Changing public space

period, the city expanded concentrically around the city centre. During the Second World War,
Enschede was severely damaged and required substantial rebuilding of the city centre until 1970.
Like in other cities, the modernist functional ideas of the CIAM gained influence in Enschede.
However, the principles were mainly applied to the development of new neighbourhoods built
in the northwest rather than to the redevelopment of the city centre. Therefore, the traditional
pattern of the city centre has largely been preserved. The exception was Boulevard 1945, which
was laid out in 1956 south of the historic centre (Figure 6.11). The fourth period from 1970 till
present shows the outward growth of the city, including major residential developments in the
north and south (Yücesoy, 2006). In this particular phase, Enschede ran into major economic
problems:
The period starting with the late 1970s until the 1990s was not the best of times for
Enschede; the city lost its status as one of the major industrial centers of the Netherlands.
Due to the competitive textile industry abroad, production dropped, almost all of the
textile factories were closed and the city’s economic development fell below that of the
rest of the country. While unemployment rates began to rise, social unrest grew. Urban
development projects, a.o. renewal and redevelopment of the city centre, new housing
areas were either partly realized or stopped [see Table 6.7 with no policy plans and changes
in public space in the 1960s and 1970s]. The city almost went bankrupt…. (Yücesoy, 2006:
77)
7021
Station
2
3
Oldenzaalsestraat
A
City
hall
Boulevard 1945
1
B
Research objects
A. Oude Markt
B. Van Heekplein
Hospital
Figure 6.11 Map of the city centre of Enschede
100 m
Other important public spaces
1. Boulevard 1945
2. Stationsplein
3. Music Quarter
124