22 april 2014, theater Zuidplein Rotterdam

prof. dr. Derk Loorbach R. van Raak, M. Verhagen, M. Lodder

G.J. Peek, M. Meijer

Learning from the Luchtsingel

Who

DRIFT (Dutch Research Institute for Transitions)

• Research Institute Erasmus University

• Research and consultancy societal transitions

• Interdisciplinary and cross sectoral research, education and experimental governance

Hogeschool Rotterdam

• Lectoraat Gebiedsontwikkeling & Transitiemanagement

• Research and education new forms of area development

• Integral approach sectors, life-cycle fases, sustainability and economy

Core messages

• We live in an era of change – Socially, ecologically, economically and institutionally

• The city is the testing ground for transitions – Government and society reinvent themselves

• ‘Luchtsingel’ as urban transition lab – For new type of area development and participation

• ‘Burgerkracht’ requires organizational power – Bottom-up and top-down need each other

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THE TRANSITION PERSPECTIVE

Symptoms of unsustainability

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Transition = regime change

Long-term (one or two generations) fundamental change of structure, culture and practices in a societal (sub)system

– culture: collective set of values, norms, perspectives

(shared orientation), paradigms

– structure: physical infrastructure, economic infrastructure,

institutions, rules, regulations, collective routines

– practices: behavior, operation, implementation

Periodic, non-linear systemic shift common in ecological and socio-

economic systems

Paradigm to analyse and influence complex societal change

Transition levels

Macro-level: landscape Sustainability, ICT, ageing

population, economic crisis

Meso-level: regime

Growth orientation,

planning, specilisation, top-

down

Micro-level: niches innovative ideas, projects,

technologies, niche actors

Based on Geels and Kemp, 2001

Transition phases

predevelopment tipping phase

reconfiguration

stabilisation

Based on Rotmans et al, 2001

Sustainable

Society?

enhanced lock-in

decline

Time

Transitions in (Urban) Area Development

1950-1990 Government driven focused on building production

1990-2010 Governance driven focused on development profits

2010- Participation driven focussed on dealing with temporality

Transitions in governance

1950-1980 Government creates society top-down

1980-2000 Governments facilitates markets and formal participation

2000- Governance with increased civil society initiative

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Rotterdam’s current regime

• Fossile, stoney and large scale – Little diversity, green and small scale

• Blueprints, plans and project development – Planned city made by professionals

• Always changing, rebuilding, destroying and doing – Little vision, reflection, learning and balance

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Vision city development

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Luchtsingel

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Elements

• Pedestrian bridge

• Dakakker

• Parkpompenburg

• Boxingschool

• Hofbogendak

• ‘Accelerating’ developments (‘aanzwengelen’)

• ‘Communication-platform’

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Luchtsingel was elected by cross-section of the citizens

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New ‘burgerpanel’ survey indicates support from citizens of all age groups, educational levels and etnicities

Source: uitslag verkiezingen Stadsinitiatief / analyse COS

Why this research

• Research into impact of all city initiatives

• Learning for policy innovation, area development and next phase Luchtsingel

• Reorienting complex spatial development Central District

How: methods

Combination of methods (triangulation):

• Previous studies/date

• Interviews

• Questionnaires (firms in the area, citizens)

• Documentanalysis – Plans, policy documents

– Media analysis, online blogs and debates

• Expert- & stakeholder session

4 stories + 2 reflections

• Story of gradual area transformation

• Story of city branding and image

• Reflection from the perspective of area development

• Story of civil society initiative on major scale

• Story of doubt and criticism

• Reflection from new governance perspective

Luchtsingel, March 7 2014.

PERSPECTIVE AREA DEVELOPMENT

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Gradual area transformation

• Strong bottom-up development in the area, driven by a vision on long-term value development

• Luchtsingel builds upon, connects and accelerates these developments

• Crucial question whether Luchtsingel sustains and strengthens local scale bottom-up initiative or creates springboard for next phase of a new type of area development

AR

EA D

EVEL

OP

MEN

T

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Source: ZUS

Luchtsingel, March 7 2014.

Question to firms in the area:

How big do you estimate the impacts of the Luchtsingel are on the local economy and real estate prices now and in the coming years? A

REA

DEV

ELO

PM

ENT

Majority of local firms observes and expects impact….

Luchtsingel, March 7 2014.

…in different ways A

REA

DEV

ELO

PM

ENT

Tangible indicators for economic impact and future development:

• Co-investment – Lower than originally proposed

• Spin-offs – Already visible on modest scale

• Expectations turn-over growth local firms – Over 80% expects positive impact on business in area,

40% on own firm.

Luchtsingel, March 7 2014.

