Rethink, Restart, Recover, Resilient
MIT Expert's choice award - Pandemics Co-Lab Response competition 2021 Pandemic and Cities: A data-driven communication platform for spatially just planning in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area. This study set out with the aim of finding alternatives to growth models built on foundations of spatial justice theories, that fit to crises and pandemic scenarios. It further tests out a possible tool that can be deployed for the desired outcome during this time. The focus was set on the AMA, and a tailored outlook was handled for this region. However, the larger and global finding is the process described in this study; crisis management is an iterative approach as development and changes are ongoing and evolving amid catastrophes.
MIT Expert's choice award - Pandemics Co-Lab Response competition 2021
Pandemic and Cities: A data-driven communication platform for spatially just planning in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area.
This study set out with the aim of finding alternatives to growth models built on foundations of spatial justice theories, that fit to crises and pandemic scenarios. It further tests out a possible tool that can be deployed for the desired outcome during this time. The focus was set on the AMA, and a tailored outlook was handled for this region. However, the larger and global finding is the process described in this study; crisis management is an iterative approach as development and changes are ongoing and evolving amid catastrophes.
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RETHINK.
RESTART.
RECOVER.
RESILIENT.
Pandemics and cities:
A data-driven communication platform for spatially just planning in the
Amsterdam Metropolitan Area.
Transforming City Regions
Chair and Institute of Urban Design and European Urbanism
Integrated Project III: Networked urban systems in Europe
RWTH Aachen | WiSem 20/21
Professors/ Supervisors:
Dipl.-Ing. Prof. Christa Reicher
Prof. Dr. Jakob Beetz
Dr. ir. Ceren Sezer
Authors:
B.Sc. Amal Al Balushi
B.Sc. Eva Hoppmanns
M.Sc. RWTH Vanessa Kucharski
B.Sc. Lea Schwab
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ACCESS
welcome
Crisis
Social
Urban
POST-PANDAMIC: RETHINKING THE AMSTERDAM METRO.REGION
SPATIAL JUSTICE
Political
Environmental
Economical
Figure 1. Studied themes within the Amsterdam Metropolitan Region -Author´s graphics.
ABSTRACT
This project presents an interactive, data-driven, online platform
as a response to spatial injustices illuminated by the COVID-19
pandemic – with a focus on the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area.
The report analyses the region (pre-pandemic and currently) before
proposing the platform as a tool to aid future developments.
The lockdowns were used as indicators of spatial injustices - in
terms of the unequal accessibility to open spaces and essential
needs. As lockdown regulations were top-down enactments influenced
by virus rates, AMA created blanket policies for entire
districts regardless of locational conditions. Examples of participation
or local involvement in decision-making were not included
during the pandemic, and clear communication possibilities
between communities and authorities are lacking as the crisis
continues. Our platform, named Access, can help residents understand
the policies that affect their actions, offers them alternative
activities and spaces, and provides means to discuss the
adequacy of their public sphere. The data could reveal locational
key-issues residents‘ experience and influence the municipality‘s
actions. Spatial changes are ultimately reinstated to the platform,
providing a transparent view of how AMA residents and authorities
interact, use, and change their space during a crisis.
KEY WORDS
Crisis Management, COVID-19, Spatial Justice,
Amsterdam Metropolitan Area, Participation tool, Online-Platforms.
TAKEAWAY FOR PRACTICE
We discuss recovery phase initiation sequences in the case of
the COVID-19 Pandemic, and advertise a new approach not yet
attempted by municipalities, based on data and participation. Therefore,
it can aid planners, city changemakers and authorities in
policing of the pandemic and finding alternative processes. The
focus is on the AMA region; however, it can benefit other regions
in the world - specifically former touristic hubs - when applied
with the right indicators.
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CONTENT
1. INTRODUCTION
- REPORT OUTLINE
- SPATIAL JUSTICE
- METHODOLOGY
BOOK 1 | MULTI-LAYER CROSS-DOMAIN DATA ANALYSIS AND
VISUALIZATION FOR THE AMA.
2. ANALYSIS
- AMA GENERAL ANALYSIS
- MODELS AND STRATEGIES, A REVIEW
- URBAN COMPOSITION, MIGRATION, AND DENSITY
- SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS
- HOUSING
- TOURISM
- TOURISM ZOOM-INS: AMA CASE STUDIES
- COVID-19
- SWOT & ANALYSIS CONCLUSION
- A EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE
3. VISION
BOOK 2 | THE ACCESS PLATFORM
4. DESIGN
- INTRODUCTION
- USER GROUPS
- BPMN
- BPMN: CASE STUDY INGA
- LONG-TERM TRANSFORMATIONS
5. CONCLUSION
6. APPENDIX
PANDEMICS AND
CITIES:
A DATA-DRIVEN COMMUNICATION PLATFORM FOR
SPATIALLY JUST PLANNING IN THE AMSTERDAM
METROPOLITAN AREA.
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1.INTRODUCTION
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THE JUST RESTART
OF AMSTERDAM
STRATEGY
PANDEMIC
DATA &
THEORETICAL
ANALYSIS
SOCIO-
ECONOMIC
STATUS
TOURISM
HOUSING
AMSTERDAM METRO. REGION
Diversity Equity Democracy
SOCIAL & SPATIAL
JUSTICE
Figure 2. Topics Concept – Author’s graphics.
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Like the rest of the world, the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area
(AMA) is experiencing unprecedented disruptions to general life
in our time. As the Coronavirus pandemic of 2019 hit, entire lifestyles
and spaces have changed. Cities have seen their regions
react to lockdowns, as activity hubs have had to stop. Amsterdam,
the capital of the Netherlands, and once a swarming touristic
centre, has gone through three lockdowns within a year. This
study investigates Amsterdam as the previous “poster child” of
spatial justice and assesses the corresponding issues highlighted
by the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions. Approaches to
spatial justice on a global level call for ‘inclusive, safe and accessible’
cities (UN General Assembly, 2016) as well as encouraging
interaction across social, cultural, and economic boundaries (Sezer
and Niksic, 2017). Choices of movements and activities are
the basis of restrictions in the COVID-19- climate, and one that
has been protested by the inhabitants within the area.
In a time when the near future is uncertain, traditional economic
success and growth within cities is not as easily achievable, and
local voices are not included in decision making, we question the
approaches necessary to continue development and planning in
a just way within the AMA region. Further, we question the possibility
of a just restart of a city, and what tools can be used to
aid this.
Although many studies on crisis management have been conducted
over the years, the COVID-19 pandemic has new challenges
due to it’s spread, scale and speed (Moon, 2020). Countries are
already coming up with plans to restart and recover, idealizing
what the “post-pandemic” scenario would be, and what steps to
take to achieve this. Furthermore, there is a need to become
resilient against future crises. This pandemic, one that is unique
to our time, is not expected to be the last. Studies suggest that
we are looking forward to more pandemics as warranted by climate
change and other factors (Dodds, 2019; Chin et al., 2020).
It is also not expected to be the last economic crisis that the
world and Amsterdam would experience. Lockdowns, the main
approach of handling the COVID-19 pandemic spread, have also
shown the injustice in accessibility, as people must travel great
distances to search for open spaces or essential provisions. The
policies enacted on the people have also led to legal confusions,
such as questioning the legality of setting a curfew (Daventry,
2021), and public confusion, with online public forums flooding
with “What am I allowed to do?” or “When do I have to quarantine?”.
Accessibility to services, spaces and informed choices is
therefore taken as indicators to assess the AMA in this project.
We propose learning and acting on the situation that is upon us
now through testing tools that may help us evaluate the current
spaces that are failing, and discussing changes needed amidst
a crisis. We emphasise the need for participation and inclusivity
to still be an influencing factor in the spatial change in balance
with the strong leadership of dire times; as it is the day-to-day
persons that are going to have to pick up the pieces, help rebuild
and open cities. The report works on the hypothesis that our spatial
scenario can be heavily influenced by actions taken during
the pandemic and leading up to the future “back to normal” situation.
Certain actions and preparations to “start-up” normal life
again need to begin now for a quick recovery. We focus on the
question of how to overcome a pandemic in a spatially just way
and recover as soon as possible.
1.1. REPORT OUTLINE
This report begins with a theoretical background of our stance on
spatial justice, its relation to the AMA. The report is then organized
into two sections:
• Section 1, Multi-Layer cross-domain data analysis
and visualization for the AMA.
The AMA is here introduced, along with its visions for the
future. The first section analyses extensive data to provide
an image of the AMA pre-COVID-19, and currently.
• Section 2, The ACCESS Platform.
An online tool is designed and promoted to achieve changes
that are necessary according to section 1’s findings.
The report concludes on the realism of the project, its limitations
and possible impact. We finally propose open questions that
could lead to other designs or research.
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1.2. SPATIAL JUSTICE
In the last decades, a movement towards social justice, dealing
with topics of economical, racial, and environmental justice occurred
and set the base for a theory of spatial justice. Deindustrialization
and globalization lead policy making and planning towards
economic growth, increasing competitiveness along with
a rise of property values, tourism, and business developments.
Along with this, the support of development projects prevail the
provision of a fair distribution of urban quality (Fainstein, 2010).
Studies and literature suggest existing inequalities continue to
increase (Sezer and Niksic, 2017).
Due to the financial crisis in the ’70s, along with global trade
practices and an economic transition, a shift towards neoliberal
Darwinism occurred and led to an increase of justice movements
(Bromberg, A; Morrow, G & Pfeiffer, 2007). In 1971, John Rawls
already composed a paradigm of universal justice. He defines
that everyone should have equal rights of basic liberties within a
total system ensured by liberty for everyone and that social and
economic inequalities should primarily support the least advantaged
people in a society (Bromberg, A; Morrow, G & Pfeiffer,
2007).
Other crises along the years helped underline the debate for
spatial justice, from the 2008 crisis to the current pandemic.
Advocates of justice theory started to tackle the missing spatial
components of Rawl’s theory. The focus shifted to new insights
about the importance of space by understanding how injustice
is produced by the socially, experienced and contested on shifting
social, political, economic, and geographical shaped space.
Furthermore, the task of how to tackle social and spatial differences
and how to establish justice in society evolved (Bromberg,
A; Morrow, G & Pfeiffer, 2007). Academics have also described
justice not as an abstract term, but as a shared responsibility
of actors in the socio-spatial system and connect spatial justice
directly to the public realm:
“HOW WE DEFINE PUBLIC SPACE
IS INTIMATELY CONNECTED WITH
IDEAS ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO
BE HUMAN, THE NATURE OF SOCI-
ETY, AND THE KIND OF POLITICAL
COMMUNITY WE WANT.” - (Deutsche, 1996)
Another expert in the field of spatial justice is Susan Fainstein,
who established a theory of spatial justice (2010). Fainstein defines
justice as encompassing diversity, democracy and equity
and uses these three factors to evaluate to which degree a city
can be just.
1. Diversity is the harmonious existence and mix of people,
services, and places.
2. Democracy is the ability of participating and being represented
in space and planning.
3. Equity is the fair share or allocation of resources to citizens.
Fainstein (2010) argues that urban decision-makers need “to
make justice a principal part in urban policies” and criticises capitalist
investment strategies towards profitable financing instead
of quality planning. Therefore, a structural transformation, as part
of a broader national and international movement would add to
restructuring capitalism into a more human system (Fainstein,
2010). Nevertheless, Fainstein draws attention to the fact that an
ideal solution cannot be found. Spatial justice is therefore evolving
and needs to be considered a process too.
Adding on Fainstein’s theory of justice in current days, Sophie
Watson (2019) points to the temporary time constraints on solutions
tackling inequality or differences in urban space. These
issues are constituted in an imbalance of power relations and
need to be addressed by the production of new patterns and
distributions in time (Watson, 2019).
In the present context, spatial justice is not a theory anymore.
After evolving to a movement like ‘the right to the city’ in the
last decades, actions have been taken to a political level on a
global scale. The 2016 UN-Habitat Conference integrates equity
as an issue of social justice to its agenda, linking it to access to
the public sphere and connecting it to physical space and urban
planning (UN General Assembly, 2016). Further, the UN-Habitat’s
New Urban Agenda acknowledges the provision of adequate
public space as a booster of sustainable cities.
In this regard, Niksic and Sezer (2017) imply that public space
accessibility, quality and provisions can be used to measure the
urban justice of a city. They identify public space as a vibrant
core, and the site of sociability and spontaneity - spaces that
connect diverse neighbourhoods and people, provide equal access
to its populations, and can turn into places of communication,
interaction, and participation in urban life. Indicators of the
public space included demographics, aesthetics, and design, as
well as cultural/communal norms (like who is “invited” to the area
and who not). However, public spaces are shrinking, limited, and
becoming increasingly privately owned. In pandemics especially,
their accessibility is tested and policed.
1.2.1 SPATIAL JUSTICE AND
AMSTERDAM
Amsterdam has been written about a lot concerning its spatial
justice and it was often considered as a good example in Europe
and the world (Fainstein, 2009; Gilderbloom, Hanka and
Lasley, 2009; Marcuse et al., 2009). This is proved on multiple
indicators, such as its provision of freedom, lack of segregation,
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Spatial justice theory
“The Just City”, 2010 by Susan Fainstein
“Spatial Justice in the City”, 2020 by
Sophie Watson
SOCIAL, POLITICAL,
ECONOMIC
FACTORS
DIVERSITY
DEMOCRACY
EQUITY
GEOGRAPHICAL SHAPED
SPACES
SOCIAL COMPONENTS
THEORY
SPATIAL COMPONENTS
everyone has a right to
the city:
Accessibility of urban
spaces
focus shift on spatial
component:
social and spatial differences
SPATIAL
JUSTICE
Post Covid-19 Manifesto
> Degrowth model?
Neoliberal Darwinism
universal justice theory
by John Rawls
planning should foster
the redistribution of
resources
evolving movements:
„the right to the city“
Deindustrialization +
Globalization:
- economic growth
- increasing competitveness
- unequal power relations
+ capitalist mode of production
financial crisis in the 1970s
Following
Crisis
Figure 3. Spatial justice concept, content analysis, and interconnections – Author’s graphics.
progressiveness, and neoliberal assessments. It has regularly
been called the ideal city with justice and equality, as Fainstein
stated in 1999:
“AMSTERDAM OFFERS THE BEST
AVAILABLE MODEL OF A RELATI-
VELY EGALITARIAN, DIVERSE, DE-
MOCRATIC CITY, WITH A STRONG
COMMITMENT TO ENVIRONMEN-
TAL PRESERVATION” - (Fainstein, 1999).
Nevertheless, in 2010 Susan Fainstein already defined gentrification
and the weakening of the welfare system as Amsterdam’s
evolving threats. Her conclusion at this time based on the slow
decline of social housing units and a continuing in-migration of
rich owner groups. According to Fainstein, market-orientated
planning with the aim to create growth often pushes city marketing,
property developers and firms with the help of subsidies
and regulatory relief. Regarding this, “tourist bubbles” and office-led
developments are popular strategies. In Amsterdam, the
worldwide pandemic has caused a tourism stop, as well as entire
districts enclosing empty office buildings. Thus, former strategies
should be questioned. This then also leads to a reconsideration
of former political models.
Additionally, injustices are more visible in crisis and highlight the
already existing inequalities and spatial imbalances. Uneven effects
across factors like class, gender, race, age or geography
make it harder to cope with a crisis (Scott, 2020, p.344).
The present COVID-19 crisis also shows incentives for
people’s discontent on how the COVID-19 situation is faced
by decision-makers, embodied through public protests
and people speaking out (Deutsche Welle (dw), 2021). See
Figure 4Figure 4 for protest topics since 2016.
Yet like Susan Fainstein and Sophie Watson illustrate – the
bar of what is considered just will always rise and evolve.
The Amsterdam Metropolitan Region leaves open room for
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PROTEST
ALMERE
AMSTERDAM
• parks (access &
distribution)
• Neighbouhood
plans
• Refugee Support
• HVV policy
• Squatting
• Flat sharing
• Transport Strike -
Pensions
• Healthcare strike
• Squatting
• Teacher’s March -
Education
• Farmer’s Protests
• Sound pollution -
Airport protest
• Overtourism
• Airbnb Protests
• Take back the city
• Prisoner’s riots • Climate change -
Fridays for future
• Pro/Anti
Lockdowns
• Pro/Anti Masks
• 1.5 metre
challenging march
• Anti Corona
demonstration
• Climate change
regulations
• Fridays for Future
• Builder’s March
• Farmer’s Protest
• George Floyd
Racism protests
• Mosque Athan
Protest
• Polish Abortion
Laws
• Zwarte Piet
• Burka Ban
HAARLEM
• Anti Lockdowns • Extinction Rebellion
Organization
• Fridays for future
• George Floyd
Racism protests
Figure 4. Protests in 3 cities of the AMA. Taken from google search results of 2016 to 2020. Categorised into 6 themes of Urban space, Economic, Tourism, CO-
VID-19, Pollution/Climate, and Society. [data collected 11.2020] – Author’s graphic.
conversation and progression. In this regard, this project
will link the second section to viewed theories and highlight
the geographic, economic, political, and social fields in
connection to justice in the AMA.
1.4 METHODOLOGY
To assess the degree of injustice in the AMA, a literature review
on spatial justice and its relation to the AMA was conducted.
These findings helped conclude how a post-CO-
VID-19 restart could look like. In this context, existing
strategic, political, and spatial models are initially reflected
upon when introducing the AMA. This review of models gives
an idea of what the region was planning towards, and
how these plans have coped with the current pandemic.
Open-source data and public authority information in tabular
and written form is gathered next. To organize the
data, a thematic and chronological framework is set up to
analyse the former development and the current state of
Amsterdam. The analysis is especially looking at the present
developments in connection to the COVID-19 crisis
and the former Great financial crisis (GFC) in 2008. By reviewing
the former circumstances evolving from the GFC,
a learning process is captured, and new conclusions are
presumed. In the frame of the reviewed justice theory, the
analysis is structured into four topics:
• Socio-economic status
• Housing
• Tourism
• COVID-19
These four topics and existent data related to them is heavily
analysed, rearranged and projected in the first section
of this book. The scope of this analysis and the methods
used to reach conclusions on spatial statistics could be a
project on its own. It is however interlinked to the second
section, as all its findings are funnelled into coming up with
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Research Question: Pandemics &
Cities
What would the post-corona
restart of a region look like?
How can it contribute to an increase
of spatial justice?
THEORY
Spatial Justice
theory and its
relation to the
AMA
MODELS & POLICES
Current future development
models: What do they ask
for?
Which scale do they work in?
How do they react to crisis?
Which current issues do they
tackle?
EVALUATION
Which models &
policies are
useful / should be
reconsidered?
SWOT ANALYSIS DATA
Data Collection
socio-economic status
housing
tourism
Covid-19
What areas have experienced
spatial injustice?
How is spatial justice already
working out in the AMA?
Local Perspective to
European Perspective,
comparable scenarios &
issues
VISION
How and in which
way should the
AMA develop in
the future?
DESIGN
Answering missing questions of
existing models
What model would prepare for
future “stops”/Pandemics?
How to use the situation of
a pandemic in a profitable
manner?
ZOOM-IN
Local Insights
in exemplary
neighbourhoods
Figure 5. Methodology Scheme – Author’s graphics.
a solution for the area.
The data analysis is visualized by the geographic information
system QGIS. Findings are overlaid with the spatial
structure of the AMA to be represented in a spatial context.
Additional information is presented through diagrams, graphs,
and pictograms. Next to the statistics, also information
and facts about the political circumstances and policy
structure in the AMA are considered and connected to the
elaborated maps.
