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The future of green heritage
International New Town Day 2023
22 November 2023

In the 1970s, the construction of expansion districts and new cities (the "growth centers") applied new concepts for the creation of public space and green structures. In the wake of the Club of Rome, awareness of the ecological and psychosocial importance of green spaces was raised and this was reflected in green, carfree residential areas, ’natural’ park layouts and plenty of space for cyclists and pedestrians.

Today, these green spaces are an important aspect of improving the biodiversity and climate resilience of these cities and the health of residents. At the same time, green spaces are under pressure from densification and financial constraints.

This annual International New Town Day focuses on the question: What were the original concepts for green spaces in Post 65 neighborhoods and cities and how can they guide us through contemporary challenges related to ecology, green values and public space?



Please note: most of the program is in Dutch!


Programme

· 12:30 - Doors open
· 12:45 - Introduction to the program

Part 1: Post 65 Green; concepts and (design) ideas
· 13:00-13:30 - Imke van Hellemondt, architectural historian, on concepts for green design in the 1970s.
· 13:30-13:50 - Michelle Provoost, architectural historian, on the design of parks and forests in growth centers.
· 13:50-14:10 - Joost Emmerik, landscape architect, on Campus TU Twente.
· 14:10-14:40 - discussion

Part 2 Green as a future asset (in English)
· 15:00-15:15 - Introduction by Simone Rots on the way in which New Towns in different parts of Europe use their green heritage as an asset to become more attractive and healthy cities.
· 15:15-15:25 - Giedré Tomkeviciūtè-Kalinauskienè (Elektrenai, Lithuania).
· 15:25-15:35 - Alex Axinte, (Drumul Taberei, Romania).
· 15:35-15:45 - Shane Downer (Milton Keynes, UK).
· 15:45-16:00 - Discussion

Part 3 Future perspectives
· 16:20-16:40 - Almut Röwekamp, landscape architect at the municipality of The Hague, on green and public space in cauliflower district Nieuw Waldeck.
· 16:40-17:00 - Ronald Buiting, ecologist, on what steps lead to ecological enhancement and improvement of biodiversity in urban green spaces.
· 17:00-17:30 - Discussion
· 17:30 - Bar open

The International New Town Day is organized in cooperation with the Independent School for the City. Address: Delftsestraat 33, third floor, Rotterdam (2-minute walk from Rotterdam CS).

Participation is free but reservations are required!

Get your free ticket here


The International New Town Day
INTI knowledge exchange Platform for new cities around the globe

The International New Town Day (INTD) is the annual one-day event that INTI organizes with the aim to offer to urban strategists, designers, urban professionals and policy makers, from Europe and beyond, a platform for sharing best practices for the improvement of the existing New Towns and the design of future cities.

The first edition in Almere (NL) in 2016 produced a list of ten principles that were accepted by the participants of INTD as the basis for designing, governing and transforming New Towns. We presented it as a concrete and workable alternative to the long-winded New Urban Agenda (by UN/Habitat III). The ten principles were then translated into projects for partnerships between cities and private companies.

Each year, the conference will represent a concrete opportunity to exchange knowledge and innovative solutions for urgent topics with which all New Towns in one way or another are facing.
A different New Town will host the event every year, bringing forward new ideas and inspiration that can be integrated in the international processes of policy-making. In this network of cities, INTI presents itself as the knowledge exchange platform from which all New Towns can benefit.



Young brigades building Nova Gorica (Nova Gorica archive via Topography of Memories)

Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 2021

Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 2020

Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 2018

Milton Keynes, United Kingdom, 2017

Almere, The Netherlands, 2016