Elements for Appropriation
Cultural and ecological values of interstitial urban spaces in the Netherlands
T.T. Kuiters (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
Alexander Wandl (TU Delft - Environmental Technology and Design)
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Abstract
Interstitial urban spaces form an exception in the very organised urban-rural monocultural landscapes in the Netherlands. These unplanned in-between spaces are rarely valued from a traditional planning perspective, in which they are seen as “empty” or “unused”, thus ready for development. They are, however, an important refuge for people and wildlife alike, who do not fit in the monocultures of urban life and agriculture. However, the unplanned character that is core to their nature and arguably their value might be easily disturbed by design activities, and thus urban densification in the Netherlands is a threat to the existence of these spaces. Through the research question “How could urban interstitial spaces in the Netherlands provide cultural and ecological value?” The aim is to find a better way to describe, design, and value these spaces. Next to theoretical exploration, site analysis and fieldwork, explorative design is used to imagine how interstitial urban spaces could look and function to support and sustain the cultural and ecological values for the people and wildlife that make use of these spaces, could encourage bottom-up spacial development and inspire by illustrating what is possible.