A SWOT analysis is transferred to summarize the spatial
findings and a general vision for the Amsterdam Region
is enhanced. The review of four exemplary districts in the
AMA is captured to get a more detailed insight into the spatial
situation on a local scale. These findings are then used
to approach the design of this project, which officially begins
the second section of this book.
The design includes an application Add-On which serves as
a communication platform between existing municipal and
touristic websites and applications. It is based on a Business
Process Model and Notation (BPMN) to organize and
combine data collection and communication processes. To
explain the structure of such a model and its implementation,
exemplary scenarios are used. The examples, along
with the explanation of the tool will be visualized through
illustrations and a video. Additionally, a short brochure will
be provided to inform readers of the developed communication
and data collection platform as a pitch.
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BOOK 1
MULTI-LAYER CROSS-DOMAIN DATA ANALYSIS AND
VISUALIZATION FOR THE AMA
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2.ANALYSIS
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Figure 6. The AMA subregions. Data: (www.openstreetmaps.org) – Author’s graphics.
Around 2.5 million people (14% of the Dutch population) live in
the AMA. It is an economically strong region with an abundance
of businesses and jobs. As an internationally well-known region,
it became an important touristic centre with 26 million overnight
stays per year (metropool regio Amsterdam, 2019). The
AMA comprises 32 municipalities and 7 subregions that is interconnected
and comprised of many urban qualities (as shown in
Figure 6, Figure 7, and Figure 8)
Today, the AMA is ethnically and socially more diverse than ever
(Savini et al., 2016). The following analysis will prove the existence
of economic and cultural asymmetries within the region. These
were especially noticeable during crises like the Great Financial
Crisis (GFC) in 2008 and the current COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 is a new crisis, whose effects are noticeable on the
economic and social systems. To understand the general situation
in the AMA, independent from the current pandemic, a deeper
look into the general situation and relevant regional policies is
necessary. The following analysis focuses on the socio-economic
status and housing developments, which are, besides other
factors, influenced by the tourism sector. The current COVID-19
pandemic, related infection data and restrictions, affects all social
and economic scopes of the AMA.
Pre-COVID-19 pandemic, tourism was the biggest economic
sector. Tourism in the AMA was a governmental strategy to overcome
the GFC in 2008 (The guardian, 2017). It was considered a
successful industry when looked at from an economic standpoint.
Like many other European cities, Amsterdam was not resilient to
the GFC. Earlier urban policies (before 2008) were often built
on growing urban economies and raising real-estate markets
(Rydin, 2013). The GFC hit the Dutch and Amsterdam economy
and showed the boundaries of this assumption. Other than the
tourism tactic, to recover quickly from the crisis, strategies like
liberalization of the housing market were used (Hochstenbach
and Ronald, 2020)
It can be argued that such indicators of economic strengthening
are a neoliberal approach - which increases inequalities as well
as decreases the characteristics of a welfare state (Purcell,
2008). Tourism, what was once a crisis strategy, has generated
its own crisis. Overtourism, a newly coined term (Dodds and
Butler, 2019), has caused many threats to the city and their citizens.
People have been driven out of their city, as tourism took
over the centre and kept growing. Adding to the issue, increasing
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Figure 7. Urban structures. Data: (www.openstreetmaps.org) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 8. Mobility and Connectivity. Data: (www.openstreetmaps.org) – Author’s graphics.
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rents, state-led gentrification and supporting homeownership
have changed the balance between social, middle and high-end
housing segments, impacting “the city’s social geography” (Savini
et al., 2016). The discourse on overtourism is quite complex,
though not just a contemporary phenomenon (Capocchi et al.,
2020). It has been globally and locally prominent in the last few
years, as its outcomes have exploited humans and nature. Access
to many open areas and leisure activities have been taken
over, disproportionately used by tourists and discriminating on
locals. Since 2015 overtourism protests began and the AMA government
set up policies to handle upcoming social disparities.
Current policies are claiming more liberal discourses of entrepreneurialism
and urban change (Savini et al., 2016).
Overpowering the threat of overtourism, COVID-19 created a
“point-zero” scenario, in which all normalcy has “stopped”. Entire
quarters of the AMA are devoid of any activities, and spots in
which access to open spaces and greenery is non-existent (see
chapter COVID-19). COVID-19 can be a silver lining in the sense
that it brought the city to a point where it can evaluate its assets
and put in strategies to open, distribute, and handle tourism better
in the future.
2.1.1 MODELS AND
STRATEGIES, A REVIEW
As this report looks at the AMA and what tactics could be put in
place to improve/alter the future landscape, it is important to set
it apart from alternatives already affecting or discussed in the
region. In this segment, we focused on eleven different visions,
strategies and models connected to the AMA (referred to as visionary
elements in this report). We were interested in analysing
their approach (or lack thereof) to handling crises. Those studied
ranged from local to global scales and handled broad to specific
topics. The AMA is a region of multitudes of visionary elements,
varying in focus themes and ideals. It is unsurprising given the
size of the area, and the history of planning altering the urban
space.
Visionary elements help us get a glimpse of the direction urban
lifestyles wish to move towards. They are defined as the desirable
states of the future that are in place to reduce risks through
foresight and increase capacities of responding to events (Costanza,
2000; Fuerth, 2009). They are essentially and an outcome
of anticipatory governance (Hagen, 2019). They also
help us understand what is currently seen as an asset, and what
needs to change.
Erik Olin Wright (2010, 2013) conceptualised real utopias in his
writings; ideals grounded in real potentials that have accessible
waystations. Cities and their visions for the future work in this
way. They can become grounds of idealistic approaches and aim
to realise the utopias they envision.
Due to the utopic approach explained, some may argue that visionary
elements are not always grounded in current realities,
and their abstract natures are hard to follow. However, ultimately,
they are guides that help us understand collective thinking and
directions of growth. There is even further discourse on the effectivity
of visionary elements to help crises, as many changes
and outlooks were put in place past the 2008 crisis, yet it did
not stop another one from happening nor being drastically less
detrimental (Hagen, 2019).
The events of this last year have challenged the limitations and
need of visionary elements or anticipatory governances. The
pandemic situation aids criticisms that foresight and anticipatory
governance overstates our capacity of understanding and changing
“destinies”. However, the alternative to this would be practicing
governance while being blind to the long-term implications
of decisions taken (Fuerth, 2009).
The visionary elements of AMA studied were chosen based on
the ease of accessibility to information using academic papers,
organisation websites, and governmental reports. The visionary
elements included were 1) the Amsterdam doughnut model, 2)
Amsterdam circular model, 3) The planning for post corona manifesto,
4) the poldermodel, 5) the city in balance, 6) Amsterdam
Smart city, and 7) the structural vision of Amsterdam, 8) Holland
City Strategy, 9) Housing Act Distribution Strategy, 10) Perspective
Destination strategy, and the 11) VINEX model.
In this segment, we elaborate on 4 models that are the most
contemporary.
Figure 9. Amsterdam Doughnut Model by Kate Raworth. (Amsterdam.nl, 2020)
A | AMSTERDAM DOUGHNUT MODEL (2020)
The original Doughnut economic model , developed by Kate Raworth
in 2012, is a framework for sustainable development that
looks into planetary and communal boundaries (Raworth, 2013,
25
Rethink. Restart. Recover. Resilient.
2017). These boundaries are described as the Environmental
ceiling and Social foundations of the doughnut shaped model
graphic. Cities and countries can be assessed on the model based
on their level of good or bad actions against planetary topics,
such as air, water, and land, as well as social topics, such as
political voice, social equity, and housing.
As of 2020, Raworth and her team have been working with the
government to create a strategic approach to the doughnut model
for the case of Amsterdam. The model questions the capability
of a city to be a home for thriving people, while respecting
the wellbeing of everyone and the planet (Doughnut economics
action lab, 2020; Raworth, 2020).
The idea is to meet the basic needs of citizens in a sustainable
resource use way. This process is done in citizen-initiated transformations,
and results are put through the doughnut review. In
this way, all actions are reflected upon and evolving when necessary.
Interconnected views on the city and workshops are necessary
for the strategy to come to life. However, due to the pandemic,
this step has not been able to sufficiently occur. In turn, current
processes are on hold. The model expects stakeholders to reflect
on the city, together, find values and assess necessary changes.
Raworth names this the “city selfie”. The stakeholders are
part of an association, known as the Amsterdam Donut Coalition.
They are made up of authoritative participants, as well as locals
and academics.
Figure 10. Circular Economy Concept of Amsterdam (Amsterdam.nl, 2020)
The initiators of this model explain that circular economy concepts
fit Amsterdam, as studies show that inhabitants buy second
hand products yearly, recycle and are aware/interested in
their actions on a planetary level, especially in regards to waste.
Placing this ideology as the backbone of future development, as
well as the evaluation of existing developments, would therefore
lead to self-reliance - which the model defines as resilience. This
model was furthermore rolled out during the start of the pandemic.
It is advertised as fit for the current situation and expected to
aid the pandemic recovery - as locally producing and consuming
is supposed to create more jobs and lead to an easier recovery
and resilience (self-reliance) over time (Daniel Boffey, 2020; van
Doorninck, 2020b).
To achieve self-reliance, online and offline broad citizen participation
is encouraged. Surveying and understanding what locals
wish to act upon in spatial terms.
According to an interview with Marieke van Doorninck, the Councillor
for Spatial Planning and Sustainability for the city since
2018, there are already around 200 programs in the implementation
phase. These range from “smaller” projects, like collecting
leftover latex paint, to “larger” regulatory projects, like introducing
policies and systems to record construction compositions of
buildings for easier future reusing (van Doorninck, 2020a). The
projects are run by both organisations and local initiatives; with
the example of a resident providing others with thick and well
insulated curtains to help energy efficiency within homes. The
model focuses on three main pillars to tackle: Food, Construction
and Consumer goods. And although concrete examples of how
to do this are underway and ever evolving, limitations still exist
when attempting circular economies in an economically globalised
region.
“Amsterdam can’t do it on its own.
We need the Dutch government and
the European Union to truly move
forward.” - (van Doorninck, 2020a)
B | AMSTERDAM 2020-2025 CIRCULAR ECONOMY MODEL
& SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY
Closely connected to the concept of the Doughnut City, Amsterdam’s
circular model is sometimes used interchangeably with
that previously described. This is a 5-year approach by the spatial
planning and sustainability council of the city, aimed at pushing
for more circular processes, of reusing, refurbishing, recycling...etc.
The model works in connection with other strategies
to help monitor growth and action, conceive an implementation
programme, strategize steps, and fulfil criteria of the doughnut
model (Amsterdam.nl, 2020).
C | PLANNING FOR POST CORONA: A MANIFESTO FOR
THE NETHERLANDS (2020)
A group of academics in the Netherlands came together to develop
and write a manifesto on post-corona recovery schemes
based on degrowth principles. The initiative gained popularity,
hitting Dutch mainstream news, and a petition to support the manifesto
was started. With an expiry date set for July 2020, the
petition has gained over 4000 signatures in under nine months,
and with the help of MPs, is an-route to be discussed with the
Dutch parliament (Buscher, Koster and Spierenburg, 2020; Degrowth.info,
2020).
26
spatio crowd control methods, income models
Clean energy intro., Transport refurbishment
cultural chang e
Debt Cancellation.
Dispers. of visitors, regulate Events
Income and work
Move from Develop. to educ.
wEconomic frame
Short Distance Travels
Balance environment and ppl
Free State AMR
Liveable destinations
Social equity, housing
New Perspective Locations
Consumption and travel. reduc.
Rethink. Restart. Recover. Resilient.
MODELS TOPICS (DRAFT 1)
16.11
TO BE REDISTRIBUTED
Economic / Developments
Visitor
distrobution. and spatial develop.
benefit tax and
Social
Policy
Individ, Energy uses
Smart Cities Initiative
City in Balance
Doughnut
Energy / Climate
2040 Structural Vision Amsterdam
Holland City Strategy
Perspective Destination
Degrowth Principles
Figure 11. Visionary elements topics analysis according to 4 common themes of Development, Climate, Social and Policy; that are present (to
some degree) in all models. – Author’s graphics.
MODELS TOPICS ACCORDING TO SCHEMATIC THEMES (DRAFT 1)
16.11
TO BE REDISTRIBUTED
Poverty
ork redistr.
Political voice
Distributed tourism
Covid/Economical
Crisis
Tourism
Continued developm.
Smart Cities Initiative
City in Balance
Doughnut
Housing
2040 Structural Vision Amsterdam
Holland City Strategy
Perspective Destination
Degrowth Principles
Figure 12. Visionary Elements tasks distributed according to the thematic topics of this report (Socioeconomic statuses, Tourism, COVID-19,
and Housing) – Author’s graphics.
27
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Their goals of sustainability, equality and diverse society are expected
to be achievable through means of policy shifts in this
model. The manifesto - described by the writers as an effective
way of raising the profile of neglected ideas - provides five proposals.
They further state these proposals aim for a radically more
sustainable and equal situation to be developed. The manifesto
airs a distaste for the economic development model that has
been dominant in the Netherlands and globally, and the growing
inequalities. The writers see a weakness in the demand for ever
growing circulation of goods and people, and the ecological issues
and inequality increases that are an outcome of this.
The proposals included are:
i | Moving away from development focused GDP
growth.
Finding critical public sectors that need investment to grow, and
the sectors that need to degrow due to their unsustainability or
aiding of excessive consumption.
ii | An economic framework focused on redistribution.
Establishing basic income in social policy systems and progressive
taxation. Further, recognizing essential public services as
intrinsic values of societies.
iii | Agricultural transformation towards regenerative
agriculture.
Biodiversity conservation, sustainable, local food production
iv | Reduction of consumption and travel.
Basic, necessary, sustainable, and satisfying consumption and
travel.
v | Debt cancellation
especially for workers and small business owners.
The writers state that the proposed changes can be implemented
currently, and its effects would be felt as soon as the COVID-19
crisis subsides. The new prospects, in this case, is a one-time
mass implementation, and no evolving concepts are included for
the future. This measure, though, is advertised as a proactive
means to ensure a less severe future crisis.
D | CITY IN BALANCE MODEL AND PERSPECTIVE DESTI-
NATION STRATEGY (2015)
Advertised to achieve equilibrium between quality of life and
hospitality, the city in balance model works with six main goals:
less nuisance, attractive mixed-use developments, more space
on the streets and canals, better financial balance in visitor
economy, sustainable recreation and facilities, and dispersing
visitors (See Appendix 1). In practice, the goals set by this model
have brought about a stream of regulations - from imposing
curfews on water related activities, regulations on alcohol and
where to drink it, or restricting areas of tourism accommodations.
Like previous models, this one also incorporates cross communication
and cooperation between locals and authorities. These
six goals are largely reactive to the overtourism and crowding
Amsterdam as a city experienced. In fact, the Amsterdam municipality
identified tourism sector issues as the motivator for
28
change.
“TOURISM IS A FUNDAMENTAL
PART OF AMSTERDAM’S INTERNA-
TIONAL CHARACTER AND WE MUST
CONTINUE TO CHERISH THAT. BUT
AT THE SAME TIME, THE POSITI-
VE ASPECTS OF TOURISM, SUCH
AS EMPLOYMENT AND INCOME
FOR THE CITY, ARE INCREASINGLY
BEING OVERSHADOWED BY THEIR
NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES.” - (Coalitieakkoord
groenlinks, 2018).
The publications by the City in Balance group emphasise that
the model is not meant to stop visitors, nor that they expect the
overall growth of the tourism sector and the city to stop or reduce;
however, they intend to put the residents quality of life first
(Gemeente Amsterdam, 2019)
Rather than operating as its own entity, the model instead is
implemented in varying policy portfolios, working with multiple
partners and council members on municipal levels to create
minor regulatory changes that bring about an alternative touristic
reality. This approach can be seen in the “Perspective destination”
strategy. Influenced by the City in balance model, this strategy
searches for alternative areas to push crowds towards, and
places regulations in place that in the long run would enhance
touristic industries to start up (like hotels, tours and restaurants).
The City in balance project was initially conceived in 2015, and
it’s latest version and strategies are planned for 2022 (Daamen
et al., 2016; Gemeente Amsterdam, 2019; Amsterdam city,
2020). However, a reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic and the
complete stop to the tourism sector, and where does the city in
balance ideologies lay, have yet to be presented.
A content analysis was conducted on all eleven visionary elements,
identifying four dominating areas of approach: Development,
policy, social and environmental based. The content findings
were then placed according to these axes in Figure 11,
providing areas of overlapping strategies, and areas of focused
change.
As will be explained in the next segments, the project also has
four focus points of tourism, housing, socio-economic statuses
and pandemic and their relation to spatial justice. Thus, specific
tasks relating to these focus points were further mapped out
with the new axes and projected in Figure 12. This helps identify
theories and processes already in place, and areas for impro-
Rethink. Restart. Recover. Resilient.
vements.
In reviewing the visionary elements, we find that none were
prepared for such a magnitude of a pandemic. In fact, systems
in place to continue open communication and information were
lacking. It was not easily accessible, finding information on current
statuses. It must be stated that such a freak situation is not
usually expected by planners - however, the learning curve from
the current pandemic is to be wary of such extreme case scenarios,
and adapt to such possibilities, achieving resilience.
Hence, new models are needed in the AMA, and globally, to deal
with current challenges and to continue improving previous challenges.
Fuerth S. Leon’s (the former national security adviser to
Al Gore) work on anticipatory governance identifies the dynamics
of sights for the future (Fuerth, 2009). Namely Top-sight,
insight, hindsight, foresight, and vision. This process states that
approaches on future should have multiple awareness; on the
supra system of how all parts work and fit together; knowledge
on own purposes, wants and biases; of part forces that carry into
the present and possible future; on the several existing streams
of knowledge and how to integrate them, and finally on the image
of the future that is wanted.
Fuerth identifies the key need for Foresight when one is creating
a model for future, and the difference between this and
end goal of a Vision. Vision is described as a fixed image of the
future, intolerant to alternative conceptions, and is a prediction
of what could be. Foresight, on the other hand, are conditional
assumptions that are reflective and based on informed choices,
that estimates multiple possible future outcomes. In this case,
alternative conceptions are the resource that help guide it, and
make it resilient to alternatives.
29
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Figure 13. Population Density (2020). Data: (www.citypopulation.de/en/netherlands/admin/NL32__noord_holland) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 14. Population growth since (2001)- Data: (www.citypopulation.de/en/netherlands/admin/NL32__noord_holland) – Author’s graphics.
30
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Figure 15. Migration out of Amsterdam. Data: ( https://www.cbs.nl/en-gb/
news/2017/45/amsterdam-is-expanding-mainly-due-to-immigration)
Figure 16. Ethnic population distribution. Data: (https://regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com/)
– Author’s graphics.
Figure 17. Foreign Migration. Data: ( https://www.cbs.nl/en-gb/news/2017/45/
amsterdam-is-expanding-mainly-due-to-immigration)
Figure 18. Net domestic migration. Data: ( https://www.cbs.nl/en-gb/
news/2017/45/amsterdam-is-expanding-mainly-due-to-immigration)
2.1.2 DENSITY AND
(DOMESTIC) MIGRATION
Figure 13 and Figure 14 show the population density in 2020 and
the population growth of the last 20 years. Haarlem, the city centre
and Bijlmermeer have the highest density, while city centre is
growing the most since 2001. Also growing are the newly constructed
quarters on the raised-up islands like Almere and Ijburg.
Related to the issue of overtourism, (domestic) migration can be
analysed. A large outflow of people from the city centre to the
AMA is visible. These are mostly families and older people as
visualised in Figure 15. On the other hand, an inflow of people
from other Dutch cities, especially through young and international
people, leads to a growing population in the city centre
(CBS, 2017). Figure 15 to Figure 16 display the intricacies within
migration.
