International New Town Institute
Studying the past, present and future of planned communities in an urbanizing world.
INTI is a research and knowledge institute which focuses on the history and regeneration of Western New Towns, with a commitment to improving the planning of present day New Towns worldwide. The research takes a wide angle approach, employing social sciences, history, design and planning as analytical and operational tools. The subjects of this research range from the informal cities in the developing world, to large scale planning in urban Asia, to the use of urban simulation in planning.
INTI initiates studies, offers educational programs, and organizes public events and lectures.
International New Town Institute opens officially in Almere
On February 3rd the International New Town Institute was officially opened by Martine Visser, Alderman Municipality of Almere and Andries Greiner, Deputy of the Province of Flevoland. Newly appointed director Michelle Provoost held her inaugural speech.
New Address
Blekerstraat 4
1315 AH Almere
the Netherlands
+31 (0)36 5344070
Michelle Provoost director International New Town Institute
On Friday October 24th 2008 the board of the International New Town Institute contracted dr. Michelle Provoost for director of the institute. Mrs. Provoost is architectural historian and partner in Crimson, Rotterdam. She is the author of many publications e.g. Hugh Maaskant (dissertation), !Welcome into My Backyard! International Building Exhibition Rotterdam-Hoogvliet' and Asfalt, automobiliteit in de Rotterdamse stedebouw'. Crimson Architectural Historians and the International New Town Institute work together in the project 'The New Town' a researchprogram on New Towns in the cold war era.
Definition New Town
New towns to be studied by the International New Town Institute are those human settlements that were founded at a certain moment in history by an explicit act of will, according to a preceding plan and aiming to survive as a self-sustaining local community and independent local government, able to play a role in the ongoing development of the region in which the new town is located.
Research & Education
Research of the New Town Institute will be done by BA and MA students, PhD students and other research workers. The topics will cover past, present and future of new towns in the world. It aims to deepen insight in the new town phenomenon by studying theory and practice of new town development, the specific conditions and experiences of their initial development and their comparative social strengths and weaknesses as against existing cities and towns. The New Town Institute is especially interested in the role of the different actors in their development such as public authorities, citizens, companies and special interest groups.
Almere
Almere is a multi-centred new town, some 20 km east of Amsterdam, founded by the Dutch government in 1971, presently housing some 180.000 inhabitants. Almere is located in Flevoland, part of a major water management and land reclamation project, known as the Zuiderzeeproject, that the Dutch government decided on in 1918 and has been developed ever since. The former sea has been transformed into a freshwater basin of some 2.200 sqkm and into some 1.700 sqkm of new land. On this newly reclaimed land 18 villages and 3 new towns (Emmeloord, Lelystad and Almere) have been developed since nineteen thirties. In the next 30 years Almere will grow with another 60.000 new dwellings, partly positioned along and in the water.
Introduction Almere between land and water (text), prof. ir. D.H. Frieling (September 20th 2008, INTA Summer Institute, Sorrento)
