Fully booked celebration of 10 years nextcity.nl at the International Architecture Biennale exhibition in the New Insitute in Rotterdam on the 19th of Sepember. The event was ‘silent disco’ style amidst the exhibition with intimate earphones.

After a lecture by Mathias on 10 episodes of 10 years nextcity in 10 minutes Maike van Stiphout walked with the group through the expo and Sophie Floor Wartenbergh lectured on the development of urban ecology (see picture). A panel with young talent Bas Tibben and Michael Rikkelman concluded the content before the group mingled for drinks and networking on the sunny terrace.

A successful first Masterclass on the Omgevingsvisie Zaanstad (Urban Development Plan) ‘for Dummies’ took place on 27 August 2024. A diverse group became acquainted with this important vision document. Anne Langenesch and Mathias Lehner, both co-authors of the vision, gave a brief introduction and room for discussion and questions. For example, how to best read the vision, and the participants were introduced to the heart of the vision: The Five Principles.

There was also time to work with the vision in a practical way: Together, the participants looked at the year 2042 using self-invented personas, and what the day of these future inhabitants would look like. For example, the twins Summer and Joy (20), whom they had invented, but also the developer Henk (48) and the recently happily divorced and retired Hanneke (68). One thing was quickly clear: these persona’s were enjoying themselves in the future Zaanstad!

The feedback from the participants was too kind. ‘A lot of fun’, ‘Really nice to follow this master class’ and to top it all off: ‘Now I really feel like reading the entire vision!’

Hello everybody!

We kindly invite you for a little gathering celebrating 10 years of nextcity!

Thursday, September 19th, 2024 @ 15:30 hrs, New Institute

We are looking back with friends, but also 10 years into the future of nature inclusive cities with experts, practitioners and young talents. Enjoy a summerly program with little lectures, an informal panel and nature inclusive networking.

The session takes place right in the middle of the main IABR (international architecture biennale Rotterdam) exhibition ‘The Nature of Hope’ in the New Insitute in Rotterdam’s Museumpark. Haven’t seen the IABR exhibiton? This is an excellent opportunity (ticket/museum card required).

At 17:00 hrs we invite you for informal drinks on the terrace.

Join us and dive into the nature-inclusive city, meet inspiring colleagues and make connections!

There is a limited number of seats. Please let us know if you will join us via a short message to 10@nextcity.nl, so we can treat you for drinks and a special gift!

Togthere with Nanine Carree, Miranda Reitsma I was asked to give feedback at the mid term review and the final presentation on June 11the of the design course featuring the N203 at the faculty of Built Environment of the Amsterdam Univesity of Applied Sciences.

The students developed impressive ideas vor future transit oriented development (TOD) along the N203 road and the train stations parallel to it by solving complex spatial puzzles with fresh ideas and the drive to improve quality of life.

The new head of urbanism at the Amsterdam University of the Arts, Academy of Architecture, Anna Gasco, asked Mathias to teach for the P1 design studio in 2024.

The assignment for this multidisciplinary design class will address the public space and buildings as ‘skin of the city’ in the areas around train stations.

Nature-inclusive construction was the central topic of the expert session of April 9, 2024, hosted by Utrecht Province. As an expert in this field, Mathias Lehner was invited to deliver the key note. He took the audience through his vision with appealing nature-inclusive design examples, that increase biodiversity in the city.

The event was hosted by Bob Dijkman-Dulkes, manager of the Provincial accelerator program housing. Consecutive speakers were Remo Wormmeester and Martin Heinen of ecogroen, and Amber Holdijk explaining the experiences of Veenendaal Municipality with a nature inclusive system of points for building projects.

The expert session was part of the accelerator program for housing of Utrecht Province.

On 8th of April 2024 Mathias was chairing the design atelier for nature inclusive building held by Utrecht Province in the Municipality of Zeits.

The Municipality and developer BPD introduced case of former caming are situated on a larger estate to be converted into forest and park dwellings. Landscape architect Bosch Slabbers took on the atelier’s advice to develop a more nature inclusive plan.

The N203 is a provincial road of 2 by 2 lanes that runs for more than 10km as a traffic artery through Zaanstad Municipality. What is the future potential of this highway like road? Originally laid out in meadows at the backyard of the villages along the Zaan river the asphalt strip has become a spatial center piece – and barrier.

Upon initiative of and in collaboration with the Babel architecture centre Mathias is coaching students at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. In autumn 2024 a public exhibition will show the students’ works.

Giulia Gualtier, a PhD candidate at Eindhoven University set a Community or Practice (CoP) on nature inclusive design. Mathias was asked to join this CoP, an international network of experts in the field of design, government and research. A great opportunity to exchange experiences and knowledge to propel urban biodiversity, and a great pool to feed Giulia’s research.

As part of his rol as strategic advisor urban development Mathias explores various sites in inner urban fabrics in order to discover optimal conditions for urban growth addressing the integral needs and challenges in city development.

The findings are used to establish clear guidelines for growth with quality in future studies and urban plans, while at the same time exploring attractive density, connecting the urban weave and indicating the extend of inner urban redevelopment potential.