Analysing the ethnic distribution in the AMA points out that the
ratio of Dutch, Western and non-Western people is similarly distributed.
Figure 16 shows that in 2019, there is a higher amount
of Dutch people in the outskirts compared to a higher percentage
of migrants in the city centre, Bijlmermeer and a belt around the
city centre. The changes in ethnic populations are examined in
Appendix 3 to Appendix 6, based on western and non-western
categorisations.
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32
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Figure 19. Welfare recipients and housing associations in 2017. Data: (maps.amsterdam.nl/open_geodata) & Regiomonitor 2020 – Author’s graphics.
2.2 SOCIO-ECONOMIC
STATUS
Assessing the socio-economic status of the AMA is important as
it reveals the disadvantaged groups and districts within an urban
society. As socioeconomic statuses can include many factors,
this analysis focuses on two main spheres: shelter and income.
Top-down actions that have affected these spheres are also assessed.
This includes data on the welfare system, housing associations,
unemployment, distribution and types of households,
income data and its related policies.
The social structure of the Netherlands is influenced by its general
political model, known as the Polder Model, which is rooted
in the 1980s. It includes consensus-based policy as cooperation
between employers’ organisations, labour unions, and the government.
Together with neoliberal economic policies, it is related
to the Dutch economic miracle in the late 1990s. In the 21st
century, the success of the Polder Model has worn off and its
advantage is questioned (Rossingh, 2003). During the emergence
of the Polder’s tripartite cooperation, the central Dutch
government enacted subsidies aimed to attract new businesses
and employment through all urban redevelopment projects in the
deindustrialized cities. The ‘key projects’ (Sleutelprojecten) show
that real estate values on neighbourhoods rose as a result of the
political subsidies (Buitelaar, Raspe and Weterings, 2016, P.36)
WELFARE RECIPIENTS AND HOUSING ASSOCIATIONS
The following analysis concentrates on the welfare recipients
and their connection to the general distribution of housing associations
in the AMA in 2017. A closer look into the housing
associations follows in chapter 2.3 (Housing).
As demonstrated in Figure 19, welfare recipients are situated in
the entire area of the AMA with a ratio of 10 to 20%. An urban belt
around the south-western city centre reveals a higher amount of
welfare recipients up to 80% in certain neighbourhoods.
Almost all areas containing welfare recipients are covered by
housing associations, while the oldest ones can be found in the
city centre and the newest housing associations in the peripheral
area of the AMA. Only the neighbourhood Wormerveer reveals
a small number of housing associations covering the number of
welfare recipients.
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Figure 20. Single household statistics of 2010. Data: Regiomonitor 2020 – Author’s graphics.
Figure 21. Single household statistics of 2018. Data: Regiomonitor 2020 – Author’s graphics.
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There is an interlinkage between the districts with a high amount
of welfare recipients and Dutch politics from 2007. The government
issued a national policy to strengthen deprived neighbourhoods
(Krachtwijken) across the Netherlands. Nevertheless,
an evaluation of the policy has shown that the inhabitant’s socio-economic
improvement was not achieved, as e.g., the people’s
income did not change. The policy’s place-based approaches
have been criticized as the investments do too little to improve
the people‘s general position (Buitelaar, Raspe and Weterings,
2016, p.25-26).
neighbourhood activities, discounts in health insurances and a
“City Pass” with free entrances to cultural institutions (Gemeente
Amsterdam, 2015). While the support for people with low income
pointed out great ambitions, little information was found regarding
stabilizing the middle class.
HOUSEHOLDS AND INCOME
In the next step, the distribution and differentiation of households
in the AMA are analysed. Their spatial placement is analysed
after the GFC in the year 2010 and 2018. As seen in Figure 20
and Figure 21, the number of single-person households strongly
increased from 2010 to 2018. A strong shift also happens regarding
the residence of families as they moved to the south-western
peripheral neighbourhoods over the years. The outskirts
in the northern part in Purmerend show a decreasing ratio of
families with kids while single and two-person households rise
strongly. Interesting is also the shift of households defined as
others. As in 2008, the number of shared households or large
living groups is generally based in the Amsterdam city centre and
its pleasant neighbourhoods on the southern side, this category
disappeared until the year 2010. One reason for the changing
household distribution in the AMA could be the effect of the previously
named rising real estate values.
Figure 23. Income distribution by housing situation in 2018. Data: CBS Nederlands
(www.cbs.nl/en-gb/visualisations/income-distribution) 2019.
UNEMPLOYMENT
The following analysis gives an insight into the development of
unemployment in the AMA after 2008. Even though the Netherlands
are an economically strong European country, it suffered
due to the GFC. Spatially the unemployment rates are located
around the inner-city belt of the Amsterdam centre – this distinct
change was stark in 2008 after the GFC (see, Appendix 2). This
is further proofed in Figure 24. The growing rate of unemployment
post GFC prompted the Dutch government to enact a
fiscal stimulus package. The six billion Euro plan included a program
to search for work for the unemployed. The fiscal policies
also lead to a decrease in real wages and an increase in private
investments which should be further considered (Ünal, 2015).
Figure 22. Income distribution by household composition in 2018. Data: CBS
Nederlands (www.cbs.nl/en-gb/visualisations/income-distribution) 2019.
Relating to the household dispersion of the AMA, data about income
is reviewed for the year 2018. Therefore, Figure 22 shows
the high number of single persons earning less money than couples
with children. The division of income per housing situation
(Figure 23) points out a good economic position of private homeowners.
In contrast, the middle class with tenants without rent
benefit lie just slightly over tenants with rent benefits in terms of
income. Adding to this, the city of Amsterdam provides more support
for people with low income. With the 2015 “Plan to Attack on
Poverty”, the municipality delivers participation vouchers through
Figure 24. Unemployment development of 1991 to 2012 (Statistics Netherlands,
edited by Buitelaar et al. 2016).
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36
Rethink. Restart. Recover. Resilient.
since 1990
increasing
neoliberal
tendencies
since 1990
increasing
neoliberal
tendencies
2000 - 2008
1 st phase of
liberalization and
marketization
since 2008
2 nd phase of
liberalization and marketization
market-liberal cabinet: supporting EU
regulations on open competition
2017
Housing and
Target Groups
Regulations
2021
New Housing
Act
2.3 HOUSING
The following analysis focuses on housing and related policies.
It is an important indicator of spatial justice, as it shows the
accessibility to affordable accommodations for different income
groups. Although Amsterdam had been famous for its high
percentage of social housing in the past, our findings as well
as published current studies show that housing in the centre of
Amsterdam and other districts of the AMA is not affordable anymore
for many inhabitants (Schilder and Scherpenisse, 2018).
Being an attractive city for companies, people from all over the
world and tourists ultimately raises the pressure on a limited
stock of houses. Further, demographic, and economic developments
strengthen the higher demand for private renting (as discussed
in the chapter on the socio-economic status) an increasing
number of young adults living alone, partnering later and a
higher number of migrants increase the needs for flexible living
arrangements. Gentrification processes have caused an outflow
of many households to the suburbs, increasing travel times for
those wishing to experience city commodities (Vlist and Rietveld,
2007). Current Amsterdam housing policies try to strengthen a
fair distribution of social and medium-priced housing as well as a
mixture of target groups.
Amsterdam is an extreme example of national state influence in
the housing market, as the municipality owns 80% of the city’s
land. A leasehold system allows the local government to pose
requirements for renting like on the size and quality of dwellings,
their locations and rent levels for a specific time, e.g. 50 years
(Hochstenbach and Ronald, 2020). The state supports private
rental growth through housing liberalization policies, especially
since the Great Financial Crisis, and at the same time sets strict
requirements for new constructions. A new Housing Act came
into effect in January 2021. This policy, amongst others, tries to
decrease the pressure on the housing market (City of Amsterdam,
2021).
LIBERAL MARKETIZATION
Amsterdam and the Netherlands were famous for their large
social housing and small private rental sector in the 20th century,
as private renting had been displaced by social housing
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Figure 26. Ownership types and distribution 2010. Data: (www.amsterdam.nl/en/housing/rental-prices/) – Author’s graphics.
by the state. Through the dominance of the social sector, rents
in the private sector also remained low (Kemeny, 1995). This
long-standing trend has been reversed since the 90ies (not
only in the Netherlands but also in many other countries) and
especially after the GFC in 2008 within two phases of regulated
marketization. Since 1990, increasing neoliberal tendencies
have perused. This does not mean deregulation of the housing
market, but state regulation has moved from restricting towards
supporting the market (Hochstenbach and Ronald, 2020). A first
phase (beginning of the 21st century) of housing system liberalization
promoted private homeownership and brought rents of
social housing closer to market levels (van Kempen and Priemus,
2002). The second phase of housing market liberalization
in the mid-2000s developed through a market-liberal cabinet
(from 2010 onwards) supporting the EU regulations on open
competition. To overcome the GFC, rent-regulated housing was
made accessible for low-income groups only. New policies were
implemented, which attempt to strengthen the market with more
leeway (Elsinga, Haffner and Heijden, 2008).
The current developments show disparities on a local versus the
national policy level: The conservative Dutch government further
pushes marketizations while the left-oriented local government
of Amsterdam is calling for a re-regulation. Those different goals
can be explained with a temporal shift between regional and
national politics. Regional politics can react much faster to shortterm
developments while national policies are always “for the
next era” (Ollongren, 2019)
DUTCH RENTING SYSTEMS
To understand the policies of the second phase of regulated marketization,
a deeper look into the Dutch renting system is necessary.
There are two private renting options: The rent-regulation
system regulates rents of social housing and private landlords.
Heights of rents are identified with a point scoring system, giving
points for size, quality, local market demand and other characteristics
of dwellings. The rent-regulated system only applies to a
specific threshold of points (is equivalent to 710.68€); over this
threshold, the rents have no restrictions and belong to the rent-liberalised
system (I Amsterdam, 2021). In Amsterdam, the local
market demand is very high. As it is a category of the rent-regulated
point scoring system, many houses have enough points
to be shifted to the free-market sector and therefore escape re-
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Figure 27. Ownership types and distribution 2017. Data: (www.amsterdam.nl/en/housing/rental-prices/) – Author’s graphics.
gulations. To show an example of the regulated marketization
after the GFC, the rent-liberalized percentage of housing has tripled
from 4,8% to 15,4% between 2007 and 2019 in Amsterdam
(Gemeente Amsterdam 2020). Figure 25 shows the increase
of rent-liberalized housing per year of total new constructions.
Apart from a short decline between 2008 and 2011, the rent-regulated
housing market is strongly growing in the last 20 years.
Figure 25. Rent liberalized housing constructions statistics from 2000 to 2017
(Van der Malen 2018)
DISTRIBUTION OF PROPERTY TYPES
Looking at the development of property types (homeownership,
corporations, and private rental) in the AMA from 2010 to 2017
(Figure 26 and Figure 27), a shift in the distribution is perceivable.
Corporations mostly provide social housing; private rentals
include rent-liberalized and rent-regulated dwelling. In 2010, with
an already ongoing marketization on housing, the city centre of
Amsterdam is dominated by corporations and private rentals.
Outer districts like Hoofdorp, situated in the south-east, primarily
provided homeownership. However, Amsterdam Zuidoost (including
Bijlmermeer) has over 60 %, one of the highest percentages
of corporations. The map of property types in 2017 indicates a
development towards more homeownership and fewer corporations
(Figure 27). Owner-occupied dwellings increased from
12% in 1998 to 32% in 2017 (Hochstenbach and Ronald, 2020).
In 2017, the city centre is dominated by renting (especially liberalized
renting) while the number of corporations also declined
(Figure 28). This development can be explained with the already
mentioned strategy of market liberalization. Traditionally, buying
a home has been combined with occupancy. Homes have become
a special class of commodity as stores of wealth and vehicles
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homeownership
cooperations
rent liberalized
rent
regulated
homeownership
cooperations
rent liberalized
rent
regulated
short-term
consequence of GFC
long-term
consequence of GFC
Figure 28. Rent regulation types – Author’s graphics.
for further wealth accumulation. After the GFC, housing prices
dropped and facilitated individual multi-property ownership
(Kadi, Hochstenbach and Lennartz, 2020). Therefore, regular
households and new actors were able to buy extra properties to
rent as steady income (called buy-to-let) Since the crisis, more
dwellings are transferred from owner-occupancy into rental tendencies.
Regulations like property and related incomes do not
need to be taxed, strengthened the increasing renting sector.
The buy-to-let share in Amsterdam is higher than in other Dutch
cities (Leyshon and French, 2009).
HOUSING ASSOCIATIONS
As mentioned before, Amsterdam has a long history traced back
to the 20th century of social housing (Schilder and Scherpenisse,
2018). Figure 29 shows the percentage of housing associations,
compared to the total number of houses. Haarlem and
Bijlmermeer have a high percentage of housing associations. On
the other hand, the city centre and newer constructions like Almere
have lower percentages of housing associations. Strikingly,
a belt around the city centre has high numbers of up to 80%.
Correlating to that, the construction dates of housing associations
have been analysed. The belt around the city centre mainly
consists of old constructions from before WWII. Also, Almere has
many buildings from the 30s (Figure 31). The outskirts show evidence
of constructions from the 80s and 90s, the phase where
most housing associations were built. The newest buildings belonging
to housing associations are located especially in the newly
raised islands in the east of the city centre (see Figure 32 to
Figure 37). In general, the construction of housing associations
decreased in the last 20 years (Figure 38). Hochstenbach (2020)
points out that there is a decrease of 30.000 social housing units
between 2002 and 2017. The decreasing number of constructions
of housing associations is not correlated to the demand for
low-priced housing. As the following analysis of housing prices
outlines, Amsterdam needs more affordable housing.
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Figure 29. Housing association percentage of all houses. Data: (www.maps.amsterdam.nl/open_geodata) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 30. Construction dates of housing associations. Data: (www.maps.amsterdam.nl/open_geodata) – Author’s graphics.
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Figure 31. Construction dates of housing association and amount in Amsterdam,
Almere, and Haarlem. Data: (www.maps.amsterdam.nl/open_geodata)
– Author’s graphics.
HOUSING PRICES
To analyse the development of housing prices, the WOZ is
compared. The WOZ value (Wet Waardering Onroerende
Zaken) is a Dutch property valuation system, calculating
the height of taxes people owe. Every year, the value of
all real estate in Amsterdam is assessed according to the
Valuation of Immovable Property Act (City of Amsterdam,
2019b) (Amsterdam: Property valuation).
Figure 39 to Figure 41 defines the development of WOZ
between 2010 to 2017 (For a more detailed view on these
years, see Appendix 8 to Appendix 13). In 2010, properties
with low WOZ values were in the outskirts. Middle and high
valued buildings were in the centre and south-western districts.
The WOZ values of 2017 point out a development
towards increasing prices in general. More detailed, the
percentage of dwellings with a high value increased mostly
in the city centre. Meanwhile, the percentage of middle-priced
buildings declined in the outskirts. Looking at the
development maps, a strong decline of up to -30% in low
priced buildings is visible in the city centre and Haarlem
(Figure 39). At the same time, the number of high-priced
buildings is increasing up to +75% in central locations,
between 2010 and 2017. The imbalance between price
developments and demand are shown in Figure 42 and
Figure 43, when surveying the international communities
and defining how much people can afford to pay and how
much they pay. Many people must pay unaffordable or unfavourable
rents (Stichting ICAP and In Amsterdam, 2017).
Being already an attractive city for companies, international
people and tourists, the pressure of the housing stock has
42
also been intensified by Brexit. British companies and startups
change their location to the Netherlands and especially
Amsterdam. The increasing disparities between the needs
and supply of affordable housing have been tackled in a
Dutch Housing Agenda. On a national level, the agenda
promotes the construction of new houses as well as better
usage of the existing stock to tackle those issues in the
long term (Ollongren, 2019). In terms of specific policies
and plans, where new houses can be built, the Housing
Agenda shifts the responsibility towards the municipalities
and provinces. In Amsterdam, the 2017 municipal Housing
Agenda stipulates that 40% of new constructions must be
regulated rent and only 20% can belong to the upper-class
segment (Gemeente Amsterdam 2017). Still, there is a lack
of control over existing constructions. Local governments
have not enough instruments to prevent landlords from raising
rents when new tenants move in (Hochstenbach and
Ronald, 2020). The new housing act of 2021 by the left
local government of Amsterdam, is calling for more justice
and re-regulation by hindering a market with touristic flat
rentals like Airbnb. Within a participatory process, regulations
like fixed mid-priced rentals for 20 years and strict
holiday rental rules like a ban of vacation rentals in three
areas of the city centre have been decided (City of Amsterdam,
2021). It is going to be uncertain whether these new
policies effectively lead to increasing spatial justice in the
housing sector.
8000
7000
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
1900-10
1910-20
1920-30
1930-40
1940-50
1950-60
1960-70
1970-80
Figure 38. Housing associations built per decade since 1900 to 2020. Data:
(www.maps.amsterdam.nl/open_geodata) – Author’s graphics.
1980-90
90-2000
2000-10
2010-20
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Figure 32. Construction dates of buildings in Bijlmermeer (1). Data: (www.
maps.amsterdam.nl/open_geodata) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 33. Construction dates of buildings in Bijlmermeer (2). Data: (www.maps.
amsterdam.nl/open_geodata) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 34. Construction dates of buildings in Amsterdam city centre. Data:
(www.maps.amsterdam.nl/open_geodata) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 35. Construction dates of buildings in Haarlem. Data: (www.maps.
amsterdam.nl/open_geodata) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 36. Construction dates of buildings in Ijburg. Data: (www.maps.amsterdam.nl/open_geodata)
– Author’s graphics.
Figure 37. Construction dates of buildings in Slotermeer. Data: (www.maps.
amsterdam.nl/open_geodata) – Author’s graphics.
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Figure 39. Low WOZ development 2010 – 2017. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
FigFigure 40. Middle WOZ development 2010 to 2017. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
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Figure 41. High WOZ development 2019 to 2017. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 42. Rent affordability survey – internationals. (Stitching ICAP
and In Amsterdam, 2017)
Figure 43. Willingness to pay survey – internationals. (Stitching ICAP
and In Amsterdam, 2017)
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46
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2.4 TOURISM
Tourism is part of Amsterdam’s history, society, and culture. The
balance and recreation from everyday life, getting to know new
environments, peoples and cultures while visiting other places
and making use of commercial supply and services is a strong
part of many people´s life in the AMA. Over the past decades, the
trend of travelling increased due to technical and infrastructural
expansion and innovations, but also the type of tourism changed.
What was previously rarely experienced travelling in short
distances, is nowadays replaced by short-term national, international
and global travels for low prices (Rodney Bolt, 2016).
In the Netherlands, the number of tourists has increased constantly
in the past decades. As there were already 9,92 million
visitors in 2009 with revenues of 8,65 billion Euros, the number
increased in 2018 up to 18,78 million visitors and 21,89 billion
income through tourism (laenderdaten.info, 2019; World Tourism
Organization (UNWTO), 2019). As the popularity and growth of
the tourism industry were increasing, local and national governments
developed and integrated tourism goals and promotions
as the main pillar for the economic strategy. In this way Amsterdam
became the Netherlands tourist hotspot and European´s
eight most popular tourist destination for international tourists in
2016 (Stratila, 2016).
THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS (GFC)
As previously explained, the strong increase of tourism was moreover
reinforced by the global financial crisis (GFC) in 2008.
