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How to define growth with quality? What are the criteria, and is there a maximum to growth? An interesting question if you want to add not only housing, but work spaces and social amenities such as parks to a city in order to make it future proof.

As quartermaster city architect Mathias was asked to do some research by design in the form of little finger excercises for a series of locations in Zaanstad municipality. Based upon the no-net-landtake vision upon the built environment until 2040 and beyond (in Dutch: Omgevingsvisie) it was suprising how much growth is possible within a a strong conceptual appproach rooted on integral spatial quality.

In February 2024 a collaboration started between the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Babel Architecture Centre and Zaanstad Municipality. Students of the Built Environment Studies will analyse and design a future for the N203, a merely 12km long provincial road running through the entire municipality of Zaanstad. Mathias delivered an inspirational lecture on the road and the vision for the built environment of Zaanstad which he has been co-autoring.

How can this high way like road become a connector, a destination and a development area of integral programs along a city alley? The coming months will show the thoughts of the students, which will be exhibited in a Bayeux tapestry style in Zaandam later this year.

In December 2023 the 3rd season of the executive Program for the Knowledge of Space 2024 was finalized. Mathias was again part of the team of colleagues who aim to improve the awareness, competences en strategic knowledge in spatial and urban development for Zaanstad Municipality and her partners by these monthly educational in-house events. The team consists of Marc den Hertog, Yorick Waardenburg, Tijs Rothweiler, Meike Westers, Hilde Bloemers and Lisa Schouten.

In December 2023 Mathias published an article on the website of the Dutch National Association of Landscape Architects NVTL, member of IFLA Europe. The text addressed the advantages of spatial planning based upon the very long term. The main idea of this approach is to look ahead for the very long term of hundred years. Design and policy decisions are subsequently based on that perspective by deducting decisions for today from the expected or desired scenario’s for the future. Within his teaching he learned that this approach gave both trust and empowerment to the students, and resulted in unexpected and innovative design solutions; in his role as strategic advisor for Zaanstad Municipality he had previously commissioned a research with a comparable approach in order to determine if urban development should take place in an area currently used for agriculture.

The article was published on the homepage of the Academy of Architecture Amsterdam within a few days, too.

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.

If a plot at the edge of the city centre becomes available it’s a great opportunity to rethink not only the potential of the centre itself, but alo its access. The traffic circulation and appearance for te people arriving (and departing) by public transport, car or bike.

So where does an inner city start? How do you appropriately approach the historic nucleus while giving a glimpse of its urban, green and blue qualities? When do know that you have arrived, that you are ‘here’?

Together with urbanist Rocco Reukema we developed a green and treelined urban boulevard for approaching Zaanstad city centre, framed by buildings for working, living in the upper floors and amenities on the ground floor.

Along the route there is this special urban setting where the river comes close, and a couple of formerly industrial canals can potentially frame a new open public space, Where there is low quality non-places today you could imagine a high quality green park that contributes shade, fresh air and vistas of the river to the centre. A public space that invites to slow down, to sit and lay down on the grass, surrounded by urban building blocks and high rise accents: a celebration of the moment of arrival.

On October 30 Mathias was invited to present the status quo on the Urban Development Plan for Zaanstad Municipality. Housing Corporation Rochdale was meeting up in a Zaandam Church next to the river to discuss current and future developments in their housing stock and the rapidly growing municipality.

After having chaired the board of the Foundation of Kunstfort, Island or Art and Heritage for a number of years it was finally time to say good bye.

Such a departure is a perfect opportunity to look back upon the accomplishments (such as introducing Zippora Elders as our new director; introducing the Code Cultural Governance; streamlining the rental and energy contracts; acquiring the ANBI status; securing continuity of the island by splitting the foundation in activities and real estate, and many others; investigating energy autarky by aquathermia).

But I am grateful that the new board and its chair, Peter Oussoren, granted me the wish of little conference with experts to look ahead too. Where will Kunstfort at Vijfhuizen stand in the coming years? How will we tackle transitions in climate, energy, demography and biodiversity to name just a few? After my little key note the experts came up with long term and practical short terms ingredients for the future of Kunstfort. The building blocks for a new policy plan, I would think. I am looking foward to how the new board and chair will take care of Kunsftfort, and wish them all the best!

On October 17th, 2023, Mathias will speak at the Real Estate Dialogue in twin cities Reutlingen ‘the metropole in a bioshere area’ & ‘university city’ Tübingen, together 250k+ inhabitants in the innovative South of Germany. The conference on sustainable regional development is organized by Heuer Dialog in partnership with Instone Real Estate.

Mathias’ lecture will focus on the newest insights when it comes to strategies and benefits, but also cost and return of ‘green’ in sustainable urban development and future-proof real estate.

Other speakers include Max Wörner (robot-driven wood company TriqBriq), Hanno Brühl (Stadtwerke Tübingen, who offer energy, public transport, parking and e-mobility), real estate expert Peter Wilke (GER) and mayors and urban planning directors Angela Weiskopf, Thomas Keck amd Cord Soehlke.