Category Archives: Incubators

Lecture: the Atlanta Beltline

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Thursday October 6, the Deltametropolis Association and the Department of Spatial Planning (TUDelft) organize a lecture by Ryan Gravel, on Transit Oriented Development (TOD). As urban planner he is responsible for the development of the Atlanta Beltline, a new light rail connection on an abandoned cargo track around the city. The project emerged bottom-up with help of local stakeholders. The lecture is part of our project SprintCity.

Time and Location
9:45 – 11:30h | Delft University of Technology, faculty of Architecture, Julianalaan 134, Delft – Berlagezaal 1 (ground floor) | Free admission

Debate panel
– Ryan Gravel (Perkins+Will)
– Caroline Bos (UNStudio)
– Dominic Stead (OTB)
– Paul Gerretsen (Deltametropolis Association)
– Roberto Rocco (TUDelft)

Click here to read more and register for the lecture.

Read more on the Atlanta Beltline

Lecture: Bernd Fesel on cultural clusters

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tIP lecture #1: Bernd Fesel on cultural clusters
TU Delft, department of Urbanism and Association Deltametropool invite you to the International Perspectives: Cultural Clusters. A lecture by Bernd Fesel on the creative economy and Randstad Holland on Thursday September 22, 2011.
Bernd Fesel is the assistant director of the European centre for Creative Economy and was the main advisor Creative Industries for the European Capital of Culture, Ruhr 2010.
For all the cities of Randstad Holland, the creative industry is an important focus. The competition between cities within Randstad Holland (RSH) implies that RSH is disregarding that the real opponents for attracting creative entrepreneurs in North-West Europe are cities like London or Paris.

Three questions to be answered:
– Could combining the efforts of the various cities to the RSH region scale improve the international attractiveness of Randstad Holland? And if so, how can cultural clusters in the various cities support this international perspective?
– How can culture clusters and economic activity strenghten each another?
– What lessons are learned form the European Capital of Culture, Ruhr 2010?

For more info and registration, click here.

Scheldekwartier

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The history of Vlissingen was largely influenced by the shipyard in the centre of the city. Already in the 16th and 17th centuries, wooden vessels were made here for trade and military purposes. Once in while the shipyard expanded, demolishing part of downtown Vlissingen. In 1875 the wharf became private property and was the largest company in town in the 1950’s, with 4.600 employees. For many years the wharf carried the name Royal Schelde Group. In 2003 Damen Shipyards sold large part of the area to the Municipality to build an ambitious new housing project of 32 hectares, called Scheldekwartier. Part of the wharf will maintain its old function, for construction and maintenance of luxury yachts. The masterplan foresaw five different areas of urban development, including a marina and waterfront high-rise.

It can be questioned whether the plans could be realized in Vlissingen, with limited population growth, threat of shrinkage, and historically low real estate prices. A fact is that since the real estate crisis of 2008, the plan completely lost ground. The project developer of the first phase postponed the construction of the first houses, since it required 70% pre-sale of the housing units. Another investor was brought in to save the day. Now the first 51 units are under construction. The structure of the carpenter’s workshop has recently been restored, with help of subsidies. In general, the city has stated that the masterplan has to be adapted to the new economic reality and that ambitions should therefore be lower.  The city fears that the gigantic vacant space may turn the city unsafe and unattractive over time. Money has already been spent and profits are lower due to problems on the real estate market. The delay of the housing projects costs the Municipality milions of Euros per year of interest. So they’re obviously in a rush.

The alternative of temporary use, however, has not been deeply investigated. Some temporary artistic work is being done, such as the work by Enzo Producties. But temporary housing, small scale production or student facilities have not been planned in the area. Preparing this new part of town with temporary activities might just be the way to create a market and identity for the area, and could easily use the opportunity of the location: a waterfront between the city center and the railway station. In such a gradual development approach, ambitions may not have to be lower in the end. They can even be higher and better adapted to the future circumstances. The Municipality quickly acknowledges the need to exit the old masterplan, but at the same time does not embrace a more flexible and temporary strategy. It will certainly take some time to develop the full 32 hectares, so the chances are still there!

Visit Scheldekwartier Vlissingen on Google Maps

Read more:
History of the area (Dutch)
Alteration of the masterplan programming (Dutch)
Construction starts (Dutch)

‘New’ space for the city

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The discussion continues on whether Amsterdam can realize urban growth within existing urban areas or whether the city needs the proposed big-scale expansion locations at the artifical island of IJburg and near the 1970’s satellite-town Almere. Architects Tom Bergevoet and Maarten van Tuijl, of Temp Architecture, did a basic survey using Google Earth and found about 450 ha of vacant lots (red stains on the map) in Amsterdam, comparable to the IJburg project. Temporary use of vacant urban space for recreation, gardening and cultural events could make urban life more pleasant and prepare new sites like IJburg for urban occupation (phased development scheme below, in three steps). Politicians agree that a certain amount of vacant land and buildings is always needed to keep a city flexible and dynamic. However, a surplus of vacancy is thought to be unpleasant and unsafe.