What has started as a local mortgage crisis in Anglo-American
financialised heartland turned into a global recession, which effects
could be measured much longer (Engelen and Musterd,
2010). Nevertheless, different places have been affected differently,
depending on the economic structure, openness and linkage
to the global economy, the global impact was extreme. The
high increase of unemployment, a crash of the housing market,
stress on the welfare state system, reduction of infrastructural
developments ended up in segregation and injustices (Berkmen
et al., 2012) (Berkmen, Gelos, Rennhack. An urgent need for
action arose to create a new social and economic perspective
for the future. To keep the economic losses low, to offer new
possibilities, and at the same time to develop and implement
new strategies that work independently of the global financial
market, tourism has been further developed. A huge industry has
emerged that affects several social layers and offers many opportunities,
as well as dependencies and threats. Besides new
perspectives, job opportunities and the exchange of knowledge,
tourism can also cause a drastic change in social, economic, and
urban structures. Threats like loss of identity, drive out the residence,
inequalities, as well as increased environmental stress,
can occur. Nonetheless, the dependence and importance of the
tourism industry have become an essential pillar of the global
economy. In 2018 already 10,4% of the global GDP (gross domestic
product) was accounted for by tourism. Worldwide, already
1,5 billion international tourist arrivals could be counted in
2019, still, it is expected to increase in the following years. This
and the fact that one out of ten jobs worldwide, is directly related
to the industry, illustrates the importance and dependency for
social, as well as economic structures in the AMA (BMZ, 2019).
OVERTOURISM
Even though tourism offers many opportunities, it can enrich or
harm both sides. This is a matter of transfer and scale. Nevertheless,
we can identify overtourism as a threat to urban life, it is
accompanied by several impacts. Many metropolitan cities, like
Budapest, Prague, Paris, Amsterdam and Warsaw are suffering
from overtourism for years (Benakis, 2018). What was considered
as a new perspective, has become an urban and social
threat. Consequences as the inequality of spaces, stress on the
housing market, tourism focus infrastructure and supply, as well
as a loss of identity and dissatisfaction increased rapidly. Caused
by many factors, the issues and threats assumed into a magnitude
dimension. Now, experts are warning for overtourism and
its long-term effects on the urban space, economy, environment,
and society (cf. Tourism Advisory Department at KPMG). Therefore,
new strategies and concepts have been developed by
governments and associations on how to deal with overtourism
in the future or how to prevent it. Cities adopt new laws and regulations,
as well as implement new programs to manage the
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situation. Awards such as `European capital of smart tourism´
create additional incentives to strengthen the accessibility, sustainability,
digitalisation and the cultural heritage and creativity
of cities, and at the same time promote them in a positive way
(European Capital of Smart Tourism, 2020). In 2015 the United
Nations published the `2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development´.
This global framework sets 17 goals “to end extreme poverty,
fight inequality and injustice, and to fix climate change till
2030.” One direct or indirect potential to achieve this goal is to
create sustainable tourism. Therefore, the goal of “decent work
and economic growth”, “responsible consumption and production”,
and “life below water” have been addressed (UNWTO,
2015b). This framework generates a unified strategy and base
for further developments or concepts. As the urban, economic,
environmental, and social consequences are extensive, overtourism
needs to be tackled to prevent further increase or long-term
damages. As the current pandemic and its regulations on preventing
further spreading of infections last since March 2020,
the tourism industry crashed globally. Travelling local, national,
or international is no longer desired or allowed. Overtourism and
its positive and negative effects are on pause. Nevertheless, this
drastic situation also illustrates that tourism is a central point of
our society and economy and must remain. Still, this pandemic
creates the rare opportunity to rethink its potential and issues,
create new strategies, and restart sustainable tourism.
TOURISM IN THE AMA
In the case of Amsterdam, the constant increase in tourism in the
past years has come to its limits and shows an extreme example
of overtourism. Compared to the whole Netherlands, Amsterdam
has the highest number of visitors. In 2018 already 19 million tourist
arrivals had been accounted for in the city with only 850.000
inhabitants. Further, projections expect a constant increase of up
to 29 million visitors in 2025 (Felix Schlagwein, 2019)
Tourism sector
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
establishments
employees
Figure 44. Tourism distribution sector. Data: (https://data.overheid.nl/dataset/yqu-eenokrruog)
ECONOMY
lodging / overnight stays
other catering industry
passenger transport
travel organization and mediation
culture and recreation
marinas, sailing schools
recreational retail trade
The drastic increase started after the GFC in 2008. Because of
the strong and multidimensional dependency on the global economy,
the Netherlands, and its unique institutional configuration,
had been hit hard by the crisis. As the country owned over 2/3
of the GDP outside the borders, it was hit twice. First, the crisis
developed from the credit crunch in 2008, and second as the
global slowdown occurred in 2009. The economic growth was
decreasing, and the expected shrinkage of 4.75% by 2009 was
also leading to an increasing unemployment rate. The financial
recovery was uncertain by time and scope. As Amsterdam was
and still is, the national financial centre, the city was highly affected.
The city council created a new program to promote tourism after
the GFC, to generate new economic and independent upturn
and to revitalise the city, as well as to get rid of the `dirty´ neighbourhoods.
As 70% of the total employment was in the service
sector, the city also used the chance to save jobs and create new
opportunities. Tourism became an important economic pillar for
the region and its inhabitants. Figure 44 illustrates the proportion
of the different facilities and functions, which are operating in
the tourism industry and their development from 2016 to 2020.
Further, in the Netherlands, one out of 13 jobs is directly or indirectly
related to the tourism industry (CBS, 2017). The increase
of tourism first had positive effects like new job opportunities,
high income and taxes, which created a wealthy situation (Engelen
and Musterd, 2010). But as the increase steadily rose, the
urban and social structures, as well as the quality of living changed.
The development became unlimited and uncontrollable.
The tourism industry is an essential part of Amsterdam’s economic
system, although the high dependency can lead to the
greatest danger, failure of the economic apparatus.
SOCIAL
The positive, as well as negative effects, created inequalities
in the AMA region. The extensive consequences like noise and
waste pollution, imbalances of spaces, effects on the housing
market and change of urban and infrastructural elements, as well
as the monofunctional concentration of the tourism-based industry,
created a dissatisfied overall picture. Still, many residents
are employed directly or indirectly by the industry and depend on
tourism. The strong focus on tourism and its needs transformed
the former `city of freedom and possibilities´ into the suppression
of `real´ neighbourhoods and residents (Bunger, 2019). Also,
the high frequency and concentration of visitors on the weekend
created a challenging situation, so residents escape from the
city over the weekend. The social life in the neighbourhoods and
communities had been restricted by tourism. Overtourism with all
its effects has emerged. Moreover, this is an essential indicator
of spatial and social in-justice. To draw attention and to fight for
their rights, many civic initiatives, like “We live here” had been
founded. (ILiveHere community centre, 2018)
ENVIRONMENT
Furthermore, the extent of tourism not only has an impact on
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Figure 45. Distribution of people working in HORECA. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
the economic, urban, and social context of the city but also on
the environmental conditions. The high amount and frequency
of visitors are causing several issues. Even though the heavy
traffic volume can be mitigated by the adequate public transport
system, the traffic volume of people coming and leaving, either
visitors or residents are extensive. Further, the mass of people
causes a high increase in waste and noise pollution, which is not
only a logistic challenge but also an environmental threat. Moreover,
due to the issue of overtourism, the residence is moving
and resettling somewhere else in the region, which is causing
further land consumption and reduction of unused landscape
areas.
URBAN
The urban context is highly influenced and affected by tourism.
Several accompanying issues are visible in the AMA region.
The needed infrastructure and supply for the visitors took over
the urban structures. The increase of private rented accommodation
and supply for tourists created an artificial surrounding.
Residents of Amsterdam started to migrate to the surrounding
cities like Haarlem or Almere, as the city is not liveable or affordable
anymore. This is causing the loss of the identity and
character of the region. Caused by former promotion and the
constant increase of new hotels and attractions, agglomeration
areas were generated. Thereby, the highest density is generated
in the centre of Amsterdam. Figure 46 illustrates the occurrence
and location of several factors like attractions, accommodation,
and supply to show incidence, the distribution, and the agglomeration
of these factors within the Metropolitan Region of Amsterdam.
Besides the high concentration of all factors in the centre
of Amsterdam, also the suburban area is highly dense. Smaller
agglomeration spots in different scales are spread all over the
region, which might be dependent on the urban setting. Further,
single incidences without interconnection can be spotted within
the area. The hotel accommodation density (Figure 47) and the
increase of overnight stays in the AMA (Figure 48) show that
even Amsterdam is the tourist centre of the region, the neighbouring
districts are also strongly increasing and getting popular for
visitors. That might have several causes. Still, this can also lead
to imitated issues. The tourism industry is structured by those agglomeration
areas in the region, the analysis of employment by
tourism is shown in (Figure 45) illustrates that the distribution of
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Figure 46. attraction, accommodation & supply distribution. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
employees is not related their places of work. The graphic shows
high occurrences in the suburban areas, which might cause long
travels and the emergence of parallel worlds of work and life,
without or less interacting.
PROGRESS
The metropolitan region is already discussing the impact and
effects of overtourism for years, as it is forcing out the residents
and heavily affecting urban, as well as social life. Although it has
a positive force on the economy, it is nowadays causing more
issues for the city and its inhabitants. The debate on how to change
and reinvent tourism in and around Amsterdam is very controversial,
as the government is not only discussing tourism itself
but also on what kind and frequency are manageable. The AMA
already registered the strong concentration of increasing tourism
in the centre of Amsterdam and reacted with a reduction and
redistribution plan of tourists within the AMA. Still, this plan is not
formulated yet. As tourism is necessary for the region and economy,
the main questions are, “how much can be taken?” and
“how to redistribute among the whole regions?”. To reduce the
negative effects, the government implemented new regulations
and laws, like an overnight tax, Airbnb ban, prohibiting guided
tours in specific areas and stop of new tourist-orientated shops.
To generate an overall strategy, which everyone benefits from
and to create sustainable concepts, the Netherlands Board of
Tourism & conventions (NBTC) had formulated the “perspective
2030” vision. The central achievements can be named by five
priorities. Increasing sustainability, pushing forward accessibility,
creating a hospitable sector, promoting `unknown´ destinations
and balancing the benefits and burdens of the region (NBTC
and Fronteer Agency, 2019). This program also illustrates that
the strong tourism apparatus can not be changed by small implementations
but need a focused program to create an overall
strategy.
Due to the current pandemic, the tourism industry drastically
stopped in Amsterdam. Nevertheless, this has also negative
effects as increasing unemployment and decreasing income,
it also provides a unique situation to create new concepts and
ideas for justifiable and sustainable tourism.
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Figure 47. Hotel Accommodation density. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 48. Increase of Overnight stays in the AMA. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
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2.4.1 TOURISM ZOOM-INS:
AMA CASE STUDIES
Further, we analysed and evaluated the local perspective to create
an insight of the region. As the city of Amsterdam has been
focused on the previous analysis, we further concentrated on the
area of Bijlmermeer, Haarlem and Almere. Therefore, we took
attention to general information, accessibility and quality of open
spaces, flows, tourism, the current crisis and health care and
the citizens viewpoints. For this, we selected four areas in which
an adequate amount of data could be collected for – and ones
which as well had interesting points in other themes (see chapter
SWOT)
Figure 49. Deconstruction until 2012 (Verlaan and Loerakker,
2014)
BIJLMERMEER
The current pandemic hits hard on the whole AMA region. As
Bijlmermeer is part of Amsterdam, the infection rate status is included
by the city‘s information. The neighbourhood has good
health infrastructure through hospitals, medical practice and
hosts one of the seven corona test centres in the city. The area
of Bijlmermeer is split into the centre and eastern part. In 2020,
54.727 residents have been counted, which is predicted to increase
up to 68.218 by 2050. Further, the neighbourhood has
an extensive history (Gemeente Amsterdam, 2017). It was developed
as a planned city structure in the 1970´s, as part of the
masterplan by Siegfried Nassuth. They created 9-15 story high
building structures surrounded by green and with infrastructural
access. Still, the high design quality resulted in high rents and no
interest. Therefore, there had been several redesign processes
with deconstruction and implementation of new living forms within
the year, shown in Figure 49 to Figure 51.
Bijlmermeer´s building structures are surrounded by extensive
green spaces like the Bijlmerweide or the Nelson Mandela park,
or nearby greater green structures like the Gaaspperpark. Moreover,
the area is structured by waterways like the weespertrekvaart
kanal, which also creates the borders of the neighbourhood
(Himelfarb, 2018). Still, it is well accessible by public transport,
the area is not touristy. There are only a few accommodations
placed along the main train line. The only tourist attraction can
be architectural sights, the theatre and the stadium. The neighbourhood
is mainly local based by people who work in the service
sector, shown in Figure 52.
Figure 50. New constructions of 1992 until 2012 (Verlaan and
Loerakker, 2014)
Figure 51. New developments (Verlaan and Loerakker, 2014)
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the housing market. As the government is aware of the issues,
the municipality wishes to strengthen development zones with
affordable housing and small carbon-neutral apartments within
the city. Further, they plan on local agreements concerning
housing prices and will step up as an international community
(Dutch News, 2021).
ALMERE
Figure 52. Job dristibutions (Gemeente Amstedam, 2017)
Current developments like the reuse of the former prison building
complex will transform the area into a 135.000qm liveable neighbourhood,
with living, working and leisure activities (Barcode
Architects, 2017). Still, the neighbourhood had some issues like
bad reputation and is declared as a criminal hotspot (Crook,
2017). There are three groups of problems, the unfinished character
of the area, liveability-problems and the housing market.
Since the 80´s there have been several protests about injustices
like high rents, unemployment, demolition, prejudices and the
current “Black Lives Matter” movement (NL times, 2020b).
HAARLEM
The city of Haarlem is known as the Dutch flower-growing district.
The city with 161.404 inhabitants (2019) has a density of
5030 inhabitants/km² and is famous for its historical centre from
1245. First, characterized by the textile industry, ship building
and breweries, it was later defined by letter pressing. Moreover,
Haarlem is represented as a good practice integration, as
in 2015 Syrian refugees‘ arrival was well engaged (Visit Haarlem
| Tourist Information). The wealth of open and green spaces,
as well as water bodies and the proximity to the coast, create
a liveable area. The well-developed infrastructure, cultural and
historical sights, the proximity to Amsterdam and the historic city
of Leiden, the cheese markets of Alkmaar, Rotterdam and Den
Hague make Haarlem a tourist insider tip. Moreover, it offers a
high number of accommodations and was multiple times awarded
to Netherlands‘ best shopping address (Haarlem | I amsterdam).
The current development plans show the proposed infrastructural
linkage by the extension of the subway line (NL times,
2020a). Besides the current crisis, in which Haarlem is severely
affected as the AMA , the city is also influenced by the stress on
The city of Almere is the fastest growing city in the Netherlands.
It is located 25 km to Amsterdam and 40 km to Utrecht. The
province of Flevoland counts 208.000 inhabitants and was constructed
in 1975 by diking the Ijsselmeer to provide housing for
the rapidly growing population of Amsterdam. Mostly single people
and couples living in the area with a very high percentage of
homeownership. The latest developments had been Oosterwold
and Ijland in the South-East. (NL Nierlande, 2011)
1976 1980 1984
1991 2000 2009
Figure 53. Almere growth. Data: (Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek 2006).
The area is surrounded by a 42 km coast, the Oostvaardersplassen
nature park and provides many water bodies and canals.
Nevertheless, the area offers few hotels, many qualities and a
modern mobility concept, high potential by the modern architecture,
nature park, water activities and shopping facilities, it is
not named as a touristic area (‘Almere Travel and City Guide’,
2014). Further, Almere gained some international intention for
its planning policies: “most planned unplanned place around”
(Municipality of Almere, 2002). The “Anti-city” approach created
a sustainable urban environment, which grows in an ecological,
socially and economically fashion. The poly-nuclear city proposed
60.000 new dwellings and 100.000 new job possibilities till
2030 by seven principles based on strong community participation
and large-scale citizen involvement. (MVRDV - Almere 2030)
Still, the Almere has the Flevo hospital and some smaller clinics,
the current crisis also hits hard. In January 2021, the infection
rate had a similar intensity as Amsterdam, though this has a higher
density.
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2.5 COVID-19
The Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) is an airborne contagious
disease that was first identified in Wuhan, China, in December
2019. The spread of the disease worldwide has lead to an ongoing
pandemic, prompting the World Health Organisation to
declare a global health emergency by January 2020 (Velavan
and Meyer, 2020). Preventative measures by multiple disease
control organisations have included physical or social distancing,
quarantining, using face mask coverings, hand washing
and good ventilation.
The responses to the emergency have varied from country to
country. Drastic lockdowns were first seen in China and Italy. On
the other hand, targeted measures and approaches were used
in South Korea and Israel. Within each case, legality and the
ethics of handling the pandemic was questioned. Some countries
began operating as algorithmic nations – using data mining,
facial recognition… etc (Calzada, 2020a). The way in which to
approach regulating a country, enforcing regulations, and controlling
the outcomes of the pandemic – especially through the
use of individual data – is a sensitive topic on it’s own (Watson
and Nations, 2019; Calzada, 2020b).
Cross-country drawbacks have also been highlighted in this
emergency state, as country borders are making a comeback.
The future of “global citizens” and the outcome of border controls
are unclear. Particularly in the European union, many have enjoyed
the ease of movement, travel and work across countries in
the pre-COVID-19 era. Instead, we are now “pandemic citizens”,
surrounded by old borders (Calzada, 2020c). Many EU countries
enacted the Schengen Border codes, that allows for the
closing of borders and the restriction of freedom of movement
in exceptional circumstances. It is intended to last for a period of
two months, but, as experienced, many countries went over this
(Jerónimo, 2020).
The need to open countries to open up has been discussed primarily
from an economic standpoint. It is estimated that the numbers
of jobs lost by April 2020 had already surpassed the total of
the GFC (Coibion, Gorodnichenko and Weber, 2020). There has
been a decline in working hours at a historically unprecedented
rate. The job losses have also hit women workers more than
men, and the younger generation more than older ones. (ILO
Monitor, 2021)
This sort of inequality is experienced in many other demographic
and economic factors. While most economic classes have
been affected by the pandemic in some way, low income and low
skilled workers are estimated to be disproportionately affected.
These groups and their communities have also been associated
with higher COVID-19 rates , with studies on New York’s poor
and rich districts finding a positive rate change from 65% to 38%
(Schmitt-Grohé, Teoh and Uribe, 2020). Anecdotal evidence on
the effects of the pandemic has emerged, raising the concern
that inequality in many countries should be expected to rise (Furceri
et al., 2020).
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Figure 54. COVID-19 Vaccines rollout in 7 north western EU countries. (Our
wold in data, 2020)
Figure 55. COVID-19 Vaccines rollout in 7 North Wester EU countries - Weekly
average. (Our wold in data, 2020)
As of 2021, multiple vaccines ranging in effectiveness and types
have been created and used, with an end to the pandemic seeming
more hopeful. When comparing eastern EU countries, the
Dutch citizens were sureyed and found to be highly willing to get
vaccinated (Neumann-Böhme et al., 2020). On the other hand,
Figure 54 shows that the Netherlands currenty holds the lower
hand in number of persons vaccinated, while Figure 55 shows
the rate in which they are currently vaccinated on a weekly basis
to be low as well.
Overall, the Netherlands has been highly affected by the CO-
VID-19 outcomes, with around 10% of the population at one
point infected (Roser et al., 2020). We find that although they experienced
a high and detrimental first wave, not enough actions
were put in place to calm down the second one (see Figure 56).
A third wave is approaching, and due to its delayed and subpar
rolling out of vaccinations, it is unclear when the reach for herd
immunity will be achieved. Vaccine production and increases has
been also linked to economic growth – as stock markets soared
(Chan et al., 2021; Kizys, Tzouvanas and Donadelli, 2021).
