In the affluent West, street trade has practically disappeared. Everywhere else, newcomers and old-timers are trying to earn a living within a few square meters.

The jury awards Arna Mačkić (1988) with the Young Maaskant Prize 2017 for her quest for an ‘inclusive architecture’ and new forms of public domain. Mačkić does not design alone, and she also conveys her ideas through writing and public speaking. She is a connecting voice, healing the wounds of the past without brushing away its scars.

Traditionally, urban planning solves problems through cool deduction and a top-down approach. But only a few people still believe that this works. The current generation of architects, urban planners and landscape architects knows that making our urban regions more healthy and vital takes a more collaborative and intelligent approach, argues Tijs van den Boomen.

Where: A58 ––– Wanted: an innovative tree-saving idea ––– Budget: ten million euros ––– Alternative: the axe ––– Exhibited: Dutch Design Week 2015

The capital of Flanders, Belgium and Europe, has ground to a halt in a quagmire of administrative impotence. Of all places it is the heart of Europe that is immune to the logic of progression and this, despite all the misery, makes it a fascinating city.

The book 'Highway x City' examines the future of the Urban Ring Road. By way of introduction, journalist Tijs van den Boomen ‘did the rounds’ and saw more city than highway.

Want to get to know Amsterdam in all its diversity? Forget about the famous ring of canals and tour another ring: highway A10, the ring road that cuts through the city like a knife. Go on Ring Safari!

The Netherlands has always been the land of drawing boards, but too much legislation and the economic downturn have paralysed this top-down planning. What can we learn from shrinking Liverpool and the booming Balkans?

Journalism was not my first calling; I was in my thirties before I realized how much scope this profession offers for exploring the world and telling stories about it.

According to a persistent myth, the Dutch reclaimed their land from the sea. But it could be argued that the Dutch themselves destroyed their country only to rebuild it by means of dikes and pumping plants.

Bratislava makes it easy for the modern tourist: the city has fitted itself out with an up-to-date wardrobe that enables you to date your visit. For example, I was there when T-Mobile coloured the square of the presidential palace pink.

The best way of exploring the Old Rhine is by foot. The vast majority of the route from Katwijk aan Zee to the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal takes you along the towpaths. These paths offer a fascinating glimpse of the jumbled underbelly of this former river.