WORKING ON HEALTHY URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Do you also take time in January 2026 to reflect upon what went well in 2025 or what could have gone better? An of course now is also a good time for looking ahead! Despite the global and geopolitical transitions there is so much to look forward, too. May I briefly name three within my working field?
Firstly, the project #buildingforwellbeingtoo kicked off following up an initiative by Frank Suurenbroek and Pascal Wiggers Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. Happy to be part of this four-year research together with the cities of Gemeente Utrecht, Gemeente Rotterdam and City of Amsterdam, Gemeente Zaanstad next to Ymere, Eigen Haard, Rochdale, Parteon, Amvest, AM, Woonin, Woonstichting Lieven de Key, Woonstad Rotterdam, BMC, PBL Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving, Rijksorganisatie voor Ontwikkeling, Digitalisering en Innovatie (Ministerie van BZK), Daan Roggeveen and Steven Delva.
In my role as #cityarchitect (#Stadsbouwmeester in Dutch) I am looking forward to contribute to the spatial development of #ZaanseSchans, the nr. 2 #touristattraction in the Netherlands, togehter with Danny Jansen and others, upon request by our colleague and new director Damir Dulovic (congrats!) and guided by Joris Blokpoel.
Together with supervisor Edzo Bindels, Marian van den Brink and our urbanism experts invited by Annette Nicolas Gnodde we will look into the further development of Zaandam #intercitystation and one of the key projects in the Spatial Development Plan ‘Making Space’ (#RuimteMaken in Dutch).
Finally I am excited to share that NVTL asked me about my vision upon #healthyurbandevelopment in order to be published in their first newsletter of this year. I am honoured, and humble at the same time: Such a big topic to address! In any case, I hope that I can inspire some professionals within the spatial domain, and maybe also in other industries, too! Have a healthy 2026!