While the world attempts to recover and change the outcomes
of this current pandemic, there are also calls to learn, change
and prepare for the next pandemics to come. Suggestions range
from focusing on rehauling he public health sector, strategizing
regulation structures, effectively addressing misinformation and
anti-vaccine rhetoric, and acknowledging environmental acts
that risk future pandemics (Burton and Topol, 2021; Castrucci,
Juliano and Inglesby, 2021; Hotez, 2021; Édes, 2021). The
Netherlands is also raising these questions. Over the last 20 years,
the country has experienced multiple outbreaks of diseases,
from the 2007 Q fever, to 2012’s Mers.
The pandemic has also helped highlight issues in many parts
of the world. In this report we focus on the AMA and the tourism
aspect – but multiple other sectors have been disrupted. For
example, in many counties of USA, lockdowns and home-office
have drastically reduced vehicular traffic and noise which was
previously an issue. How to sustain this, and take it into opening
up policies has therefore been a dominating theme (Fishbane:
coronavirus has shown us a world without traffic).
AMA COVID POLICIES
Figure 56. COVID-19 cases comparisons of France, Netherlands, Belgium,
and Germany. (Our wold in data (2020))
However, when, and how pandemic that is upon us will come
to an end is disputed amongst experts and academics (with the
earlier models expecting the end to be the beginning of 2021
and currently changing (Huang, Qiao and Tung, 2020; Luo,
2020, 2021)). In the case of the AMA, existing measures of how
to “open up” after a lockdown exist. The AMA, like the rest of
the country, dictates phases based on infections per 100,000
persons; labelled by Vigilant, Worrisome, Serious, Very Serious
+ Lock-down. This is calculated weekly and levels are applied
accordingly to the regions. Figure 57 shows the steps to be taken
after every phase.
In the first months of the pandemic, the Netherlands was ill pre-
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Figure 57. North Holland steps of opening. (International Welcome Centre North (IWCN), 2020)
pared, with not enough masks and PPE – nor sufficient hospital
amenities. The AMA initially used soft measures, but as cases
increased, multiple lockdowns were imposed within it’s various
districts. These have experienced backlashes with protests that
are anti-mask or anti-lockdown.
Unequal spatial distributions have also been part of the demonstrations.
As social distancing measures have been used during
the pandemic, sufficient spaces for public use that doesn’t infringe
on the personal space needed is scrutinised (Nobajas et al.,
2020).
INACCESSIBILITY AND INJUSTICE
With such demands being protested, we aimed at mapping out
functions residents can access during the pandemic restrictions.
Figure 58 shows the overall access to public spaces and elements.
While the city centre enjoys a cluster of public spaces,
smaller towns on the outskirts do not. It should be noted that the
smaller towns tend to be surrounded by green farmland. However
public spaces for inhabitants use are lacking.
According to the different steps of opening up the AMA, Figure
59 to Figure 63 show active amenities during this time. Each red
dot is has a radius of 500 metres (a 5-minute walk). The black
dashed lines circle areas we label as “unhealthy”, and have a
radius of 2,5 kilometres (a 12-minute Cycle trip).
As expected, the unhealthy areas reduce as the region continues
to open up. However, a more significant finding is that some
regions stay unhealthy until the last stages of opening up. These
regions are therefore susceptible to larger travel times in comparison.
Furthermore, as businesses have shit down, such unhealthy
spot are likely to increase over time.
PARTICIPATION IN CRISIS
Writings on Participation during the pandemic so far focus on
tactics to herd communal mentality in social distancing and
safe practices, or citizen volunteering in health-related centres
(Chen et al., 2020; Moon, 2020). Proposals for participation in
policy-making and spatial enactment is scarce.
While there is need for clear and quick decision making tactics to
govern pandemic times (Castrucci, Juliano and Inglesby, 2021;
Dawoud, 2021), Academics have acknowledged that insights
and inputs from communities are valuable especially in crises.
Marston et. al (2020) argues that only together are we able to
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Figure 58. Access to open public spaces (parks, playgrounds, benches, and gardens). Data: (www. maps.amsterdam.nl) & (www.geofabrik.de)) – Author’s graphics
innovate tailored solutions that can meet the needs of our diverse
populations. They identify co-production & co-design, responsiveness
and transparency as key ingredients for community
participation amidst crises.
However, there is also a need for clear and quick decision making
tactics to combat governing cities in times of pandemics.
“IT IS CRUCIAL TO UNDERSTAND,
FOR INSTANCE, THE ADDITIONAL
NEEDS OF PARTICULAR GROUPS,
AND THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF
DIFFICULTIES CAUSED BY GOVER-
NMENT RESTRICTIONS” - (Marston, Renedo
and Miles, 2020)
The lack of participation has bled into the spatial sphere – as
previous models discussed have had to stop community workshops…etc.
Considering that our urban spaces and what we can
do within them have drastically changed as an outcome of this
pandemic, it is important to find alternatives to cope with this.
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Figure 59. Stage 1 - activity nodes. Data: (www. maps.amsterdam.nl) & (www.
geofabrik.de)) – Author’s graphics
Figure 60. Stage 2 - activity nodes. Data: (www. maps.amsterdam.nl) & (www.
geofabrik.de)) – Author’s graphics
Figure 61. Stage 3 - activity nodes. Data: (www. maps.amsterdam.nl) & (www.
geofabrik.de)) – Author’s graphics
Figure 62. Stage 4 - activity nodes. Data: (www. maps.amsterdam.nl) & (www.
geofabrik.de)) – Author’s graphics
Figure 63. Stage 5 - activity nodes. Data: (www.maps.amsterdam.nl) & (www.
geofabrik.de)) – Author’s graphics
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2.6 SWOT
To summarise and evaluate our analysis we created a SWOT
plan, shown in Figure 64. This enables us to find the strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the AMA region.
Furthermore, it helped us understand what interconnected qualities
we should be aware of or try to tackle.
STRENGTHS
We identified strengths like the wide range of natural qualities
and conditions, that enables the implementation of several functions
and usages. Further, the well-interconnected transport
system creates an overall network and interlink of the neighbouring
cities. The well-preserved cultural background and the welcoming
culture create a vital and diverse region. Moreover, the
AMA has a long history of housing associations and still shows
evidence of a high percentage in comparison to other countries.
WEAKNESS
Nevertheless, several different functions and usages are scattered
in the region without thematic and strategic interaction. Each
district is developing its strategy and program, parallel societies
are increasing (See Figure 65). The high concentration of facilities
and issues in Amsterdam is creating und unliveable surroundings
for the residents. Moreover, there are imbalances between
the need and provision of affordable housing and strongly increasing
rents, mainly in Amsterdam, but also in the whole region.
This leads to the suppression of low-income groups to the outskirts.
The governing systems and the implementation of planning
processes and developments are mainly top-down processes
without interdisciplinary and participatory interaction.
OPPORTUNITIES
However, the interaction of communities and districts could create
an overall strategy to profit from the individual achievements
and plans of the municipalities and to strengthen the region as a
whole. The promotion of interconnection and redistribution by implementing
highlights can balance the inequalities and strengthen
the cooperation between municipalities. Further, the profit
could be redistributed and used for social and neighbourhood
care or projects, to revitalize the urban spaces and to increase
the quality of living. The AMA is aware of the issues and threats
caused by overtourism and its concentrated areas. They implemented
new laws and regulations to avoid further increases and
agglomeration areas. Therefore, they react with a reduction and
redistribution plan within the AMA. Still, extra attention should be
drawn to the place-based policy developments, while there are
missing improvements and inequalities. Also, new policies, like
the new housing act in 2021, focus on fair rents, redistribution
of housing, and stricter rules for holiday rental, to make the city
attractive for its residents. The long history of social housing provision
creates also a good starting point to follow up. The pandemic
can be seen as both, positive as well as a negative impact.
Still, the current crisis shows spatial injustices on individuals‘
opportunities based on their localities and highlights the correlations
between the urban space and likelihood. Which creates an
overall analysis of grievances, that need to be tackled.
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Figure 64. A Spatial SWOT plan based on analysis findings – Author’s graphics
Figure 65. Spatial situations of the AMA. Data: (www.maps.amsterdam.nl), Regiomonitor & (www.geofabrik.de) – Author’s graphics
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THREATS
Nevertheless, the current pandemic is also the greatest threat in
terms of imbalances and injustices. The inaccessibility and unfair
distribution of open spaces create an extensive and challenging
situation for residents, which have a limited possibility of recreation.
Further, the disparities between the needs and supply of affordable
housing are a main threat in the AMA. The strong agglomerations
and increasing tourism are forcing out the residents
and are heavily affecting urban life. The doughnut of imbalances
was generated, which is surrounding the city of Amsterdam. Thereby,
the agglomeration areas also became the centre of issues,
high unemployment, scattered structures, and low infrastructure
created parallel societies within the region. The monofunctional
and tourism-based urban development increased these issues
and caused several more.
2.7 A EUROPEAN
PERSPECTIVE
OTHER CITIES, SIMILAR ISSUES
Amsterdam is one of several European cities facing issues with
overtourism, as previously stated. As we have placed the tourism
issue in the forefront of our SWOT, and one that will be
focused on in this study, we provide a view. Therefore, many
of the findings (and solutions later proposed) may span across
multiple broder. Decreasing prices for flights make short stays in
long distances, as well as weekend party-tourism affordable to
many people. Many cities have similar urban and social developments
and threats, which are directly related to the exploding
number of tourists in the last years. In 2019, Amsterdam was
on place 10 of the European cities with most visitors, after other
capitals like London, Paris, Rome, Berlin and Istanbul (Statista,
2020). Prague, which is also more visited than Amsterdam, had
6 billion foreign tourists in 2016 with a number of inhabitants of
only 1,26 billion. The citizens are suffering strongly under the
rising rents through increasing holiday rentals, increasing party
tourism, disrespect of rest hours and noise pollution (Aschhoff,
2019). Cities like Prague are urgently searching for creative solutions
against overtourism and for slower and sustainable kinds
of tourism. Prague has come up with a touristic platform “Prague
Cool Pass“ as digital expansion for their already existing “Prague
Card” (Aschhoff, 2019). Being a gratis application, it promotes attractions
in the surrounding areas of Prague to foster distribution
of visitors from the city centre to the outskirts.
As overtourism is a relevant European and Global threat, governmental
strategies are needed. International organizations
like the European Commission, the OECD and World Tourism
Organization (UNWTO) have reacted with plans. In its project
“NextGenerationEU”, the European Commission publishes a
750€ billion temporary recovery instruments to help repair the
immediate economic and social damage brought about by the
COVID-19 pandemic. It estimates the post-COVID-19 Europe
will be greener, more digital, more resilient and better for the current
and forthcoming challenges (European Commission, 2020)
“GOVERNMENTS NEED TO ALREA-
DY CONSIDER THE LONGER-TERM
IMPLICATIONS OF THE CRISIS [...]
AND PROMOTE THE STRUCTURAL
TRANSFORMATION NEEDED TO
BUILD A STRONGER, MORE SUS-
TAINABLE AND RESILIENT TOU-
RISM ECONOMY. THE CRISIS IS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO RETHINK TOU-
RISM FOR THE FUTURE.”-(OECD, 2020)
The OECD expects domestic tourism as a chance to recover quicker
than international tourism. Domestic tourism offers the main
chance for driving recovery in cities where the sector supports
many jobs and businesses (OECD, 2020). Using COVID-19 as a
restart point for a more sustainable development after the crisis,
seems to be not well established in other European cities, apart
from reopening strategies in phases. The UNWTO has published
“Global Guidelines to Restart Tourism” in 2020, proposing
several hygienic precautions as well as a promotion of digital
communication. They recommend incentivizing domestic and
eco-tourism in combination with a focus on nature, rural areas
and culture (UN World Tourism Organisation, 2020). Just and
sustainable tourism is also fostered in the several SDGs like 1.
No poverty, 3. Good health and wellbeing, 8. Decent work and
economic growth, 11. Sustainable cities and communities 12.
Responsible consumption and production and 13. Climate action
(UNWTO, 2015a).
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Rethink. Restart. Recover. Resilient.
3. VISION
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socio-economic
status
tourism &
economics
Figure 66. Concept – Author’s graphics
As explained in this Analysis, the COVID-19 global pandemic
crisis is affecting the main pillars of the world’s society and economy.
The ongoing health crisis has reached a dimension that
will have extensive and long-term impacts and consequences
increasing the already existing issues of cities. Furthermore, the
current situation also occurs and strengthens the important theoretical
concept of the “Just City”. In Figure 66 we point out the
effects felt in within our schematic themes during the different
Crisis, and the future path aimed for the AMA to take.
“YOU NEVER WANT A SERIOUS CRI-
SIS TO GO TO WASTE” - Emanuel Rahm (Wall
Street Journal, 2008).
Using this rare situation as a foundation to create and implement
new strategies for urban justice is the main aspect of this project.
A comprehensive strategy will be developed to strengthen potentials
and relieve the pressure on spatial, economic, environmental
and social issues. By this strategic linkage, the region can be
supported and promoted as a whole.
DECENTRALISED MODEL
We see the need for adequate support to be placed on Housing,
Socio-economic issues, and Tourism, in a connection with one
another. This is also meant to be done in a decentralised manner,
as there has already been an imbalance of attention placed
on the centre of Amsterdam while disregarding other areas. Figure
67. Identifies the two “rings” to work with. The outer ring
of bottom up actions and inhabitant related approaches, and an
inner ring of policies and regulatory bodies. All actions however,
should be looked at from the sustainability point of view of a next
pandemic/crisis, and assess what should be put in place to help
deal with this – or what percentage of affordable loss is accepted.
This can be done through theories and findings advanced within
this study: such as advocating for self-reliance, data driven
understanding of discrepancies and studying/discarding regulations
that do not fit the future visions for the AMA.
Finally, restarting was identified as a factor that should begin in
the midst of the crisis with the knowledge we can gain from it so
far. The maps presented in the analysis dictate the spaces that
are largely unhealthy. In order to hone a more distributed tourism
sector, these places will need to be activated to attract the basic
tourist. Furthermore, waiting for the “post-COVID-19” is seen as
unwise. First, it is still unknown when the pandemic would end,
and second, some initiations need time to start up, and can benefit
from early trial periods before normalcy returns.
REDISTRIBUTION OF AMA
Our studies on the tourism industry, as well as the models for
the future, repeatedly brought up the need for redistributions of
tourism and services offered. With the tourism sector dwindling
down to nothing, it’s no longer the tourists that need to be redistributed,
but local tourism that also needs to be activated and
catered for. Thus, we look to concepts such as slow tourism, and
to the possible spaces that could accommodate the local that
wishes to visit.
Figure 68 introduces the product of ACCESS (to be elaborated
in Section 2 of this book), a tool that in the long run is envisioned
to help the seamless and health-conscious distribution of people
out of the centre of Amsterdam and to other cities.
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Rethink. Restart. Recover. Resilient.
INCLUSIONS OF ALL DISTRICTS BOTTOM UP TACTICS SOCIAL GROUPS
UNLIMITED ACCESSABILITY
TENANTS SUPPORT
RESTARTING TIMELINES
PROACTIVE CRISIS PLANS
Decentralised
REstart
STAYS RESTRICTIONS
WORK-LIFE BALANCE
RESILIENT ECONOMIES
NEW MARKETS DIVERSE URBAN STRUCTURES
TOURIST REDISTRIBUTION
PERSON-BASED
APPROACH
HOUSING ASSOCIATIONS POWER
DEREGULATION OF MARKET
MULTI FUNCTIONALITY
PARTICIPATION SUBSIDIES
PLACE-BASED
APPROACH
Figure 67. Decentralised Model – Author’s graphic
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Rethink. Restart. Recover. Resilient.
ACCESS
welcome
HAARLEM
AMSTERDAM
Figure 68. Vision – Author’s graphics
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BIJLMERMEER
ALMERE
PANDEMIC
ENTRALISED
RESTART
TOURISM
SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS
HOUSING
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Rethink. Restart. Recover. Resilient.
BOOK 2
THE ACCESS PLATFORM
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4. DESIGN
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ACCESS
Book one provided a thesis for the decentralised restart model
to be used in times of crisis. The model aims to generate a more
sustainable and redistributed restart after the pandemic, as well
as improve the current situation during the pandemic. It works
with theories of Degrowth, Spatial Justice through accessibility,
and data-driven choice making. It also heavily puts an emphasis
on city stakeholder interactions and participation.
Models and visions of the future tend to influence multiple strategies
and products. In this book, we look at the possible solutions
as students with a background in urban planning, that are wishing
to create a start-up in cooperation with existing authorities.
We attempt to provide one possible tool that is influenced by the
model and can be fit to the AMA case.
4.1 A TOOL TO “START”
We propose an online communication platform that can also act
as an add-on for existing online websites. There is an urgency
for a participatory engine that can study people’s choices and
activities during different stages of a lockdown as well as provide
a space for communication and evaluation on the needs and
challenges faced. This problem is identified through the previous
spatial analysis, and the performance of existing Visionary Elements
(that workshops and participations have come to a halt).
The goals are activating the local individual to increase their confidence
of choices by providing them with alternatives. Simultaneously,
it provides municipalities and authorities with data on
spaces that are used by locals throughout the time of a crisis. We
argue that in tackling the spatial needs during a pandemic, we
create a basis for alternative spaces to activate in the long-term
towards sustainability, spatial justice and, in the case of AMA,
redistribution of tourism.
We see a great opportunity for this multi-scale and integrative
process happening on an online platform. This user-driven
approach was chosen as online dependencies have been increasing
in the Covid-19 times, and the shift to being more internet
efficient has affected most people’s lives. Furthermore, in
person workshops and meetings were not allowed for a majority
of time throughout this crisis.
Amsterdam already has many existing platforms, like I Amsterdam,
that we assess as inadequate for current conditions nor
influencing the built and open spaces directly. They are also
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RETHINK
EXSISTING PLATFORMS
RESTART
PLATFORM
I AM
AMSTERDAM
IN YOUR
...
IMPLEMTATION
ACCESS
RECOVER
RESILIENT
Figure 69. The platform process – Author’s graphics
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Rethink. Restart. Recover. Resilient.
not integrative amongst different groups of users. Indications of
this are the fact that they are advertised more for international
tourists, and they do not have a detailed view of how Covid-19
affects people’s movements and accessibility. Data is held within
individual platforms and not shared between planners, municipalities
and public organizations.
WHAT WILL WE PRODUCE?
• AN INTERACTIVE BASEMAP
The basemap is the AMA region provided as a compact and
understandable map. It includes the built structure and natural
terrain, as well as functions provided. Further, it is the
platform in which other layers and actions are applied to.
The upcoming products are georeferenced and connected
to the basemap.
The analysis presented in BOOK 1 is furthermore connected
to the base map, as well as upcoming updates and new
analysis handled. In short, it is meant to provide the current
spatial State of Art that AMA edures. The interactivity comes
through the use of products that place points and polygons
to highlight what is necessary by its users (actively and passively).
• REAL-TIME FREQUENCIES
With the ongoing pandemic, many people don’t feel comfortable
being in close proximity to others or in crowded spaces.
This is also considered a health hazard in the current
climate. Therefore, our real time frequency service is made
to give people an impression of how crowded an area is.
This is expected to be possible through
• locational datas: as users are asked if they’re willing to
share their location with the platform. Such practices
are already done by other companies (like google) who
are able to constantly track. A softer approach is when
each time someone uses our services to open or look
at a map, it takes their location as a point.
• Gate counts: Supermarkets, for example, could opt to
install gate counters and sensors that automatically tell
our system how many customers are within their premises.
This sort of marking is then shown to inhabitants to
make an informed decision on where to go, and avoid
unnecessary waiting times as well.
