If we denounce neoliberal ideology and the capitalist order of today’s cities as value generating machines, what would the new order be? An integral part of Amsterdam’s emergence as a just city was the interaction between radical resident movements and national housing policy that was designed to solve the housing shortage through massive investments in social housing in the 70s and 80s.

However, since the early 90s, rising neoliberalism, changing national economic and housing policies have created segregation and segmentation of the housing stock and people. Existing short-sighted trends in urban development processes that are fragmented pose a threat towards a just city, as seen evidently in Amsterdam Zuidoost district which consistently ranks poorly in social, economic and spatial dimensions of well being. The city is currently in the process of building a large stock of new housing within the existing city(densification), while also transitioning to a different socio-technical regime in terms of energy, economic logic (circular economy) and climate adaptation.

Therefore, it is crucial to adopt an integrated approach towards urban development at this juncture taking into consideration the socio-economic and ecological urgencies of Amsterdam Zuidoost. One that enables vulnerable populations to be a part of the process leading to a just distribution of its resultant benefits and burdens.

The aim of this research project is three fold. First is to understand the historicity of urban development processes that led to the current socio-economic, ecological and spatial realities of Amsterdam Zuidoost from a complex systems perspective towards creating a strategic spatial framework.

Second is to evolve a set of patterns that lead to livable communities and sustainable neighborhoods that are spatially just. Third is to evolve an integrated approach towards urban development by operationalising the patterns amongst the complex interrelations between socio-economic, ecological and spatial dimensions of Amsterdam Zuidoost that is co produced by local stakeholders.