International Symposium - May 25th 2007

On May 25th an International Symposium "In-between: landscape in the networkcity" was held in the Provincial House of South-Holland, in The Hague.

Experts were invited from the metropolitan areas of Ruhrgebiet (Emscher Landschaftspark), Milano (Parco Sud), Barcelona (Llobregat Park), Greater London (East London Green Grid) and Randstad Holland. 

The International symposium functions as a platform to exchange experiences, ideas and knowledge about the open, green spaces in and around urban areas on a European level.

For further information please see the following links:

Report of the symposium

Pictures of the symposium

Program

Content

Workshops 

Links

Objective

In-between space? is working towards a New Deal for the green space in the South Wing of the Randstad.

In-between space? aims at a new perception of the landscape and a new way of interacting with it. The first step is to explore the logic of these landscape areas: their ecological, economic, social, spatial, and cultural aspects. In-between space? would also like to promote a shared understanding that the landscape is a strategic treasure and the common property of all parties in the South Wing region. The entire rural land area, from large-scale agricultural areas to peripheral patches of ground, can play a valuable part in the sustainability of the South Wing. This area requires a comprehensive vision and an accompanying strategy. The focus is therefore shifting from individual locations to a coherent whole, and from a sectoral approach to synergy. The result is a New Deal making the rural area a tenable part of the South Wing City and ensuring spatial quality for the future. Eventually, the term ‘in-between space' will no longer be used, with rural areas becoming an established and complementary part of the South Wing as a network city.

We invite all affected and interested parties to join the discussion and work with us.

The South Wing of the Randstad is evolving from a group of cities and towns into an interconnected network city, characterised by a growing exchange between its parts. The concept of the ‘network city’ however remains ambiguous. The Atelier seeks to understand where the spatial interconnectedness of the network city is to be found and in which way such interconnectedness can become the breeding ground for stronger linkages to develop.

The South Wing lacks a clear planning strategy. Taken as a spatial entity, it misses the ambitions and programs that exist for other European regions –like the Greater London, the Paris Basin, the Zurich Canton and the Ruhr area. Hence, the central question for the Atelier is to find out which regional issues can help to steer and shape the spatial planning of the South Wing.

The Atelier has in the last two years devoted time and resources to such a task, resorting to designs and programs whose spatial scope extends to the entire South Wing. By means of challenging actions and inspiring products, it also reinforced the integration between municipal, metropolitan and regional plans. This integration has resulted in bringing new meaning for the urbanised part of the South-Holland province as a network city.

The Atelier can be considered as a ‘safety zone’ where several projects, initiatives and people come together. It is a place with diverse functions, mainly in the form of a workshop with facilities to design and build models and a gathering place where people exchange knowledge and experience about the South Wing. But it is not just a place; the Atelier is also a group of people, a team of designers coming from the province, the municipalities and independent offices and who are willing to think of spatial strategies for the South-Wing aided by projects, texts or models.