• QR-code sign in: with the onset of COVID-19, it has
become common for businesses to ask their clients to
“sign-in” and provide contact details. This is done so
that public services can contact persons that were in
close proximity to COVID-19 patients. Many have made
the move from paper and pen to online systems. We
aim to provide a further step of QR code sign ins, where
our platform exchanges your contact details when you
scan the code of your location. In return, our platform
receives the data of a new person in a place.
This can also be done for public areas such as parks
and squares. Limitations on how long the QR code sign-in
should be active, how to work with this within privacy
limits, and how likely we are to receive this data/
rely on it needs to be tested out in the market.
Frequency gathering is something we see as a token element
of our services, and the possibility of being useful in
the long run/out of the COVID-19 pandemic-related decision
making. For the idea of redistributing tourists, it can easily
be incorporated into touristic hubs analysis. Providing this
as an “add-on” that can be applied as a layer over other
mapping softwares can help it’s promotion on touristic websites.
It would grow into predicting future scenarios (Like
how busy a museum is at a given moment) and providing
averages ahead of time may also be beneficial in the long
run.
• ALTERNATIVE LAYERS
Users can choose to layer certain conditions on their maps
to give them other data that may alter or support their movements
in the region. Other than the obvious COVID-19
cases layers, an example of a layer is the Protest spots.
This would help locals see where ongoing protests are being
held, what kind of protests are they (marches, demonstration...etc),
as well as their topics. This may help locals find
the protests they wish to aid, and as well be aware of what
is being demonstrated in their locality. This, coupled with the
frequency counts, would also help activists be better prepared
as well as inform us of protests that have become
mainstream or a pressing issue.
• COVID REGULATIONS UPDATES
In the current climate, regulations may be confused or hard
to follow. Pedestrians find it hard to identify areas within
their city in which masks are mandatory, regulations on how
many people/households are able to gather in one spot, or
what is permitted to stay open, and what is open. This layer
acts as a guide to all these questions. Furthermore, from our
locational analysis, and data gathered from the platform rollout,
these correlations can be used to discuss with municipalities
of regulatory changes that are needed. If one area is
shown as inactive for a long period of time, there are areas
in which activation and change should be considered.
This is seen as a connection to the “Alternative Layers” product,
as it is something that in time will become redundant.
In its place, other regulations can be put up - such as no
airbnb zones - and attached to the Alternative Layers product.
The reason for providing it as a service on it’s own
currently, is that the attention to be given to it is high, and
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KNOWLEDGE BASE
PLATFORM
USER
ACCESS
welcome
Figure 70. Access – components – Author’s graphics
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Rethink. Restart. Recover. Resilient.
constant updates and clear data should be used.
• PERSONALISED HOTSPOTS
Related to frequency data gathering, our platform can also
create activity plans based on user groups and demographics.
We can push for sustainable but catered visitation
trips to users. This is also seen as a way for visitors to be
aware of all possible attractions and options to them in a
region, especially ones they are interested in; ultimately
boosting the possibility of overnight stays and slow tourism.
• COMMUNICATION FORUMS
As Online communication is a viable route in our current
times, it should be a seamless provision. This communication
is expected to happen on 4 grounds:
• Rating: Visitors or inhabitants are able to rate different
locations - from just liking or disliking, surveying, attaching
photos of their issues/appreciations, and commenting
on discussion boards.
• The public forum: a space in which all users can make
geo-marked and non-geo-marked discussion rooms,
find connections amongst their community and NGOs,
and file petitions for changes they need.
• Workshops: Online workshops for participation on spatial
topics that are advertised to users, covering wide
ranges of topics. This is meant to provide an alternative
for traditional in-person workshops
• DATA CENTRE
The platform can act as a “data-dump”. Amsterdam has
many open-sourced and public data that is shared regularly,
as proven through our analysis earlier. Our data would be
shareable and public in order to allow academics, NGOs
and government bodies to easily access and assess findings.
This is in hopes that more evaluations are generated,
and that the platform can be used to support other new
Tools that may emerge.
• NEWSLETTERS, PUBLICATIONS AND EVALUATIONS
This data and its evaluations should not be left on a technical
field. Monthly newsletters and publications are seen as
a quick way to inform residents and governmental bodies of
the conditions and findings of the platform. The newsletters
would include:
• Where are people going
• What is being used
• What ongoing projects exist - and which databases do
they relate to
• How have residents rated different areas
• What discussions are popular, which online workshops
are ongoing and what projects are underway, and which
are coming soon or in discussion.
While these are snapshots of a moment, yearly or half-yearly
publications will also be required to show overall evaluations
over time. The evaluatory publications can also provide
statistics of topics that have been covered, and actions
that have been taken in the built space. Furthermore, they
should include evaluations on the platform itself, and changed
that would be done as of these findings.
The proposed platform integrates 5 main user groups: authorities,
planner consultants, organisations, locals (e.g. local businesses),
and (local, national and international) tourists. The idea
is that locals are now using the traditionally “tourist” locations
and are incentivised to distribute and “load-balance” among the
available slots of the attractions. When data is gathered on their
new movements, this information can help local governments
with an insight on the type of spaces people are interested in,
ideas of where future hubs can occur, and spaces that need additional
input to be activated. Organizations and new initiatives
can make use of the Access platform to promote their current
programs.
The design, usability and user experience are designed as a
low-threshold, inclusive experience for target groups that are
less comfortable with mobile technology. The short-term goal of
the products on the one hand is a quick recovery from the pandemic
and on the other hand to provide improvements to people’s
lives during the pandemic. With this product, we believe quick
recovery can not happen without current inputs and changes.
Due to local lockdown regulations, openings and lockdown-liberalizations
are possible in other districts and understanding for
specific regulations is raised. In a long-term perspective, with
the use of the application, nature-based, and sustainable tourism
is fostered by the promotion of local attractions. It strengthens
the communication between municipalities and offers a tool to
publish and communicate about spatial master plans and policies.
By fostering redistribution of spaces and tourism, spillover
effects on increasing spatial justice to sectors like housing and
socio-economic status are encompassed (Figure 71). Therefore
the Add-on is a practical approach in the fight against overtourism.
The user groups of our platform are presented next. Then, for a
more technical understanding of our interactive process, a Business
Process Model and Notation (BPMN model) is produced. A
hypothetical user named Inga is provided as a storyline to follow.
Finally, As exemplary districts, we use our focus areas of Almere,
Bijlmermeer, Haarlem and the city centre. These locations are
taken as they were case studies of Book 1.
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I AMSTERDAM
ACCESS
EXSISTING PLATFORMS
LOCAL
REGULATION
LOCALS
MUNICIPALITY
frequency
measuring
real-time data
providing data
on COVID19
infections
local COVID19
restrictions
accessability
showing
alternatives to
go
of open/ green
spaces
information of
current status/
regulation
Presenting step
program/ district
FEATURES
promoting lockdown
tourism
SHORT-TERM
Figure 71. How Access performs over time – Author’s graphics
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ACCESS
welcome
NEW
MASTERPLAN
INTER-MUNICIPAL
COMMUNICATION
SUSTAINABLE +
LOCAL TOURISM
masterplans
based on fre-
Information
of protest
promotion of
events + festi-
quency data
improvement of
open spaces
vals
frequency measuring
receiving
information
communication
with other muni-
redestribution of
tourism
local tourism
cipalities
no more
overtourism
LONG-TERM
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USER
PLANNING
CONSULTANT
(LOCAL) TOURIST
ACCESS
welcome
ORGANISATION
LOCAL (BUSINESS)
AUTHORITIES
Figure 72. Users of the platform – Author’s graphics
4.2 USER GROUPS
In developing a platform that serves as an interactive communication
network, it is essential to first identify the actors and the
user groups, as well as to define target groups to adjust and
refine the program. In this, we can determine which actor is producer
and consumer, or both. There are both active or passive
users of the process and with varying tasks to take.
The offer, share, collection, usage and evaluation of information
or data is an important person-based process that must be subjected
by the data protection legislation.
A total of five different stakeholder groups can be defined. Each
group can be subdivided into several sub-categories of users;
ones that are part of the process, ones that are users of the
product, or ones affected by it.
The main stakeholders are the authorities, planning consultants,
organisations, locals and tourists (Figure 72). In the following,
each actor group, their role and task in the process will be described.
Another user is the host of the Add-On, which we see as an
independent user. However, this position can be executed by
planning consultants or authorities. For the initial stages, we see
ourselves as the host - organising the data to be shown and creating
the base analysis that runs the entire system.
Hosting Access means providing base maps and organizing
the general structure of the platform. During the usage of the
platform, the host needs to provide technical support for the interaction
between all users and provide a server to save data.
The host has an insight of all information and decides which data
can be seen and used by whom.
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AUTHORITIES
This group can be all kinds of public authorities that have an
interest in information and data or have an effect and impact on
the process itself. Over time, this would include European, national,
regional, city, or district-level policymakers. For the case
study task we would introduce, we focus first on the district-level
policy makers.
Authorities are seen as both the consumer and producer. As they
are a part of the legislative and social structures, it is important
to integrate them into the process, as well as to benefit from
their profession and possibilities. Nevertheless, this actor predominantly
produces and offers highly detailed data for the analysis
and evaluation process, they also have access to all kinds of information.
Furthermore, they have the right to adjust regulations
or to create new ones. They communicate and interact through
regulations, laws, resolutions and announcements, which can be
either in text, maps or illustrated format.
LOCALS
Locals can be all kinds of residents, citizens, business owners
or service providers, who live and work in the AMA and have an
interest in the data, want to influence or be involved in the process
or want to benefit from the platform. This user group is one
of the most important groups, as they can evaluate, proof and
comment best on the provided information, as they are directly or
indirectly affected by it. Their insights, opinions and involvements
in the process can generate further successful developments.
Locals can use the platform to get informed, to interact through a
forum, exchange or communicate with the other users and check
the frequency of locations. Moreover, they can use the platform
to promote themselves, their concerns, and their ideas. They are
offering their data, their location if wanted and giving feedback on
the provided information. Locals interact on the platform mainly
in text format, and the points they place on the base maps (manually,
or automatically).
PLANNING CONSULTANTS
This stakeholder group can be all kinds of planners, that are involved
in the planning development of the region and it’s related
studies. So far, we have identified regional, municipal, city, urban,
and academic planners or researchers that may have an
interest. This user group can in the long run be integrated as
hosts and providers of the platform through partnerships.
Planners can consume data from the platform in order to produce
evaluations and studies of their own, or make data-driven
decisions in designing spaces of the city. The planner mainly interacts,
guides and interconnects through the platform in form of
illustrations, maps and text. They can evaluate opinions, identify
strengths and weaknesses, implement new strategies, or rethink
existing ones. Further, they can be called on as experts during
workshop organisations and implementations.
ORGANISATIONS
Organisations can be different initiatives, (research) associations,
NGOs, real estate companies or universities, that have an
interest in the provided data or want to be involved in the process.
This can also be private or public based. The organisation
can be either consumer or a producer, depending on its role.
Moreover, they can also provide their data on the platform, adjust
their program, can help to evaluate the information, or can serve
as an independent consultant. Nevertheless, this user group
has only limited access to the data, to avoid misunderstandings
and misuse. The organisation can support or function as the independent
party representing either its own or general interest.
They mainly communicate through the platform in text format.
TOURISTS
This user group can be all kinds of visitors, either local, national
or international. Tourists are mainly a consumer of the platform
but act as producers in form of giving feedback. As tourists are
important users of the platform, we also need them to gather
and evaluate their data and to get personal reflections. This
user group shares their information and needs, as well as gives
feedback and communicates with other users. In this way, the
process can be improved constantly by identifying and evaluating
the strengths and weaknesses and real-time data can be
provided. Nevertheless, they have limited access to data, they
can use the platform to get person-based and local information
and advice, as well as to interact and exchange with other users.
As tourism is a major topic and issue in the AMA region; it is
important to involve this target group in the process, to generate
knowledge and to improve the conditions. Moreover, tourists
are commissioned to evaluate the result and to interact in the
forum. They mainly interact on the platform in the form of text
and symbols.
4.3 BPMN
A BPMN is a form to provide a graphical notation for business
processes. It represents complex processes in a comprehensible
notation that is understandable for business and technical
users (commonly used by entrepreneurs, business analysts and
technology developers). In that way, the BPMN is intended to
be used directly by the stakeholders and at the same time precise
enough to be translated into software process components
(OMG, 2021).
The model uses a flowchart path, showing sequence or flows of
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Local (Businesses) (Locoal) Tourists
use Access
use Access
revise (new)
places &
frequency
get informed
about latest
regulations
send location
call for
attention
send location
evaluates
Chain of events
Authorities System
Planning Consultants Organisations
base map is
online
define or
change
regulations &
policies
research on
current issues
define
intervention
background
process input
use
informations
consuming
data
(further
research)
adjust
planning
new layers
foreground
process input
Figure 73. The overall BPMN of 1 case study – Author’s graphics
events. It also works with formalized symbols and paths, acting
as a specific language of its own that is universally understood.
These symbols are categorised into activities, events, gateways
and sequences/flows that can be grouped as one action or process.
The BPMN illustrations created from this project follow the interconnections
used to make the basemap of the platform, through
to the data and evaluations from users, and finally to the implementation
of new policies. we look into how users use the platform,
communicate and interact with each other, as well as exchange
and share knowledge and data. Within our user groups, we
further specified the type of used (eg. Local tourist instead of just
tourist, and a Business for organisation).
4.3.1 GENERAL BPMN
In the BPMN for Amsterdam, which is shown in Figure 73, the
previously stated user groups and several subgroups can participate.
The provided base map, database and exchange is hosted
by planners. Authorities add information about Covid-19 caused
policies and regulations and spread novelties on all scales. Due
to local rules, openings and lockdown-liberalizations are possible
and allow more freedom in the districts. Public instances also
use the communication platform to get an insight into the status
quo of the city which helps them to react and change regulations
and planning. In this way, they are interacting with the planning
entity which defines interventions with the help of gathered information.
These information are provided by (research) organisations,
local businesses and tourists, which include data in the
form of their locations, creative business approaches, research
findings and openings. From this data spatial frequencies are
identified which lead to new usage possibilities with low frequencies.
An exchange and evaluation of experiences between the
user groups is provided due to the evaluation option and comment
function in an interactive forum. With the communication
platform, local opportunities are exchanged and supported, as
well as adhering to regulations. The communication between
municipalities and their inhabitants is strengthened and a tool to
publish and transmit information about spatial actions like master
plans or policies is offered.
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Figure 74. BPMN Authorities – Author’s graphics
4.3.2
AUTHORITIES
BPMN
base map
district 1
rules
rules
rules
rules
rules
rules
Figure 74 shows the interaction between the
Covid-19 communication system, authorities
and the Add-on hosts. It guides through the
process from publishing a base map by the
hosting team to the adding of a new layer
on current incidence values, Covid-19 regulations
and openings. General opening
regulations are published by the authorities
and added to the system. By appending
current Covid-19 incidence values, the Add-
On automatically evaluates on which district
can open and which district has a too high
number of infections to open. If further regulations
are necessary for opened districts,
the authorities have the possibility to decide
on and publish them. All information about
opening possibilities, incidence values and
regulations are added to a new layer and update
all other user groups.
regulation
per m²
opening calculation
infections /
district
district 2
Figure 75. BPMN Authorities, Abstract – Author’s graphics
rules
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Figure 76. BPMN Planning consultants – Author’s graphics
4.3.3 PLANNING
CONSULTANTS
BPMN
In Figure 76, the process between authorities
and planning consultants is visualized.
Authorities add data to the platform in the
form of new decisions that are made. Planning
consultants use this information to adjust
their planning processes. New planning
needs to be reviewed by the authorities
again. If they are approved, the new planning
status is added and published to the communication
platform. Otherwise this process
is repeated until the reviewed plans get confirmed
by the authorities. After an approved
planning process, planning consultants can
draft new interventions and publish them on
a new layer to the platform.
rules
regulation
rules
regulation
?
adjust planning
review planning
Figure 77. BPMN Planning consultants, Abstract – Author’s graphics
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Figure 78. BPMN Organisations – Author’s graphics
4.3.4
new!
ORGANISATIONS
BPMN
rules
rules
rules
rules
rules
rules
The next BPMN outlines the interaction between
research organisations and authorities
(Figure 78). Organisations in general can be
small research companies as well as (international)
universities, but also non-profit-organisations.
By publishing scientific findings
on the platform, authorities can view data
from a new layer and adjust their regulations
based on new research. If new findings correspond
to the current rules and regulations,
no changes are needed. In the case of adoption
to new knowledge, regulations are
adjusted by authorities and newly updated to
a layer in Access.
comment
comment comment
rules
regulation
changes needed?
regulation
?
Figure 79. BPMN Organisations, Abstract – Author’s graphics
rules
regulation
rules
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Figure 80. BPMN Local Business – Author’s graphics
4.3.5 LOCAL
BUSINESS BPMN
The user groups of local businesses are illustrated
in Figure 80. A business owner needs
to adhere to regulations concerning e.g. the
people per sq in their space. By using the
Covid-19 Add On Access, the business
owner can involve her or his available space
and usage in the system. In return, businesses
get informed once the lockdown ends or
their space fulfills the official requirements
to open again. Are the requirements fulfilled,
the owner can open. If not, maybe an adaption
to the exceptional situation is needed and
creative adjustments could lead to a possibility
to open the business again. In this case,
an addition of the layer for open businesses
is done and other people can see the facts
in Access.
rules
x m²
regulation
?
allowed
to open?
yes
no
Figure 81. BPMN Local Business, Abstract – Author’s graphics
adapt
x m²
open
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Figure 82. BPMN Tourist – Author’s graphics
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4.3.6 LOCAL
TOURIST BPMN
The final BPMN demonstrates the possible
processes a local tourist from the AMA can
undergo (Figure 82). It is useful to e.g. plan
a weekend trip or holidays in uncertain times
like the current Covid-19 crisis. The tourist
can use the Add-On Access to inform about
feasible possibilities to experience new places.
Therefore, the user gets displayed by
current regulations and opening plans to
revise where to go. By gathering frequency
data, low-frequented places are shown and
advertised so that a distribution of people
is guaranteed. While visiting new places or
businesses, the scan of QR codes adds frequency
data into Access and updates the
present circumstances in the public realm.
The tourist can furthermore evaluate the experiences
and leave messages which again
enter the Add-On. This information can then
be useful for the planning entities to adapt
their planning and review the decisions that
were taken. We look into how this process
would work in the storyline case study of
Inga next.
rules
rules
number /
polygon
rules
yes
?
crowded?
no
Figure 83. BPMN Tourist, Abstract – Author’s graphics
x
x
comment
comment
comment
comment
comment
review planning
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INGA
79 YEARS
LIVES IN ALMERE
Figure 84. Inga’s Description – Author’s graphics
4.3.7 CASE STUDY INGA
Inga wants to go on a sunday trip with her two grandchildren
This case study shows a hypothetical use of the platform from
the perspective of the local tourist Inga. Inga is a 79 year old
grandmother from Almere who wants to go on a sunday trip with
her two grandchildren. Due to the Covid-19 situation, she is not
allowed to visit any place she wants, and she’s wary of being in
overcrowded spaces. By using Access Inga tries to find a solution
to still be able to go on a day trip.
After logging into the platform on her mobile, She first checks
on local regulations provided by the public authorities (see: Authorities
BPMN). They use information about incidence values
against populations and available space to evaluate opening options
of local districts. The defined interventions and regulations
are updated regularly and adjusted by the public administrations.
The opening updates are then spreaded through the platform to
reach people like Inga as fast as possible. In this way Inga revises
where she can go and which services are open and offered
by local businesses. Additionally, frequency data gives her an
insight into the abundance of people in different places.
Local businesses like a chocolate fabric, use the Access App as
well. The owner sends a location and checks on her or his own
opportunities regarding business openings in the spatial district.
