Think & Act

The Holy-Southeast district of Vlaardingen needs improvement. The district built in the sixties of multi storey social housing blocks and 1800 dwelling units is degrading slowly, but still has some of its former glory. Instead of imposing a masterplan top down, a careful bottum up approach was chose by Waterweg Wonen, the owner of the blocks. This approach has two main characteristics: interactive research and neighbourhood coaches to help the residents explaining what aspects of living are important to them, They spoke about their problems and their desires. And the housing corporation Waterweg Wonen listened to them.

Step 1: Research: facts, figures and features

After an extensive assessment of the existing urban layout, an extensive qualitative study into the social structure of the district was carried out with interviews and group discussions. The research showed that the renovation of the Holy Southeast district must proceed from the strength of the smaller units, the buildings, and their environment. The renovation discussion should also include the houses or apartments in which the people live with their own experience, their problems and their desires.

Step 2: Neighbourhood coaches

Special neighbourhood coaches helped the residents explaining what qualities are important to them and what must be done to guarantee or preserve this (permanently) in their homes and living environment for the future.

First the neighbourhood coaches decided how the district could be divided in meaningful (social) units: the so-called ‘we-unit.’ These groups share certain things with each other – a living environment, an entrance, a building, or a family situation – and, therefore, it is in their mutual interest to discuss the future.

Subsequently the neighbourhood coaches tried to approach as many people as possible, in order to assess initial interest in the discussion concerning the future. Various means were employed, depending on the physical and social structure of the ‘we-unit.’
‘From social event to Tupperware concept’.

Step 3: The results:

1. The residents formulated realistic desires in the areas of physical and social policy. The social tension and the feeling of decay was the most important problem. They expect the housing corporation to control the social tension. They have high hopes.
2. In the second place a giant leap – in instilling a basis of trust within the residents – was made. This is the basis upon which the renovation process in Holy-Southeast can proceed.

 

And now?

There is no such thing as development without excellent management, or physical intervention without social renovation. The Holy-Southeast residents are very explicit: much needs to be done.

In addition to this, a number of co-ordinating themes that apply to the entire district can be identified:

• demand for authority in tackling social tensions.

• increase the social cohesion within the district. The corporation can support and can create conditions for the realisation of this increase.

• an emphatic demand for creative solutions and social support in controlling hopelessness and loneliness of the residents in the district.
   

Neighbourhood coaches:

• Bridge between the residents and housing corporation

• Relevant scale level for the residents’ experience

• People from various disciplines and with a professional background
   

Methods and techniques

• Indonesian buffet for all residents of two high-rise buildings

• Apartment breakfast “scrambles eggs”: good morning, would you like to join us in discussing the future of your district?

• Mothers of the future: have a cup of coffee with a number of mothers from various backgrounds, in order to discuss multicultural symbiosis

• House-to-house visits: form meaningful discussion groups, through the Tupperware concept

• Questionnaires. Beforehand: for input of discussion groups. Afterwards: to check results

• Video “Pleasant and Permanent Living” (NIDO/program sustainable urban regeneration) to get the conversation going and to indicate themes

• Pictures and presentations in order to stir up desires for the future