Ellen van Bueren Abstract​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prof. Ellen van Bueren, Professor of Delft University of Technology (Netherlands)

Topic: Local implementation of integrated urban solutions: lessons from the Netherlands

 

Abstract

All over the world, cities have to adapt to a multitude of challenges to survive economically and ecologically. Change or transformation of urban systems is urgently needed, spatially, technologically and institutionally, but there are many barriers that block or slow down change. The long lifespan and sunk costs of urban structures, infrastructures and buildings create long-term lock-ins. The interconnected variables that are prone to change are manifold, making the course and outcome of the transformation process difficult to design and predict. In response to such uncertainties and to the urgency to act, many local initiatives for urban sustainability have been developed in Europe in the past decade. This presentation will focus on local experiments in the Netherlands and the lessons learned on implementation. Being situated for 50% below sea level, the Dutch have learned that technological innovation, multi-stakeholder collaboration and multi-level problem-solving are crucial for successful flood management. These are also the key traits of today’s Dutch local urban experiments. Another trait of the local experiments studied is that they aim to solve multiple problems at a time, calling for technological integration and coordination of planning, decision-making and management. For a variety of local experiments, it will be discussed how they have succeeded to contribute to a sustainable, inclusive and resilient city and what we can learn from them for Macau and other cities.