How do we ready the existing built environment for the future? A large part of the Netherlands has already been built. At the same time, climate change, limited space and changing housing needs are setting new requirements for our cities and neighbourhoods. As a result, the challenge is shifting increasingly from expanding to adapting.

In this session, Ronald Schleurholts of cepezed and Eric van der Kooij, Chair of BNSP and concept developer at BPD, will talk with each other and with the audience about the future of existing neighbourhoods, buildings and cities.

At the core is the question of how we can upgrade, intensify and make existing housing and areas climate-resilient. This requires a different way of looking: not only from the perspective of demolition and new-build, but precisely from what is already there and what opportunities are embedded within it.

The speakers share their perspectives from architecture, urban planning and area development, and explore how renovation, sustainability measures, climate adaptation and new housing can come together in a single integrated design challenge. How do we ensure that existing neighbourhoods not only perform better, but also become more attractive, liveable and future-proof?

We also link this to the ambitions set out in the Nota Ruimte and discuss what choices are needed to deliver them. Where are the opportunities, where do we need to dare to think differently, and how do we make this transition a reality in practice?

Rik Martens – Board member BNA, architect and co-owner of MartensWillems Architecten (moderator)
Ronald Schleurholts – Architect/owner CEPEZED, professor Heritage and Design TU Delft
Eric Thijssen – Architect | Partner VenhoevenCS
Eric van der Kooij – Concept developer at BPD and Chair BNSP (Beroepsvereniging van Nederlandse Stedebouwkundigen en Planologen)
Mariam Shaaban – Policy Officer for Housing Policy, Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK) | Housing and Spatial Planning (VRO)

BNA

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Sessions

Adaptation: the future of existing and new-build