In times of global urgencies and new spatial claims for #climateadaptation, #energytranstion or #mobilitytransition – to name a few – #spatialquality and the power of strategic and holistic #designthinking is more needed than ever. Until June 2026 Ahmad Attar will do research on how the role of #cityarchitect (in Dutch ‘#stadsbouwmeester’) can contribute to this quest.  

The research project focusses on how municipalities ensure spatial quality by the means of a city architect, and how such a spatial expert is placed in the organisational network. The research is carried out at the Strategy Department at Gemeente Zaanstad headed by Wouter van der Heijde. With his qualitative research Ahmad will conclude his studies of public administration at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences.

Having worked in the role of a stadsbouwmeester myself for some time now and having exchanged professional views with others in the field I was intrigued by the variety of the meaning, extent and impact of this role throughout the Netherlands. Also, I was surprised about the little collaboration, exchange and evaluation. It is great to see that the College van Rijksbouwmeester & Rijksadviseurs is also conducting an additonal study, in order to highlight the added value of these particular spatial professionals, after their earlier research by noud de vreeze and Max van Aerschot in 2010. ‘Every city deserves a city architect!’

*The image above is a fragment of the cover of the CrA publication from 2010.

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!

How to #makespace for urban growth with quality was the topic of a recent session for municipal professionals I was honoured to host. Themed ‘#RuimteZat!’ (Sufficient Space!), based upon eleborate research by KAW architecten we dove into accomodating spatial and social improvements in the existing city weave, next to a minimum of 25% extra houses, without sealing open landscapes or nature areas in Gemeente Zaanstad.

Being serious about co-authoring an urban development plan for a city comes with the responsibility to watch over it’s realisation when you are a strategist or city architect. It’s even more relevant when space is limited, and creating social return (#SROI) is a serious goal.

In this quest we are happy as a team to invite inspiring experts that help motivate colleagues and partners within our executive training program #NieuwZaanstad. An exceptional contribution was the key note lecture of Reimar von Meding of KAW architecten earlier this week. We even had to move into a different location to fit in the growing audience, appropriately into the largest room in the city hall.

The lecture is part of the excecutive training program set up by: Marc den Hertog, Lisa Schouten, Meike Westers, Hilde Bloemers, Frida Ruhulessin, Rianne Kleine Koerkamp and Lennart Graaff

A returning topic when it comes to #longterm #spatialplanning is the further future of the majestic open polder landscapes in the Netherlands. In the area where I work those landscapes are often peaty and swampy and entirely below sea level. The show an idyllic and typically Dutch image of black and white cows in green meadows. It is a wonderful view, but highly vulnerable.

Climate is changing, rains are getting heavier, and the soft soil is sinking in. At the same time the beautiful wide panoramas that we all cherish so much pop up as locations for other future purposes. Industrial estates, forests, and a parking area for roughly a million cubic meters of peak water that fell as heavy rain elsewhere in the country. The most recent potential claim is the Federal government looking for space to put electric masts, cables and transfomer stations.

Once I got a newspaper cut-out which said: Don’t worry, the future comes later (De toekomst komt later wel). Like the ‘Snooze’ button on your alarm clock this may soothe you into sleep. But I would argue: being prepared is better. And yes, we wrote a spatial vision until 2040 which clearly states: Build within the city, but keep the landscapes open and strengthen their nature’s value. But already then we were trying to think further ahead: What can be a vision for 2050, or even the year 2100?

Recently, we looked into possible far away futures for some of the polders of Zaanstad. We did that with Steven Slabbers of BoschSlabbers landscape architects, eldermen René Tuijn and Wessel Breunesse, colleagues Els Lenting, 🍀 Elise Bos Eyssen, Jouke van der Werf, Jan Schreuder, Bregt Balk, Alphons Rommelse and others and a wonderful group of motivated citizens in the completely over-booked former Town Hall in Assendelftamidst those polders.

We shared information, listened to each other talking about history, business, beauty and worries. We discovered that landscape has always been changing. But we also thought of strategies and possible scenario’s for the further future, and how to team up with each other. And how to be prepared for a future that mistakenly seems far away.

How to make #spaceforwork in the existing city weave is just one of the crucial issues in urban development today. And sometimes you just have to go to see for yourself how others do that. I am grateful to Koert-Jan Van Hees and Marc den Hertog for co-organizing a study trip to some of the most published projects on stacking work and housing: #NovaCity and #CityCampus, both developed by citydev.brussels.

