Austria (and generally Central Europe). Thereby, innovative technologies to update and
adapt the existing building stock play a fundamental role, to improve comfort and energy performance of
existing buildings and built structures. This contribution is based on a talk the author held two years ago
about innovative technologies for building stock improvement in view of we built enough as a statement.
When we address the existing building stock, we find buildings and structures that can be considered of high
value for European cities appearance. However, an even larger fraction of existing buildings might not be
considered as “beautiful” or “identification landmark” for European cities. While the replacement of the
sooner would mean an immense loss of identity, the latter might in part be considered as “the ugly child”, but
still provides a sink of past Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. If we would demolish and replace these
buildings by new ones, huge energy consumption and GHG emissions would be the consequence, connected
with the demolition, depositing of old materials, and material movements and utilisation of the new
buildings, as circularity concepts in the AEC (Architecture – Engineering – Construction) – Domain are not
yet well established. Cities are expanding, which can be explained by rising numbers of population, but on
the other side also with a increased space consumption of inhabitants. These expanision tendencies on the
one hand require extensive overwork of public infrastructure and accelerate sealing of surfaces and loss of
natural resources and green-blue infrastrucutres, and on the other hand seem strange, given that we face
empty built infrastructures e.g. on groundfloor level in many residential districts.
Toward this end, the present contribution advocates for holistic view of the update possibilities of the
building stock, while at the same time critically warns against romantification of the building stock in view
of outdated perspectives of the past. Rather, research, technologies and approaches are presented and
discussed that have been worked upon in the past 10–15 years and directly address the existing building
stock. These efforts all tried to balance out the difficult relation between heritage protection on the one hand,
and comfort and energy performance improvements on the other hand.
As such, this contribution tries to utilise the concept of imperial lifestyle as critically brought up by
scientistst from environmental political science and maps it on the AEC-domain
Navigating the Margins: The Interrelationship between Public Urban Open Spaces and Homelessness
Full text linkOpen spaces, such as parks and streetscapes, play a vital role in fostering social interaction, environmental sustainability, and community well-being. However, in developing countries, these spaces are increasingly intersecting with the complex and persistent issue of homelessness. This study explores the interrelationship between public urban open spaces and homelessness, focusing on spatial, social, and policy dimensions. The study employs a mixed-method approach, combining interviews and spatial datasets. Key findings reveal that open spaces serve as vital refuges for the homeless community, providing temporary shelter and opportunities for social interaction. Scavenging and intermittent aid are crucial components of survival strategies, highlighting the pressing need for consistent support. However, these spaces have become contested sites, as seen through the implementation of anti-homeless design elements by various stakeholders, such as municipal authorities and local businesses, often to the detriment of the homeless population. In conclusion, the study emphasizes the need for collaborative efforts involving governments, businesses, charitable organisations, and the community to address the multifaceted challenges faced by homeless individuals in urban spaces. It provides critical insights for urban planners, policymakers, and social advocates aiming to reconcile competing demands in public spaces, thereby contributing to more sustainable and equitable urban environments
Regime Complexities in the Political Economy of Cobalt Mining in the DRC
Full text linkThe surge in global demand for cobalt, driven by the growth of lithium-ion battery markets, has ignited a mining boom in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). However, the extractive industries in the DRC are entangled in complex power dynamics, murky governance structures, and severe social and environmental degradation. This article employs the regime complex theory to dissect the intricate political economy of cobalt mining in the DRC. Our meta-synthesis of content analysis, integrating findings from diverse sources, exposes how the cobalt mining regime complex, characterised by intersecting international trade agreements, national mining codes, and informal artisanal mining networks, perpetuates inequality, fuels conflict and undermines sustainable development in the region. This research underlines the imperative for a nuanced understanding of the transnational governance arrangements that shape the political economy of cobalt mining
Urban Corridors as a Tool for Sustainable Development: Case Studies from Brazil and Greece
Full text linkUrban corridors offer a scalable and flexible framework for sustainable urban development, integrating mobility, public space, and environmental resilience. Unlike isolated interventions, corridor planning structures urban transformation along defined spatial axes, ensuring coherence between citywide strategies and localized implementation. This paper examines the methodology through case studies in Rio de Janeiro and from three waterfront cities in Greece. In Rio, a pilot project tested the integration of multiple Sustainability Corridors through a neighborhood-scale route, linking key public spaces and enabling distributed interventions. In Greece, the corridor approach was adapted to different urban challenges: revitalizing a historic district in Heraklion, structuring a new district in Kavala, and requalifying the waterfront in Kalamata. The findings highlight the importance of designing urban and green corridors as a replicable tool for inclusive, strategic urban development
Dynamics of Conscious, Individual and Collective Unconscious
Full text linkThe paper presents the discussion regarding up-to-date development in such subject domains as “digital twins”, artificial assistant and etc. The two main topic will be presented in this paper: philosophical background and representation of a person as a digital automate. Philosophical background presents some conclusions from the our previous papers, published in REAL CORP proceedings.
Representation of a person as a digital automate aims to investigate how to present main philosophical existences form the modern computer science point of view. We have used our experience in computer science in such fields as systems of ontology, inference machine, scenario approach, object oriented approach. As an example, we should say that some abstractions in OOA are very similar to key abstractions in classical philosophy
Are Modular Transport Units the Answer for Tomorrow’s Cities?
Full text linkThe transformation in mobility is driven by electrification and automation. This paper examines a shared mobility system that utilizes small, driverless pods for transporting passengers and goods, assessing its efficiency, economic feasibility, and environmental impact.