The transmitted information also provides data on the square
metres of the specific business area, to automatically generate
limits for visitors. In the case a business can not open due to
not fulfilled regulations, the owner has the possibility to instantaneously
receive this information, and is pointed to governmental
representatives and departments to contact on the exceptional
situation.
After reviewing her options in Access, Inga decides to take her
grandchildren to Bijlmermeer to visit the chocolate factory. At the
entrance, she shares her location data through scanning a QR-
Code. This information can directly be seen in the App again.
She and the two kids spend the day in the factory and enjoy
Bijlmermeer. Back home they reflect on their trip and leave an
evaluation in the App.
They liked their tour and the chocolate factory very much and
click ‘thumbs up’ in Access. Unfortunately, they felt uncomfortable
on the streets, as the sidewalks were very narrow. Also
there were very few seating possibilities on the streets and Inga
missed the option to sit down. She comments on this issue on
the App and sees that 578 other people felt the same as her.
After Inga and her grandchildren finished their trip, planning
consultants reviewed the information, regulations and peoples’
evaluation of their experiences (see: planning consultant
BPMN). Analysing the gathered data in Access, they read the
comments of Inga and 578 other people agreeing to her opinion
that the sidewalks in Bijlmermeer are too narrow in Covid-19
times and that there are not enough seating possibilities to rest
in the public realm. The consultants then adjust their planning,
tackling the emerging issues. A creative approach for the Covid-19
times is the extensive use of parking lots as sidewalks
and the set up of new benches. The consultants bring their solution
to the municipalities’ attention and after being reviewed the
new ideas are implemented. The interactive approach through
Access starts again, information can be retrieved, evaluated and
changed again. The next time Inga visits Bijlmermeer, the seating
opportunities have increased. There is enough space for
everyone to walk with distance and Inga is satisfied.
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yes
rules
:(
no
adapt
?
?
?
x m²
allowed
to open?
x m²
rules
:/
regulation
COMMUNICATION
PLATFORM
welcome
WHERE AM I
ALLOWED TO
GO?
CHECKS
FREQUENCY
s
rules
rules
rules
rules
rules
rules
Figure 85. Inga’s sequence of events – Author’s graphics
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open
CHOCOLATE FACTORY
OPPORTUNITY
GOES TO
BIJLMERMER
LOCAL
BUSINESS
WHERE TO
GO?
?
no
SHARE
DATA
crowded?
comment
rules
CHOCOLATE FACTORY
rules
rules
BIJLMERMEER
comment
owded?
no
yes
?
crowded?
no
x
x
comment
comment
comment
comment
x
x
comment
comment
comment
comment
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rules
VISIT
CHOCOLATE
FACTORY
review planning
comment
EVALUATION
comment
BIJLMERMER
PLA
CONS
comment
578 PEOPLE
LIKE IT
comment
):
:)
x
x
comment
comment
comment
comment
SIDEWALKS
TOO NARROW
o
x
x
BIJLMERMEER
comment
comment
comment
comment
EVALUATION
x
x
comment
comment
comment
comment
x
x
comment
comment
comment
comment
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?
adjust planning
rules
regulation
review planning
?
adjust planning
NNING
ULTANT
les
BIJLMERMER
regulation
NEW
DEVELOPMENT
?
VISIT
BIJLMERMER
AGAIN
st planning
NEW DEVELOPMENT
NO SEATING
POSSIBILITIES
review planning
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4.4 LONG TERM
TRANSFORMATIONS
THE PLATFORM PERFORMANCE: LONG-TERM
The design thus far has illustrated a storyline according to one
task carried out. Multiples of such actions would ensure in data
collection over time, providing an overall view of decisions made,
and governmental reactions. While the concept of the platform is
connected to the current crisis, we see the possibility of this to
evolve over time and incorporate other restrictions to daily activity.
This tool is not expected to float on it’s own. Previously, some
hints on possible partners were put forth. In terms of the frequency
counting, this is a useful addition to many businesses and
organisations. In particular, Iamsterdam.com - a city and governmental
based website - is one of the first partners we see ourselves
approaching. The two sided benefit of these partnerships is
the advertising and testing our product on established structures,
while aiding Iamsterdam in the types of suggestions offered to
people at different times of the day based on crowdedness.
External interactions are necessary, as it would take multiple actors
to really push a AMA-wide change. Thus, the governmental
strategies and approaches need to be integrated into the decisions
taken. As it is governmental employees that are part of our
user groups, we provide them with informed and current ideas
to spaces.
The evaluations provided (through newsletters, publications and
visualisations on the platform) is a way to keep users informed
of what is happening in the AMA. Furthermore, cross-municipal
awareness is fostered, as they are able to see what projects are
taken on in different areas, what datasets helped activate them,
and how it relates to their own municipal space. This is done with
transparencies in hopes that joint projects would emerge easily.
On the other hand, bottom-up activation is also a long term outcome
of the platform. As not every issue would be handleable
by municipalities, it is up to inhabitants to be aware of the needs
and wants of the communities and provide for the smaller aspects.
For example, a restaurant owner that receives information
that there are no outdoor seating or terraces in the area, may
think of ways you provide such a service outside their business.
Furthermore, locals can come in contact with other organisations
or neighbourhood groups that are providing specific services or
changes through the public forum. Structured participation in the
form of the workshops also attempts to include locals. While, in
the short term, we expect these discussions to be directly related
to the pandemic, in the long run they may open up to all aspects
of change. Additionally, any learning outcome from local’s experiences
during the pandemic can help with planning and handling
future ones.
THE AMA PERFORMANCE: LONG-TERM
In the long-run, through the use of the Access tool as a knowledge
based decision maker, as well as other mechanisms and
policies that need to be enacted, the AMA would slowly open
with a redistributed tourism sector. The concept is that by the
time international tourists are visiting the netherlands, the hot
spots are developed in other areas, and the ease of choice and
movement is seamless within the region. As overcrowdedness
is controlled and dispersed, different scenes would be given the
opportunity to thrive.
This would further empower local tourism, as manageable situations
catered to their needs emerge. It also provides them
with options close to their place of residence. Further, it scatters
the income generated by the tourism sector, which was largely
accumulated in the city of Amsterdam’s centre.
The exploitation of nature would further change in the long run.
The image of Amsterdam has regularly been marketed on its access
to water within the city centre. With the waves of visitors
that travelled to see the canals, such acts have infringed on the
local’s access to these spaces in the pre-covid times. For the
first time in the last decade, the pandemic has allowed locals to
reclaim these spaces (Snijders, 2020). This would be fostered in
the long term to embody sustainable tourism goals as already
set by the OECD and European commission (European Capital
of Smart Tourism, 2020; European Commission, 2020; OECD,
2020).
Finally, the basics of democracy (an element of spatial justice according
to Fainstein (2010)) is used in discussing changes needed.
Inhabitants’ experiences with the regulations set upon them
is voiced. They have accessibility to review regulations and discuss
them as a community. Unintended conflicts due to missing
knowledge can be avoided in this instance, and planning processes
that cause unhealthy scenarios can cease from recurring.
The low threshold approach of such a process, where everyone
can comment and share their daily movements, means that it
is easily accessible to groups of people. The way in which data
is collected would be aimed to make it as easy as possible for
vulnerable groups specifically.
Finally, the outcome of the many products and different layers
coming together would lead to a joint effect of changing the AMA
one bit at a time (Figure 86)
CASE STUDY ZOOM INS:
From our previous attention to 4 case studies in Book 1, we revisited
them with possible foresights on how they might change
in the long-term after the provision of such a platform. These
figures and the images put forth is a utopian outcome to the
Decentralised model.
AMSTERDAM CITY CENTRE: Figure 87 shows a situation in
which the waterfront and centre of the city is not just touristic
(Who are dictated in blue), but also inviting for locals (red). With
local users feeling like they have a place within the areas, it is
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Figure 86. Layers of actions and implementations – Author’s graphics
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buurthuis
hotel
free to rent
Figure 87. Amsterdam Centre Vision – Author’s graphics
Figure 88. Bijlmermeer Vision – Author’s graphics
hotel
graffiti tours
factory
locals arts
Figure 89. Haarlem Vision – Author’s graphics
Figure 90. Almere Vision – Author’s graphics
hoped that many of those that left the city would be incentivised
to move back. Thus, the pressure on housing stock to cater to a
large sum of tourists would be reduced, and so would rent. Distributing
touristic rentals to other districts can lead to an equilibrium
Amsterdam has been searching for.
BIJLMERMEER: Figure 88 Bijlmermeer inhabitants, tourists
and planners are discussing specific locations that could be developed
further according to common comment in the communication
forum. Planners and citizens can use easily accessible
statistics on satisfaction levels according to different groups, and
find ways to enact change based on these data sets.
Haarlem: Haarlem, a well connected sea-side city, is able to cater
for the many local tourists who are looking for nearby areas
of rest and fun. They revamp their touristic approach by showing
local-based arts and history (Figure 89). The use frequency rates
and the personalised hotspot findings to figure out which kind of
trips locals look for in Haarlem, and how far they are willing to drive
to receive them. Easy and sustainable transportation routes
are implemented.
ALMERE: Almere’s new developments are commented on and
scrutinised by locals and visitors. Newer developments to come
are changed according to these findings, and accesses to public
realms that were once unclear and refurbished to fit the needs.
The tourists find themselves looking at a modern approach to
organising public space, and architects take day trips there to
see what “new AMA planning” looks like (Figure 90).
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5. CONCLUSION
This study set out with the aim of finding alternative models built
on foundations of spatial justice theories, that fit crisis and pandemic
scenarios. It further tests out a possible tool that can be
deployed for the desired outcome as time progresses, and act as
a communication platform. The focus was set on the AMA, and
a tailored outlook was handled for this region. The larger and
global finding is the process described in this study; where crisis
management is an iterative approach. Development and changes
are ongoing and evolving amid catastrophes and therefore
need a flexible guiding model.
The model creation segment of Book 1, was heavily influenced
by the “Sights” put forth in Fuerth’s writings on anticipatory governance
(Fuerth, 2009). Looking at the organisational structures,
policy-making bodies and visions instated by them [Top
sight]; assessing our purposes and theories of spatial justice [Insight],
becoming aware of past forces that may affect the future
[Hindsight]; integrating these streams of knowledge to estimate
possible outcomes [Foresight] and finally envisioning a best-case
scenario image of the future and how to get there from what
is known [Vision].
The process incorporated academic writings, geo placed and
open-sourced data, own calculations, governmental reports, and
news sources. The steps taken within this project’s process are
also explained in the title of this book:
• Rethink the existing handling of the COVID-19 crisis and
the imbalance and injustices it has highlighted (such as increasing
unemployment, unaffordable rents, and previous
overtoursim). Finding what aspects to keep, like reduction in
crowdedness, and which ones to change.
• Restart the cities, with informed and reflective decisions
that are done with multiple actors‘ participation. Using the
current point-zero to enact new developments that benefit
those living in the region and cater to their needs first, in
stead of outsider tourists who are no longer in the area.
• Recover as soon as possible in small steps that may grow
into big ones, or collectively create a shift in the area over
time. using interrelated planning and constantly introducing
new data to refresh and evaluate steps being taken. Allow
room for bottom-up creations to emerge through reestablishing
communications that have so far been lost. We propose
the Access app as the collector and distributor of data
and networking.
• Resilient to future crises by achieving a more just and sustainable
base, through tackling issues identified in earlier
steps. Being able to change and evolve as necessary according
to crises by emphasizing the “public good” instead
of economics and monetary gain. Learning from the ill-preparedness
of today for tomorrow. This is done by strengthening
the communication and response time between
municipalities and their constituents, as well as inter-municipality
networks, and always looking out for what is just.
The AMA is intricate, complex and large. A dominating conversation
for this area, as regularly reminded by this report, is the role
the tourism sector plays, and the direction it should be led to.
When applying the process proposed to another area, the regional
dominating issue in that location would be taken in its place.
The study further compiles and assesses a range of issues experienced,
and the effect it plays on the built environment and
city lifestyles. With no international tourism sector left due to the
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pandemic, it is a unique basis for rethinking the former situation.
AMA should not revert to its old status - but to a more just and
sustainable future. In that sense, our approach can be traced
back to the three principles of spatial justice (Fainstein, 2010)
Diversity, as the harmonious existence and mix of people, services
and places, is strengthened by the redistribution of tourists
within the AMA. By providing attractive alternatives to well-known
touristic places in the city centre, tourists stay longer and visit different
places than before. By measuring frequencies, locals can
use the public realm in low frequency-times. This measurement
system can also be useful for the reaction on possible future
pandemics. By using statistics of the utilised capacity of spaces,
planners can react faster on empowering areas that need special
attention.
Access integrates users‘ experiences and opinions into the
planning process. Being accessible to everyone strengthens the
basis of democracy. Multi-actor input into new regulations and
growth are identified within this project as an important factor for
a fair and quick recovery. However, with the spatial distancing
that is recommended, and with an ongoing digitalization, traditional
in-person tools are redundant. Therefore online forms of
democracy are reached towards.
Democracy is achieved by representing people‘s voices in space
and planning. Local businesses are represented e.g. through
an ‘open businesses’ layer in the system and in this way not
only gain attention but also create a broader interaction between
themselves and the inhabitants, tourists, public organisations
and authorities. The factor democracy is furthermore strengthened
by a now possible closer division of regulations on the local
level. Local regulations strengthen acceptance and precision of
them, especially in the Covid-19 crisis. By scaling down, the ability
of inhabitants to be represented is more correct and fairly raised.
Additionally, also vice versa the bigger scale is approached
as Amsterdam is our focal point in the European context and
an exemplary city with overtourism threats. In its larger position
in Europe, Amsterdam and the developments initiated through
Access can also serve as a good practice example in Europe.
Equity, as the fair share of allocation of resources to citizens,
is strengthened by redistributing public spaces through showing
alternatives. Providing an interactive open database makes unknown
spaces accessible to more people. Frequency gathering in
connection to a spatial component in form of a map base not only
helps a necessary redistribution of people in Covid-19 times,
but it also allows the visualization of unjust allocation of public
resources and their evaluation (e.g. green spaces, educational
institutions, etc).
In the sense of strengthening the mentioned factors, Access is
a tool, which serves a wider transformative goal of spatial justice.
It allows a reduction of pressure on the housing market by
fostering redistribution of touristic sights and apartments. This
is a small step in achieving the long-term goal of increasing socio-economic
status.
We find that this topic of reflecting on how to police a pandemic,
and how to start to get out of it, is a worldwide issue that will be
tackled in the upcoming years. There are ongoing discussions
on the pandemic and its effect on inhabitant’s lives. Our approach
with tourism at the forefront can also be applied to many
other cities on the European scale.
Finally, this study and the second book in particular use an online
platform as a solution. However, such an app is not an overall solution,
but part of a general vision towards a new urban paradigm
(with sustainability and justice as the main goal) enabled through
exceptional circumstances of the Covid-19 crisis. Thus, there is
room for developing more tools and tactics of change.
5.1 OPEN QUESTIONS
The model we created acts as a guide for future projects within
the area to take into account. The creation of the platform was
a way to evaluate the model teachings. As the model is the first
version of it’s kind, there is a need for expanding the findings and
having more concrete statements, so that it is more universally
understood.
While the process may be adapted to multiple scenarios, there
is a need for governance systems to be in place. Clear paths of
responsibilities and decision making are key in the fast-paced
response time needed during crises.
Furthermore, the scale in which one can “zoom-out” with this model
has not been experimented on in this region. In the case of
AMA, it happens that tourism has been regularly highlighted and
studied. However, when looking at a national level, other pressing
issues may exist in one region, and not in another. Thus,
more studies on how to adapt the model, process and platform
to different scales could be assessed further.
Currently, the AMA is pulling many large businesses and corporations
once more as Brexit looms. Economic and monetary
measurements of growth are therefore likely to be back, raising
the question of what effect will this have on tourism, housing and
socioeconomic status.
The platform proposed is dependent on interaction to work. Basic
data to start up and make initial analysis was done through
open-access sources. In using the internet to generate findings,
and attracting people online, there are many limitations and
questions to this. How do we evaluate our data and be sure of
its accuracy? How to incorporate non-tech-savvy users? What
restrictions should be set in place for users, and what information
is sensitive and needs to be protected.
There is room for unequal and skewed data to rise when one
district becomes more adaptive to the platform, and another not.
Such imbalances are existent in geographic cyberspaces; with
examples of the metropolitan region of Tokyo having three times
the amount of placemaking data than the entirety of the continent
of Africa (Graham and Zook, 2011).
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Further, data privacy has been at the forefront of the Covid-19
situations, with countries using facial recognition and infringing
on citizen’s privacies in the name of the pandemic. Certain populations,
like surveyed South Korea, are more accepting of
mass surveillance (Moon, 2020), while others are not. We need
to “read the room” as to what is acceptable by Netherland standards
legally and socially.
5.2 SELF REFLECTIONS
ON GROUP WORK
Due to the current pandemic, this semester was very challenging
for everyone. Especially, as the project was only based on virtual
meetings. This might be stressful for group work, as personal
interaction is not possible. The limited interaction and exchange
of information makes the success depend on the communication
and flexibility of the team members. Still it was probably the best
coworking team, during our studies, as the group composition
flowed seamlessly. Nevertheless, all team members had issues
in these pandemic times, different timetables and courses, internet
and technology problems… etc. However, everyone was
reachable, open and accessible for discussion, meetings, brainstorming
or help. By using everyone’s strengths, we were also
able to participate in an independent competition and create a
comprehensive result on short notice (see our proposal with the
same title for an MIT Lab competition on www.pandemicresponsecolab.org).
significant findings.
Ultimately, we went through a learning period of trial and error
and regular support from the course supervisors to reach presentable
maps and diagrams.
STRUGGLES
Due to the ongoing pandemic, visits to the locations we studied
were not possible. We were unable to get a personal impression
or use others on the ground impressions. Instead, all information
gathered in this study is second hand and only analysed
according to different variables. While the impersonality of it all
might help stay objective, in some areas we feel we would have
been able to get a more in-depth view in person. In the end, this
project can also show the kind of digital footprint the AMA region
has presented itself in.
The scope of the project was quite ambitious given the time. The
workload itself was more than we were used to in other semesters,
and time management was of the essence. Quite quickly
we had to organise schedules and self-made deadlines to achieve
our goals and examine our research question. However, with
all other courses of the semester and the pandemic situation, it
was at times quite stressful.
ON SUPERVISION/COURSE IN GENERAL
This extensive project with new topics and scales of the planning
perspective and integration of technical knowledge was very
challenging. The interaction, flexibility, communication and guidance
of the supervisors had been very helpful and productive.
We had a balance of technical to theoretical backing, which we
think is visible in the two books. The fact that we could create two
extensive projects - one on AMA and making a model for it, and
one on creating a tool that tests the limits of our model - speaks
for itself.
DATA GATHERING ISSUES
As we never worked in previous projects with such detailed and
sensitive data (or in processing data in general), it was a challenge
to get used to it and learn to use the software necessary
to evaluate them. However, we think that this helped us in understanding
what “low-threshold” should act like/incorporate when
expecting evaluations to be easily made for the public.
Partial information could be gathered as well, as some critical
ones were private and therefore needed to be paid for, or did
not have an extensive timeline/sufficient input that could produce
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6. APPENDIX
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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS:
AMA - Amsterdam Metropolitan Area
BPMN - Business Process Model and Notation
GFC - Great/global financial crisis of 2008
HORECA - Hotel/Restaurant/Café (Food services & Hotel Industries)
NL - Netherlands
WOZ - Wet Waardering Onroerende Zaken (Property Valuation Act)
LIST OF APPENDIX:
Appendix 1. The City in Balance, Goals and Measures (City of Amsterdam, 2019a)
Appendix 2. Unemployment rate % of 2008. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
Appendix 3. Non-western populations 2019. Data: Regiomonitor. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
Appendix 4. Non-western populations 2010. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
Appendix 5. Western populations 2017. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
Appendix 6. Western populations 2010. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
Appendix 7. Housing stock composition from 2013 to 2019 (Hochstenbach et al. 2020).
