The open city: a home for nature

Abstract

1 million new homes will have to be built in The Netherlands in the upcoming decades. This is largely due to the fact that an increasing amount of people is choosing to live alone. The aim of this thesis to understand the forces behind the rise of the solo dweller and to find a proper way of designing a nature-inclusive residential building that will accommodate the needs of this group. The answer to the research question: “What is the value of urban nature for solo dwellers?” was found by means of a critical discourse analysis, case studies analyses and a re-interpretation of nature within cities. Solo dwellers can be divided into two categories: people who choose to live alone and people who are forced to do so. The former group thrives on the opportunities that the urban environment provides. The latter group, however, is generally more vulnerable to feelings of loneliness and social isolation. Re-interpreting nature as “something that is left to be altered by time rather than being controlled by means of human intervention” can strengthen the idea of the open city as introduced by Richard Sennett. The open city is favourable to the solo dweller, who needs to have opportunities instead of obligations. Open cities are not fixed forms, but rather open in time. This type of environment is especially fit for solo dwellers, who suffer under excessive control, similar to spontaneous and ruderal vegetation. If we strive for reconciliation between humans and nature, we must allow both to appropriate spaces; to leave their marks of inhabitation; to dwell within the city. Spontaneous and open forms of urban nature seem to be suitable for the networked individual, the solo dweller who is capable of living alone. However, more managed forms of urban nature, such as urban rooftop farms, are more suitable to the latter group. They provide a meeting place and an activity that can be shared.