Indicators for impact LS A

REA

DEV

ELO

PM

ENT

Luchtsingel, March 7 2014.

expected effect on own firm’s turn-over and/or value

Indicators for impact LS A

REA

DEV

ELO

PM

ENT

Source: DRIFT/online survey local firms

Iconic function?

Broad impact across various media – Traditional and new professional media

– General media (paper, TV, internet)

Various target groups – Urban planning and project development (office space

location)

– Tourism

– Creative industry

Talk of the town

Luchtsingel, March 7 2014.

AR

EA D

EVEL

OP

MEN

T

Awareness in city

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IMPA

CT Citizen panel: do you know

the city initiative of the Luchtsingel?

Source: Burgerpanel gem. R’dam/COS, preliminary results

CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PERSPECTIVE

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Stadsinitiatief: citizen participation on enormous scale

• Adaptive Luchtsingel versus ‘one-shot’ Stadsinitiatief

• Larger scale means more impact? – Emphasis on elections

– Initiative in the public space

– Different phases and scales of participation

• Before and after elections

• City and direct area

CIT

IZEN

PA

RTI

CIP

ATI

ON

Luchtsingel, March 7 2014.

Citizen’s satisfaction with LS

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CIT

IZEN

PA

RTI

CIP

ATI

ON

Question to citizen panel: how satisfied are you with the Stadsinitiatief LS?

Source: Burgerpanel gem. R’dam/COS, preliminary results

Local firms see unique opportunities

Local firms on Stadsinitiatief:

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CIT

IZEN

PA

RTI

CIP

ATI

ON

The approach has resulted in a positive change, which conventional parties could not have realised

The approach is a good way to develop from citizen’s initiatives

Source: DRIFT / online survey local firms

Doubts and criticism

• Very diverse criticisms, both on Stadsinitiatief and Luchtsingel

• Broader debates can be considered form of impact – Well-founded debates and criticisms related to governance and area

development, spending public money

• Extreme expectations and ambitious-realistic plan – Polarising all-or-nothing debate

– Enormuous ‘public participation’ budget, but quite modest ‘public-space’ budget, no iconic budget

• Seemingly toned-down plan because of budget control

• Perception of only ‘elite’ support, at least not true for voters

DO

UB

TS A

ND

CR

ITIC

ISM

Luchtsingel, March 7 2014.

Dissatisfied Rotterdammers voted differently or not…

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DO

UB

TS A

ND

CR

ITIC

ISM

AGREE DISAGREE

“LS has no added value for the city”

Those who voted for LS

Those who did not vote

Those who voted different

Source: Burgerpanel gem. R’dam/COS, preliminary results

REFLECTIONS

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Transition in Urban Area Development

• Move away from a process of city-making to city-being

• Although cities will keep growing in numbers of inhabitants, workers and visitors, most of the real estate is already built

• Development turns into redevelopment as (vacant) supply, such as office-buildings, does not match demand

• Temporary use is key in the redevelopment process of a city district; keeping it alive and altering it’s image

• Temporary use allows start-ups and creative class to A-locations they otherwise could not afford and, as such, supporting their growth A

REA

DEV

ELO

PM

ENT

Lessons from the Luchtsingel

• Investment in urban infrastructure might lead to a dispersal of scarce property development potential, yet it stimulates bottom-up urban development

• Involvement of professional civil-servants is essential for success

• Investments in city-making upfront prevent districts from ‘dying’ during a lengthy redevelopment process

• Investments in public space can be kick-starter of a bottom-up regeneration process, rather than as finally spending some of the development’s profit

AR

EA D

EVEL

OP

MEN

T

Participatory governance?

• Unorthodox approach created breakthrough – Working SMART and based on consensus could not have

• Local government internally divided and confused – Participating, ´gedogen´, facilitating, directing, legitimizing, blocking, …?

• Underestimated potential for learning and experimenting – More a continuous struggle

• Area developing coalition sub-optimal – Low-levels of participation and transparency in the process

• Luchtsingel as experiment demonstrates potential

– But also the need for synergetic top-down and bottom-up forces

Luchtsingel, March 7 2014.

NEW

GO

VER

NA

NC

E

Conclusions

• Luchtsingel exemplifies the dilemmas and possibilities of a new style urban area development

• Luchtsingel connects, strengthens, opens up

• Impact already noticeable, expectations for the future high and ambiguous

• New phase requires broader vision and new style of governance

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Conclusions

• Government struggles with participation if not supporting policy

• Participatory governance requires redefining every role as well as playing multiple roles

• Stadsinitiatief should be complemented by other (smaller scale) innovative instruments

• Rotterdam should more consciously organize and experiment with such spaces as urban transition labs

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Thank you for your attention

Voor meer informatie en publicaties:

loorbach@drift.eur.nl

www.drift.eur.nl

www.ksinetwork.org

www.twitter.com/drk75