Appendix 8. High WOZ in 2010. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
Appendix 9. High WOZ in 2017. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
Appendix 10. Middle WOZ in 2010. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
Appendix 11. Middle WOZ in 2017. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
Appendix 12. Low WOZ in 2010. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
Appendix 13. Low WOZ in 2017. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
LIST OF FIGURES:
Figure 1. Studied themes within the Amsterdam Metropolitan Region
Figure 2. Topics Concept – Author’s graphics.
Figure 3. Spatial justice concept, content analysis, and interconnections – Author’s graphics.
Figure 4. Protests in 3 cities of the AMA. Taken from google search results of 2016 to 2020. Categorised into 6 themes of Urban
space, Economic, Tourism, COVID-19, Pollution/Climate, and Society. [data collected 11.2020] – Author’s graphic.
Figure 5. Methodology Scheme – Author’s graphics.
Figure 6. The AMA subregions. Data: (www.openstreetmaps.org) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 7. Urban structures. Data: (www.openstreetmaps.org) – Author’s graphics.
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Figure 8. Mobility and Connectivity. Data: (www.openstreetmaps.org) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 9. Amsterdam Doughnut Model by Kate Raworth. (Amsterdam.nl, 2020)
Figure 10. Circular Economy Concept of Amsterdam (Amsterdam.nl, 2020)
Figure 11. Visionary elements topics analysis according to 4 common themes of Development, Climate, Social and Policy; that are
present (to some degree) in all models. – Author’s graphics.
Figure 12. Visionary Elements tasks distributed according to the thematic topics of this report (Socioeconomic statuses, Tourism,
COVID-19, and Housing) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 13. Population Density (2020). Data: (www.citypopulation.de/en/netherlands/admin/NL32__noord_holland) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 14. Population growth since (2001)- Data: (www.citypopulation.de/en/netherlands/admin/NL32__noord_holland) – Author’s
graphics.
Figure 15. Migration out of Amsterdam. Data: ( https://www.cbs.nl/en-gb/news/2017/45/amsterdam-is-expanding-mainly-due-to-immigration)
Figure 16. Ethnic population distribution. Data: (https://regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com/) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 17. Foreign Migration. Data: ( https://www.cbs.nl/en-gb/news/2017/45/amsterdam-is-expanding-mainly-due-to-immigration)
Figure 18. Net domestic migration. Data: ( https://www.cbs.nl/en-gb/news/2017/45/amsterdam-is-expanding-mainly-due-to-immigration)
Figure 19. Welfare recipients and housing associations in 2017. Data: (maps.amsterdam.nl/open_geodata) & Regiomonitor 2020 –
Author’s graphics.
Figure 20. Single household statistics of 2010. Data: Regiomonitor 2020 – Author’s graphics.
Figure 21. Single household statistics of 2018. Data: Regiomonitor 2020 – Author’s graphics.
Figure 22. Income distribution by household composition in 2018. Data: CBS Nederlands (www.cbs.nl/en-gb/visualisations/income-distribution)
2019.
Figure 23. Income distribution by housing situation in 2018. Data: CBS Nederlands (www.cbs.nl/en-gb/visualisations/income-distribution)
2019.
Figure 24. Unemployment development of 1991 to 2012 (Statistics Netherlands, edited by Buitelaar et al. 2016).
Figure 25. Rent liberalized housing constructions statistics from 2000 to 2017 (Van der Malen 2018)
Figure 26. Ownership types and distribution 2010. Data: (www.amsterdam.nl/en/housing/rental-prices/) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 27. Ownership types and distribution 2017. Data: (www.amsterdam.nl/en/housing/rental-prices/) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 28. Rent regulation types – Author’s graphics.
Figure 29. Housing association percentage of all houses. Data: (www.maps.amsterdam.nl/open_geodata) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 30. Construction dates of housing associations. Data: (www.maps.amsterdam.nl/open_geodata) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 31. Construction dates of housing association and amount in Amsterdam, Almere, and Haarlem. Data: (www.maps.amsterdam.nl/open_geodata)
– Author’s graphics.
Figure 32. Construction dates of buildings in Bijlmermeer (1). Data: (www.maps.amsterdam.nl/open_geodata) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 33. Construction dates of buildings in Bijlmermeer (2). Data: (www.maps.amsterdam.nl/open_geodata) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 34. Construction dates of buildings in Amsterdam city centre. Data: (www.maps.amsterdam.nl/open_geodata) – Author’s
graphics.
Figure 35. Construction dates of buildings in Haarlem. Data: (www.maps.amsterdam.nl/open_geodata) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 36. Construction dates of buildings in Ijburg. Data: (www.maps.amsterdam.nl/open_geodata) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 37. Construction dates of buildings in Slotermeer. Data: (www.maps.amsterdam.nl/open_geodata) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 38. Housing associations built per decade since 1900 to 2020. Data: (www.maps.amsterdam.nl/open_geodata) – Author’s
graphics.
Figure 39. Low WOZ development 2010 – 2017. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 40. Middle WOZ development 2010 to 2017. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 41. High WOZ development 2019 to 2017. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 42. Rent affordability survey – internationals. (Stitching ICAP and In Amsterdam, 2017)
Figure 43. Willingness to pay survey – internationals. (Stitching ICAP and In Amsterdam, 2017)
Figure 44. Tourism distribution sector. Data: (https://data.overheid.nl/dataset/yqu-eenokrruog)
Figure 45. Distribution of people working in HORECA. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 46. attraction, accommodation & supply distribution. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 47. Hotel Accommodation density. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
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Figure 48. Increase of Overnight stays in the AMA. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
Figure 49. Deconstruction until 2012 (Verlaan and Loerakker, 2014)
Figure 50. New constructions of 1992 until 2012 (Verlaan and Loerakker, 2014)
Figure 51. New developments (Verlaan and Loerakker, 2014)
Figure 52. Job dristibutions (Gemeente Amstedam, 2017)
Figure 53. Almere growth. Data: (Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek 2006).
Figure 54. COVID-19 Vaccines rollout in 7 north western EU countries. (Our wold in data, 2020)
Figure 55. COVID-19 Vaccines rollout in 7 North Wester EU countries - Weekly average. (Our wold in data, 2020)
Figure 56. COVID-19 cases comparisons of France, Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. (Our wold in data (2020))
Figure 57. North Holland steps of opening. (International Welcome Centre North (IWCN), 2020)
Figure 58. Access to open public spaces (parks, playgrounds, benches, and gardens). Data: (www. maps.amsterdam.nl) & (www.
geofabrik.de)) – Author’s graphics
Figure 59. Stage 1 - activity nodes. Data: (www. maps.amsterdam.nl) & (www.geofabrik.de)) – Author’s graphics
Figure 60. Stage 2 - activity nodes. Data: (www. maps.amsterdam.nl) & (www.geofabrik.de)) – Author’s graphics
Figure 61. Stage 3 - activity nodes. Data: (www. maps.amsterdam.nl) & (www.geofabrik.de)) – Author’s graphics
Figure 62. Stage 4 - activity nodes. Data: (www. maps.amsterdam.nl) & (www.geofabrik.de)) – Author’s graphics
Figure 63. Stage 5 - activity nodes. Data: (www.maps.amsterdam.nl) & (www.geofabrik.de)) – Author’s graphics
Figure 64. A Spatial SWOT plan based on analysis findings – Author’s graphics
Figure 65. Spatial situations of the AMA. Data: (www.maps.amsterdam.nl), Regiomonitor & (www.geofabrik.de) – Author’s graphics
Figure 66. Concept – Author’s graphics
Figure 67. Decentralised Model – Author’s graphic
Figure 68. Vision – Author’s graphics
Figure 69. The platform process – Author’s graphics
Figure 70. Access – components – Author’s graphics
Figure 71. How Access performs over time – Author’s graphics
Figure 72. Users of the platform – Author’s graphics
Figure 73. The overall BPMN of 1 case study – Author’s graphics
Figure 74. BPMN Authorities – Author’s graphics
Figure 75. BPMN Authorities, Abstract – Author’s graphics
Figure 76. BPMN Planning consultants – Author’s graphics
Figure 77. BPMN Planning consultants, Abstract – Author’s graphics
Figure 78. BPMN Organisations – Author’s graphics
Figure 79. BPMN Organisations, Abstract – Author’s graphics
Figure 80. BPMN Local Business – Author’s graphics
Figure 81. BPMN Local Business, Abstract – Author’s graphics
Figure 82. BPMN Tourist – Author’s graphics
Figure 83. BPMN Tourist, Abstract – Author’s graphics
Figure 84. Inga’s Description – Author’s graphics
Figure 85. Inga’s sequence of events – Author’s graphics
Figure 86. Layers of actions and implementations – Author’s graphics
Figure 87. Amsterdam Centre Vision – Author’s graphics
Figure 88. Bijlmermeer Vision – Author’s graphics
Figure 89. Haarlem Vision – Author’s graphics
Figure 90. Almere Vision – Author’s graphics
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CITY IN BALANCE
Less nuisance
Set boundaries and enforce them
Improve follow up on reports of nuisance
Better financial balance
in visitor economy
Fairer charge for using the city as a place
to visit and for recreation
Cleaner streets
Reduce nuisance on and around the water
Communication campaigns
Attractive mixed-use
development
Create a more diverse range of facilities
Restrict growth of range of overnight
accommodation options
Upgrade range of overnight accommodation
More space on the street
and on the canals
Reduce crowds in public spaces
Towards a new
equilibrium
between quality
of life and
hospitality
Sustainable recreation
and facilities
Make transport more sustainable
Make leisure facilities sustainable
Dispersing visitors
Move crowd-pullers to peripheral locations
Entice visitors to less busy areas
Regulate festivals
Extend green spaces
Amsterdam as a low-traffic zone
Reduce numbers of coaches and lorries
Reduce nuisance caused by taxis
Combat overcrowding
Reduce the amount of entertainment transport
City in Balance
Goals and measures
Appendix 1. The City in Balance, Goals and Measures (City of Amsterdam, 2019a)
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UNEMPLOYMENT RATE % IN 2008
Appendix 2. Unemployment rate % of 2008. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
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NON-WESTERN POPULATIONS IN 2019
Appendix 3. Non-western populations 2019. Data: Regiomonitor. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
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NON-WESTERN POPULATIONS IN 2010
Appendix 4. Non-western populations 2010. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
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WESTERN POPULATIONS IN 2017
Appendix 5. Western populations 2017. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
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WESTERN POPULATIONS IN 2010
Appendix 6. Western populations 2010. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
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HOUSING STOCK COMPOSITION FROM 2013 TO 2019
Appendix 7. Housing stock composition from 2013 to 2019 (Hochstenbach et al. 2020).
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HIGH WOZ IN 2010
Appendix 8. High WOZ in 2010. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
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HIGH WOZ IN 2017
Appendix 9. High WOZ in 2017. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
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MIDDLE WOZ IN 2010
Appendix 10. Middle WOZ in 2010. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
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MIDDLE WOZ IN 2017
Appendix 11. Middle WOZ in 2017. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
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LOW WOZ IN 2010
Appendix 12. Low WOZ in 2010. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
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LOW WOZ IN 2017
Appendix 12. Low WOZ in 2010. Data: (www.regiomonitor-uva.i-mapping.com) – Author’s graphics.
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AUTHOR´S
BIOGRAPHY
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B.Sc. Amal Al Balushi
Amal al Balushi is a Candidate for the European Masters: Transforming
City Regions at RWTH-Aachen University in Germany.
Previous to this, she had completed her bachelors in The German
University of Technology (a sister university of RWTH-Aachen)
in her native country of Oman, where she studied Urban
Planning and Architectural Design.
She has authored papers while working as a researcher for GUtech;
in which she has compiled research on improving walkability
in Arabian cities, with a focus on female pedestrians and the
cultural perspective on this (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-
1643-3383). Her later work included community activation schemes
and collaborative designs, including the creation of a city
game that was deployed in 11 neighbourhoods of Muscat. Her
work has come alive in the real world, with the first of the gaming
results and design changes to be implemented by the Muscat
Municipality in the neighbourhood of Al Hail by 2022 (pre-corona
estimates). She is currently involved in research projects with
the Muscat Municipality, aiming at changing policies and the built
environment, and includes participation in the planning process.
Amal has a keen interest in professionally developing proficiency
in the field of social urbanism and architecture
B.Sc. Eva Hoppmanns
Eva Hoppmanns studies the European Master of Transforming
City Regions at the RWTH Aachen University since 2019. Having
studied architecture at the RWTH Aachen and the Escuela
Técnica Superior de Arquitectura in Granada, Spain, she worked
as an intern at Jan Wiese Architekten in Berlin. Eva gained
further experiences in urban planning and architecture with internships
at Heinz Jahnen Pflüger and Glashaus Architekten in
Aachen. During her studies, she worked as a student assistant
at the Chair of Building Construction of the faculty of architecture
and is currently working as a research assistant at the Chair and
Institute of Urban Design and European Urbanism.
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Rethink. Restart. Recover. Resilient.
M.Sc. RWTH Vanessa
Kucharski
After graduating from the A-levels in art and design, Vanessa
Kucharski studied Architecture at the Georg-Simon-Ohm Technische
Hochschule Nuremberg, with a focus on building construction.
While her bachelor‘s, she attended an interdisciplinary
summer school in Luzern, dealing with urban transformation in
Switzerland. Due to the Erasmus program, Vanessa Kucharski
studied for one semester at the Yeni Yüzil Universitesi, Istanbul
focussing on community planning. In 2019 she graduated with
her Master‘s in Architecture at the RWTH Aachen University. After
a three-month stay in Latin America, she started her Master‘s
in Transforming City Regions at the RWTH Aachen up till now.
During her studies, she constantly worked in architecture companies.
In Nuremberg, she was working for PB Consult and focused
on the infrastructural network by animating and investigating
traffic behaviour. Furthermore, she was working for Fritsch Knodt
Klug +Partner mbB Architekten, with a focus on historic building
preservation and monumental protection. After her bachelor‘s,
she worked for Architekt Domscheit in Ansbach, where she focused
on inclusion living in urban areas. Starting the masters,
Vanessa Kucharski first did an internship and later on, up till now
working for kadawittfeld Architektur Aachen, where she is supporting
the team in several projects in the competition department
with the focus on urban design.
B.Sc. Lea Schwab
Lea Schwab finished her bachelor degree in architecture at the
RWTH Aachen university in 2018. In her thesis she worked on
the „Incompiuto Siciliano“, never finished concrete buildings in
Italy, which especially shape the existing landscape in Sicily.
Subsequently she worked as an intern for the architecture and
urbanism office Zuloark in Spain from 2019 until 2020, embracing
different tasks including research or design tasks, such as
participation in spatial competitions. She also gained further
experience working in building constructions for the company
Cad Cabin. Finally, Lea is taking part in the Master programme
„Transforming City Regions“ at the Chair and Institute of Urban
Design and European Urbanism at the faculty of architecture at
RWTH Aachen university. As part of her studies, this research
work about the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area was developed by
her and the other authors in her third semester of the master
studies. In the near future Lea will work for a program that advocates
the spatial protection of coastlines in Spain and Chile,
before writing her Master thesis in September 2021.
134
Transforming City Regions
Chair and Institute of Urban Design and European Urbanism
Integrated Project III: Networked urban systems in Europe
RWTH Aachen | WiSem 20/21
Professors/ Supervisors:
Dipl.-Ing. Prof. Christa Reicher
Prof. Dr. Jakob Beetz
Dr. ir. Ceren Sezer
Authors:
B.Sc. Amal Al Balushi
B.Sc. Eva Hoppmanns
M.Sc. RWTH Vanessa Kucharski
B.Sc. Lea Schwab
OPEN
Rethink. Restart. Recover. Resilient.
ACCESS
RETHINK
OPEN
EXSISTING PLATFORMS
I AM
RESTART
PLATFORM
AMSTERDAM
IMPLEMTATION
KNOWLEDGE BASE
PLATFORM
ACCESS
welcome
Illustration by Amal Al Balushi, Eva Hoppmanns, Vanessa Kucharski, Lea Schwab
USER
RECOVER
RESILIENT
IN YOUR
...
A TOOL TO “START”
We propose an online communication platform
that can also act as an add-on for existing
online websites. There is an urgency for
a participatory engine that can study people’s
choices and activities during different stages
of a lockdown as well as provide a space for
communication and evaluation on the needs
and challenges faced. This problem is identified
through the previous spatial analysis,
and the performance of existing Visionary
Elements (that workshops and participations
have come to a halt).
The goals are activating the local individual to
increase their confidence of choices by providing
them with alternatives. Simultaneously,
it provides municipalities and authorities
with data on spaces that are used by locals
throughout the time of a crisis. We argue that
in tackling the spatial needs during a pandemic,
we create a basis for alternative spaces
to activate in the long-term towards sustainability,
spatial justice and, in the case of AMA,
redistribution of tourism.
We see a great opportunity for this multi-scale
and integrative process happening on an
online platform. This user-driven approach
was chosen as online dependencies have
been increasing in the Covid-19 times, and
the shift to being more internet efficient has
affected most people’s lives. Furthermore,
in person workshops and meetings were not
allowed for a majority of time throughout this
crisis.
Amsterdam already has many existing platforms,
like I Amsterdam, that we assess as
inadequate for current conditions nor influencing
the built and open spaces directly. They
are also not integrative amongst different
groups of users. Indications of this are the
fact that they are advertised more for international
tourists, and they do not have a detailed
view of how Covid-19 affects people’s
movements and accessibility. Data is held
within individual platforms and not shared
between planners, municipalities and public
organizations.
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Rethink. Restart. Recover. Resilient.
WHAT DOES IT OFFER?
• AN INTERACTIVE BASEMAP
• REAL-TIME FREQUENCIES
possible through:
• locational datas
• Gate counts
• QR-code sign in
I AMSTERDAM
ACCESS
EXSISTING PLATFORMS
ACCESS
welcome
• ALTERNATIVE LAYERS
• COVID REGULATIONS UPDATEST
• PERSONALISED HOTSPOTS
• COMMUNICATION FORUMS
LOCAL
REGULATION
NEW
MASTERPLAN
4 grounds:
• Rating
• The public forum
• Workshops
• DATA CENTRE
• NEWSLETTERS, PUBLICATIONS AND
EVALUATIONS
include:
• Where are people going
• What is being used
• What ongoing projects exist - and
which databases do they relate to
• How have residents rated different
areas
• What discussions are popular,
which online workshops are ongoing
and what projects are underway,
and which are coming soon or in discussion.
FEATURES
frequency
measuring
showing
alternatives
to go
LOCALS
real-time data
accessability
of open/ green
spaces
promoting lockdown
tourism
providing data
on COVID19
infections
information of
current status/
regulation
SHORT-TERM
MUNICIPALITY
local COVID19
restrictions
Presenting
step program/
district
receiving
information
INTER-MUNICIPAL
COMMUNICATION
masterplans
based on
frequency data
improvement of
open spaces
communication
with other
municipalities
LONG-TERM
Information
of protest
redestribution of
tourism
SUSTAINABLE +
LOCAL TOURISM
no more
overtourism
promotion
of events +
festivals
local tourism
frequency
measuring
137
Illustration by Amal Al Balushi, Eva Hoppmanns, Vanessa Kucharski, Lea Schwab