The Open Call Vital Cities and Villages focused on innovators doing research, who, together with local and regional partners, wanted to work on solutions to strengthen the vitality of cities and villages.
Our cities and villages are increasingly forming larger regions with tremendous appeal. This leads to innovation, cross-fertilization and employment, but also to challenges in the areas of living, climate and equality. The cohesion between the various challenges creates complexity, but also offers opportunities for innovation. To inspire applicants, four sub-themes were highlighted in the open call:
- densification;
- accessibility;
- sustainable distribution and city logistics;
- the future of inner cities and village centres.
Read more about the 23 projects that were selected in the first round of the open call here (in Dutch only).
Spatial Design Voucher Scheme
The Netherlands is facing big social challenges which have implications at a local and regional level. In 2021, the Fund provided an incentive with its Spatial Design Voucher Scheme to apply spatial design in tackling these challenges and it encouraged an integral approach.
The challenges the Netherlands faces all need to be given attention. For example, the building of a million houses, the adaptation to a changing climate and the switch to sustainable energy, the change to circular agriculture and the construction of new water storage, nature and recreation facilities.
The handling of these challenges will drastically change our living environment and this is, therefore, partly a design challenge. It is thus important that decentralized government bodies and both public and semi-public organizations, such as municipalities, provinces and housing associations, involve designers in developing new visions. To stimulate this, short-term collaborations between government bodies and designers were supported in 2021 through the Spatial Design Voucher Scheme.
short-term incentive
The Spatial Design Voucher Scheme follows from the second Covid support package for the cultural and creative sector and therefore had a maximum duration of one year. The scheme’s objective was to stimulate new forms of commissioning and to strengthen the position of designers during and after the Covid crisis.
Through eight open calls, decentralized government bodies and both public and semi-public organizations were given the opportunity to engage additional manpower from the field of design for the transition challenges they are facing. Using a voucher, they gave specific assignments to spatial designers. The open calls complemented the big challenges set out in NOVI, the National Strategy on Spatial Planning and the Environment:
- space for climate adaptation and the energy transition;
- sustainable economic growth potential;
- strong and healthy cities and regions;
- the future-proof development of rural areas.
research by design
Designers often apply research by design in these processes. This method or working method is aimed at developing new spatial visions and design proposals for the future. It answers the question of how you can realize co-creation with those involved, such as civilians, entrepreneurs, experts, organizations and government bodies. It helps to focus on the challenges, to clarify them, to consider and connect the interests concerned, to organize support and to initiate new collaborations, creating scope for integral future perspectives and possible problem-solving approaches, but also for new insights into policy-making by government bodies and market participants.
open calls
The Netherlands wants to have cut greenhouse gas emissions by 95%, in addition to being completely circular, by 2050. Both goals have an enormous impact on our energy generation, mobility, transport and production methods. The Open Call Sustainable Economy and Space therefore focused on the spatial consequences of this transition to a new economy.
For example, what is our country’s ideal landscape if we look at energy generation, production and distribution? Can we go back to more regionally oriented production? Does that help to combat large-scale constructions of box-shaped commercial buildings along main roads? And how do companies work together on circular production processes?
To give an idea, the following four sub-themes were singled out:
- the energy, industry, distribution and data puzzle;
- strategies for circular and regional production and reshoring;
- clustering as stepping stone to sustainability and circularity;
- a sustainable national transport network.
Read more about the seven projects that were selected in the first round of the open call here (in Dutch only).
The Open Call Scope for Climate and Energy focused on the spatial consequences of local and regional climate and energy measures. These measures are necessary for climate mitigation and climate adaptation, or, in other words, mitigating climate change and adapting our country to the inevitable change in climate.
We were looking for designers who could work with local and regional partners on energy transition and climate adaptation solutions, and the opportunities for spatial quality that go hand in hand with this. Four sub-themes were highlighted in the open call:
- saving energy, saving the climate;
- energy transition and climate adaptation as district improvers;
- regional energy strategies and linking opportunities for space and climate;
- a climate-proof Netherlands.
Read more about the eighteen projects that were selected in the first round of the open call here (in Dutch only).
The Open Call Future-proof Rural Area focused on the future of our production landscapes. The natural balance of our rural area has become subordinate to yields due to the focus on large-scale production. Water management mainly serves agriculture, the drainage of vulnerable soil leads to increasing subsidence and fertilization causes plant and animal species to disappear. In short, the way we landscape our rural area is a big design challenge that cannot be left untapped. There are opportunities to create living and production areas that reinforce each other and can lead to sustainable models in terms of economy, health and the quality of life.
Four sub-themes play an important role in future-proofing the rural area:
- restoring soil for nature;
- circular agriculture and new forms of production landscapes;
- forest strategy;
- eliminating the contradiction between the city and the rural area.
Read more about the twelve projects that were selected in the first round of the open call here (in Dutch only).
In the second round of the Open Call Vital Cities and Villages, 30 projects were selected. A selection notice will follow later.
In the second round of the Open Call Sustainable Economy and Space twelve projects were selected. A selection notice will follow later.
In the second round of the Open Call Space for Climate and Energy, 11 projects were selected. A selection notice will follow later.
In the second round of the Open Call Future-Proofing Rural Areas, 16 projects were selected. A selection notice will follow later.
activity programmes
To encourage the exchange of knowledge and provide substantive understanding, the voucher scheme also has an activity programme. Within this programme, the Fund, along with experts, publishes essays and organizes a series of lectures and work meetings. Have a look at all the lectures and essays here.
