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.
The Shopkeeper His main business is not what is written on his business card. The freelance practice itself is his playing field: He is playing shop. He must update accounts every day, the stamps must never be out of stock, and the automation of address data is a key strategic project. In extreme cases, he hardly ever sees a client or customer: he has no time for it. The Representative If you do encounter him, it always goes ‘fan-tas-tic.’ He does not recognize ‘problems’—only ‘challenges.’ Life is a choice, and he engages that choice with both hands. His type talks about ‘we’ when he really means ‘I.’ Interim management is his field of work. The Mother (Can also be a man) The freelance practice is a friendly part-time activity, and it proves that ambitions sometimes go beyond simply caring. Freelancing can be an excellent combination because parents can easily combine it with feeding the family, working on school assignments, organizing ambitious birthday parties, and caring for sick children at home—parents can even let their child have a nice treat for a couple of days. If you are you telling yourself, ‘I could write a blog about this busy work and household in the local advertiser,’ then you have the picture. The Moralist Freelancing offers him an excuse to interfere in everything—without taking responsibility for anything. As a freelancer, he is responsive: recommendations from the past are no guarantee of future results. Indeed, he defends an entirely new direction as if he had never claimed anything else. The moral high presents itself preferably in non-profit organizations, political parties, and the media. The Workaholic Evening work is standard, and at least three times a month, he stays up all night to get the work done. If he goes on vacation, it’s never without a laptop. ‘Busy, busy, busy,’ he shouts before you've had a chance to ask how he is doing. The desk of the deadline junkie bends under piles of work. Actually, he should not even think about cleaning the office and getting rid of these piles upon piles of paper, because behind these piles is a yawning emptiness and the terrifying question: why? The Kick Chaser His type is too restless to be in a regular job. He chases after kicks and wants to meet VIPs, know the latest gossip, and attend important receptions. His freelance practice, along with his slick business card, offers him that opportunity. He is a networker for networking itself, and nobody knows exactly what he does—’something in consultancy’—but at least he is a good conversationalist. The Loafer Actually he is not very interested in his discipline; freelancing is just one way he can earn money he needs for the pleasant things in life. His type is still the closest to the actual origin of the word freelancer: the free lancer who rents himself to make money. He does it to keep his bank account out of the red, not because he enjoys struggling. The Smarty The first time you meet his type, you're instantly impressed by his broad knowledge and enthusiasm. The second time, you desperately want to contribute something to the debate. And the third time, the admiration becomes irritation. Slim is the wiseacre—sure, but really only in rational terms. His emotional intelligence is seriously flawed. The Thousand-Things-Cloth His type does not accrue many engaging projects, because he (in fact, usually it is a she) can be always misguided by clients who call with poorly-paying jobs with yesterday deadlines. He is proud that he performs the impossible, and he hopes to get better jobs in the future out of gratitude. The Unsung Talent Actually, he is an artist—only the world doesn’t know… or maybe, the world just does not agree with his claim. Deep in his heart, he despises his clients because they annoy him with practical concerns and never allow him the space he needs. Some have a rich heritage or a partner on hand, while others are artists who live in poverty. First published in Intermediair