We model the assignment of vehicles totrips as a Single Load Pickup and Delivery Problem with Time Windows (SLPDPTW) and present an Integer Linear Programming (ILP) formulation. Additionally, a heuristic approach is proposed to optimize trip assignments and the benefit of slipstreaming. We conduct computational experiments based on case studies from Austria to simulate various levels of adoption.
The results indicate that there could be a reduction of up to 75% in the number of vehicles required. However, increased mileage can offset some of these benefits. While slipstreaming improves efficiency, the energy savings it provides remain uncertain. The economic viability of this system depends on reducing the per-kilometer costs of the pod, which may be achievable with advancements in technology.Automated shared mobility presents significant promise but also encounters challenges realted to sustainability and cost-effectiveness. Future research should explore larger vehicles, improved routing, and market developments
Erfordernis eines Flächenkompensationsmodells zur Erreichung des Flächensparziels “Netto-Null-Flächenverbrauch”
Full text linkFläche ist eine Ressource, welche aufgrund ihrer Trägerfunktion für Funktionen des Naturhaushalts, der Erholung, der Klimaregulation, etc. schützenswert ist. Aufbauend auf der grundlegenden Bedeutung von Flächenveränderungen und deren Wirkungen auf den Naturhaushalt wird die Fläche als Ressource und Gegenstand vieler Nachhaltigkeitsstrategien beleuchtet. Dabei steht die anhaltend hohe, nicht nachhaltige Flächeninanspruchnahme für Siedlungs- und Verkehrsflächen im Vordergrund, welche mithilfe verschiedener Umweltziele begrenzt, bzw. in der Bilanz gestoppt werden soll. Bis zum Jahr 2030 ist in Deutschland das 30-X-Hektar-Ziel zu nennen und in Österreich wird ein Zielwert von netto 2,5 Hektar pro Tag anvisiert. Auf europäischer Ebene ist bis zum Jahr 2050 ein Netto-Null Flächenverbrauchsziel gesetzt, welches eine Flächenkreislaufwirtschaft bedeutet.
Da bisher einige Unsicherheiten die Umsetzung der Flächensparziele behindern, werden die nicht rechtlich bindenden Umweltziele näher betrachtet, um mögliche Ursachen für die schleppende Umsetzung auszumachen. Desweiteren werden inhaltliche Lücken aufgezeigt und Forderungen formuliert, welche eine bessere Handhabung der Umweltziele bewirken sollen. Es existieren bereits einige vielversprechende Modelle zur Reduzierung der Flächeninanspruchnahme, wovon zwei Beispiele kurz vorgestellt und deren Erfolgsaussichten zur Erreichung der Flächensparziele ausgelotet werden. Dabei wird deutlich, dass die genannten Umweltziele bis 2030 – bei entsprechender Implementierung – durchaus erreicht werden könnten. Das Netto-Null Flächenverbrauchsziel benötigt für seine Zielerreichung bis 2050 jedoch weitergehende Instrumente, um wirksam etabliert werden zu können.
Für eine stabile Flächenkreislaufwirtschaft bedarf es eines Flächenkompensationsmodells, welches Flächen vergleichbar, und dadurch substituierbar macht. Dabei wird Flächen eine individuelle, numerische Wertigkeit (Flächenwertigkeit) zugewiesen, welche sich aus Indikatoren und Parametern berechnet. Zudem wird die Struktur und Funktionsweise des Flächenkompensationsmodells dargestellt, welche an die naturschutzfachliche Eingriffsregelung im deutschen Recht angelehnt sind. Dieser Beitrag zeigt mit der Vorstellung des Flächenkompensationsmodells einen möglichen Weg zu einem Netto-Null-Flächenverbrauch auf, und weist im Fazit auf weitere erforderliche politische, rechtliche und planungspraktische Rahmenbedingungen für eine Flächenkreislaufwirtschaft hin
Translating the Planning Lexicon: a Systematic Review towards Localised Planning Glossaries in South Africa
Full text linkPlanning theory has evolved towards a Post-collaborative agenda of non-tokenistic participation and reverence for perspectives from the Global South. Yet, practical implementation is complex and often falls short of participatory ideals in highly diverse and unequal contexts, such as South Africa, where formal land use management systems confront traditional leadership and customary practices in impoverished rural areas. To gain a deeper understanding and identify potential good practice examples, this paper engages with the international planning lexicons that shape participatory discourse, specifically examining whether, and to what degree, scholarly outputs, practical plans, and related documents evidence a shift towards more Post-collaborative and co-productive practices. A systematic literature review of academic and grey sources from 2000 to 2024 is conducted. From 664 potential publications, a final sample of 101 (15.22%) sources is reviewed and subjected to bibliographic and qualitative analyses to extract key themes. As an exploratory study, preliminary findings indicate that publications from the Global North continue to dominate. Scholarship maintains support for planning frameworks that more effectively engage with local conditions and incorporate indigenous knowledge, but limited practical guidance is provided. The tone of official planning documents, including their glossaries and explanatory definitions, continues to target a professional and well-educated audience through technical planning language. A small number provide direct linguistic translations, but most fail to support further understanding with contextualised discussions or examples. Locally informed planning glossaries, as participatory tools, may thus be relatively novel. Notwithstanding limited good practice examples, there is significant potential for South Africa to develop context-specific planning glossaries that enhance communication between planners and communities. To this end, this paper draws conclusions and makes related recommendations, including an example for a more localised South African planning glossary