Towards 'participatory landscape'

Abstract

Social participation plays an important role in the process of urban landscape renewal and maintenance. Embodying broader social participation can facilitate the equitable distribution of green infrastructure, increase the capacity of landscape management roles, form multidisciplinary teams and implement precise actions. The theme of the project is therefore how spatial design strategies can stimulate wider participation of urban residents in the enhancement of the urban landscape and living environment.
The case study area is the Pendrecht neighborhood of Rotterdam, which is a city in transition. The post-war reconstruction area is at a turning point in terms of safety and quality of life, having experienced a downward spiral of pollution, violence, crime, and social segregation for decades. In this context, the project hopes to activate the enormous potential of the community and empower residents to regenerate themselves. The project, therefore, wants the nature-based solution to be seen as a catalyst for space, not only advocating for the public to use NBS to activate the use of public space, but also to combat social isolation, build a sense of place, increase
employment opportunities, attract investment, visitors and new residents, and together create a more sustainable and liveable city.
The project has three tracks to create a participatory landscape. They are: in the first track, transformative place-making to increase social awareness; in the second track, motivation to participate through public policies, design tools, and the improvement of infrastructure systems; and in the third track, community empowerment through strategies such as the transfer of power and responsibility, the creation of garden operating organizations, phased development and the breakdown of responsibility zones. The project hopes to provide spatial planning and design strategies that can be used as a reference for similar areas and urban regeneration to transform into eco-cities.