ARCAM organizes debates with politicians, investors and entrepreneurs, on vacant buildings (May 18th 2011), and on vacant urban land (May 25th 2011). From May 11th, ARCAM hosts an exhibition by Temp, called New Space for the City.

Read More:
Urban Change – Amsterdam: densification or expansion (English)
Het Parool – In de stad ligt een IJburg braak (Dutch)

Nova Luz – an update

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This month the urban plan for Nova Luz was presented. The plan encompasses the transformation of a large area (45 urban blocks, occupying 50 ha) close to the Luz railway station in central São Paulo. In the last decade, preparations for this plan have been made by the Municipality, including the construction of concert hall Sala São Paulo, recent plans for a new Opera designed by architects Herzog & de Meuron, and the polemic cleansing of ‘Cracolândia‘, an area dominated by drug traffic. In 2010 the city launched a tender for the urban plan of Nova Luz, which was won by a joint venture of Concremat Engenharia, Cia. City, Aecom Technology Corporation e Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV). In the next phases of Nova Luz, investors will need to be found to develop the individual lots. Due to the recent building boom in São Paulo, expectations are high.

A number of goals were set by the Municipality to be achieved in the plan:
– Reinforce the existing commercial function of the region, with special attention for the technology sector, represented by businesses around Rua Santa Ifigênia;
– Diversify residential profiles (different family types, singles etc.), in order to create a heterogeneous environment;
– Restore degraded and obsolete areas to increase living quality;
– Increase the amount of public space used for squares and social interaction;
– Improve the general conditions of mobility and infrastructure of the region;
– Restore architectural heritage, cultural and artistic works in the area;
– Create a social environment that promotes social and economic development.


New profile of Avenida Rio Branco

The winning project presupposes the redevelopment of around two thirds of the existing buildings, whereas one third is to be maintained and restored. The plan divides the area into five sectors:
1. Nébias – reinforcing the existing residential and hotel functions;
2. Corridor Rio Branco – turning the somewhat fragmented avenue into a dense urban boulevard, served by public transport, with large office buildings on top of a retail base level;
3. Triunfo – creating a diverse residential area, with library, school, kinder-garden and services;
4. Nova Luz Culture and Entertainment area – transforms the direct surroundings of the station, mainly sheds and parking lots, into a leisure area;
5. Technological area – attracting lead technology businesses through tax incentives.


Triunfo sector – school and public space

Architectonic ambitions are high, judging by the illustrations of the plan. Buildings interact with the urban environment at ground level and have lively balconies and openings in the facades. Public space is very green and attractive, compared to earlier urban operations in the city such as the Berrini Avenue. A few observations have to be made:
Firstly, the project merely provides volumetric studies of the area and does not determine the exact urban form of the developments at this stage. Individual developers will offer their projects in following tenders. In the past, this has not always led to a desirable urban form and architectural quality in São Paulo. Developers tend to emphasize safety and privacy aspects, instead of interaction of the building with the street, as they fear that the building won’t sell if it is made too transparent and accessible. If investors don’t commit to the architectural ambitions of the urban plan, or when supervision of the plan fails, the quality of the whole plan is at stake.
Secondly, the quota of social housing units in the plan, as fixed in the Zeis municipal land use plan, must still be implemented through tenders. As this segment is less profitable than other types of dwellings, the social housing units tends to be unattractive for investors. Strict rules for mixed developments and application of fines when social housing is not delivered, could help to encourage the fast implementation of social housing in the area.


Sala São Paulo concert hall by night

Many of the buildings on the list to be demolished, have a social housing function today. NGO’s like Fórum Centro Vivo have been concerned with the current population and small businesses in the Nova Luz area, threatened by increasing real estate values and gentrification. In 2008, the NGO organized an informal night walk through Nova Luz with lanterns, Traga sua Luz, to point out the effects of demolishing in the area. Less than two years later, the offical Nova Luz project office organizes another night walk to show the beauty and potential of the cultural district, near the Luz train station. However, the photo report of the excursion shows mostly well known historic buildings situated outside the Nova Luz area, such as Teatro Municipal.

Read more:
Nova Luz SP project office
Nova Cracolândia (Portuguese)
Nova Luz in 2007 (Portuguese)