Zevenkamp through our eyes

Architect

20 juni 2015

“Zevenkamp through our eyes: a story of three students and one neighborhood” is an urban transformation project by Except Academy, a learning platform for interns at Except. We developed an inspiration book which tells the story of our journey and experiences while investigating Zevenkamp, the second largest post-war neighborhood in the Netherlands. The purpose of the book is to inspire and share our vision of Zevenkamp’s future. It has practical examples of opportunities for the neighborhood to become flourishing and resilient with the help of its residents and stakeholders.

Part of the challenge is allowing yourself to maintain a wider vision on projects and the people involved, not focusing on details alone, and seeing when and where adaptation is needed. This, of course, is easier said than done, although not impossible.

Maarten Bruinsma

We used the SiD methodology throughout the project to analyze on a systemic level. It helped us understand the root causes of the challenges and identify which solutions help to tackle those issues and provide new opportunities for the neighborhood. Our solutions use resources already present in the community and emphasize its unique and positive qualities.

Zevenkamp is a mono-functional neighborhood organized around a small center - many of its social challenges were due to the way it had been designed and built. This situation means that creating social bonds is challenging and leads to a slow and steady deterioration of the living environment. The challenges we are facing in Zevenkamp are not unique and can be seen in many other neighborhoods/cities worldwide.

With this book we wanted to tell a story; a story about all of us and our everyday life. We believe we all have a common dreams that connect us. We wanted to inspire stakeholders, make them see that they can be the change, that they have the power to change in their hands and that change for the better can be achieved in a simple way.

Sylvie Herzet

To start transforming Zevenkamp into a flourishing and resilient neighborhood, we need to start from the basics: the built environment and public space. Our aim is not only to intervene in the public space by adding functions and making the built environment more appealing but to lay the foundation for social encounters and stimulate the economy in the neighborhood, offering its residents a possibility to grow together with their environment.

The solutions we propose are meant to connect people, enable them to communicate and collaborate in order to build common trust and happiness, while taking care of their neighborhood and creating a flourishing environment.

Antonia Sore

The project “Zevenkamp through our eyes” serves not only as a comprehensive case study about a very relevant and current urban challenge but also as a platform to start launching new initiatives. Currently, we are talking with several stakeholders and exploring how to begin implementing some of our proposed interventions.

This project got a follow-up. An event was organized with key stakeholders and potential investors to talk about opportunities in Zevenkamp.

by Antonia Sore

Architect

20 juni 2015