It was fantastic to visit these urbanistic projects on site from the inside and outside, accompanied by explanations of the experts Oana Bogdan of &bogdan architects and Somesh Barot of citydev.brussels. But not enough, director Nathalie Renneboog, took time to explain the goals, strategies and lessons learned at CityDev in the past years, next to welcoming us at the inspiring #CityFab and BRUSSELS GREENBIZZ.

And the best thing is: Our trip to study how to work on growth with quality in Gemeente Zaanstad attracted a much larger group then expected. We traveled with a truly integral selection of experts from #projectdevelopment, #economy, #housing, #publicspace and #socialdevelopment. To top it all off, colleagues from befriended cities in The Netherlands joined our group to acquire knowledge in realtime and on site, together with us.

Experts from the industry, municipalities and higher education discussed the future of work and industry within the city limits as a fare-well congress for strategist of economy Casper de Canne who has bonded Gemeente Zaanstad with local and international industries for many years.

As a strategist, city architect and not in the last place a professional jester I was honoured that Casper asked me to moderate the debate with Cees-Jan Pen, Ad van Vugt and Frank van de Lustgraaf. Many thanks for their insights, views on business opportunities and strategic advice such as the idea of founding a #workingcorporation for affordable space for work.

Also thanks to Jan Schreuder and Ellen Vlottes for the wonderful collaboration and mayor Jan Hamming, eldermen Stephanie Onclin MSc and René Tuijn and head of economy and sustainability Damir Dulovic for crowning the afternoon with their presence and inspiring words.

SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE!

Working on #urbanstrategies, #spatialsolutions and strengthening #sustainability within an international context is rewarding and fun! And then there are these moment when professionals or students approach you with serious and critical questions for their projects, researches or own practice: A wonderful opportunity to reflect, prioritize and sharpen your thoughts. And also to check if what you think is right really is 🙂 What’s a better investment in our profession than jointly develop and pass on knowledge and experience? So: Share your knowledge!

The new educational year barely started and I was honoured with a sudden wave of these inspiring dialogues. Julia Klapwijk, for example, a Master student of Complex Systems Engineering and Management at Delft University of Technology questioned me abouth the value and current status of nature inclusive strategies. Franklin Yasha a Master student of Business Management and Digital leadership of the Mannheim Hochschule der Wirtschaft für Management (University of Applied Management Studies) was interested in the relation between natureinclusivity and #SmartCities (!). And finally Kirsten Schipper was interested in my former work at BNA on architectural offices to improve their practice by #workinginternationally. Her article will go into a publication of the #CollegevanRijksadviseurs, which shall be presented by Rijksbouwmeester Francesco Veenstra later this year.

It’s great to see that that Zaanstad Academy is programming two sessions on ‘Urban Develoment Plans for Dummies’ as a reprise over the coming summer months as part of their Summer Academy program. Together with my colleague and co-creator of this format, Anne Langenesch, I will be heading these succesful workshops, after inspiring editions in 2024.

The interactives sessions are set up to investigate with colleagues from all areas of the organization how we can envisage the future of the city, how to experience the vision of something abstract like an urban development plan and how to make this practical within your professional work.

Looking forward to meet new an know colleagues and dive into the world of 2040 and beyond!

Out now right on time after the summer holidays! The new programme of the educational sessions within the continous professional training programme #NewZaanstad at Gemeente Zaanstad! In Q3 and Q4 2025 there will be trainings, workshops, documentaries and an international excursion to #NovaCity by citydev.brussels in #Brussels!

The executive program is open to professionals within the municipal organisation and their partners in the field who are jointly interested in learning how to implement the hashtag#UrbanDevelopment Plan and the social vision, both adopted government policies as the base for collective actions towards a developoment and growth with quality.

The team working on this programme includes Marc den Hertog, Lisa Schouten, Meike Westers, Frida Ruhulessin, Hilde Bloemers next to Koert-Jan Van Hees, Lennart Graaff and Rianne Kleine Koerkamp.

SPEAKING ABOUT MAKING SPACE FOR WORK IN MEDIUM SIZED CITIES

Let’s meet at the REALCORP conference from 14th to 16th of April 2025 in Graz, Austria. I will be lecturing about the necessity for work within cities. The presentation will take place in the morning session of the 16th of April as part of the urban and rural transformation series in auditorium 4, of FH Johanneum.

Gemeente Zaanstad can be seen as an inspiring example where the recently adopted urban development plan acknowledges ‘making space for work’ with in the city as a key objective. I a honoured to elaborate about one of the principles of the urban development plan, developing a ‘woon-werk-stad’ (city for housing and work), next to a number of key projects within the urban weave such as intensifying an industrial area in the periphery from FSI 0.6 to FSI 2.

https://www.fh-joanneum.at/veranstaltung/real-corp/