I.T. and Public Housing: What is Your Total Cost and Maturity?

The NetwiIT Network of professionals at housing corporations organized a very interesting session today at the International Social Housing Conference.  Henk Korevaar the director of the network facilitated and led the  sesstion As a participant and critique I learned quite a bit.   The average I.T. costs for a public housing association in the Netherlands… Read More I.T. and Public Housing: What is Your Total Cost and Maturity?

Getting associations closer to their tenants: an afternoon at Zig’s housing hackathon

The hot sun beams down on the Westergasfabriek complex, still bustling with families, couples and friends, chatting and drinking, taking in the last of this fine afternoon. But these people are missing out on the main attraction here at the Werkkamer, hinted at only by a banner and a flurry of activity at its front… Read More Getting associations closer to their tenants: an afternoon at Zig’s housing hackathon

Design your own floor plan in Sputnik’s Housing Laboratory

Rotterdam-based architecture agency Sputnik has developed Housing Laboratory; a huge temporary installation consisting of white modular walls that can be moved around in order to live experiment with new floor plans. This installation summarises one of the festival’s main themes – diversification. How can we create affordable houses that fits the specific needs of a broad… Read More Design your own floor plan in Sputnik’s Housing Laboratory

Doug Saunders’ 12 Conditions to Immigrant Success

Where do immigrants live? Does their place of residence change as the city evolves? How have the physical, institutional, economic, and political preconditions affected integration? These questions play a central role in the keynote lecture of Doug Saunders during the Opening Event of the ISHF. Article by Merel Pit, ISHF team Neighbourhoods where nobody wants… Read More Doug Saunders’ 12 Conditions to Immigrant Success

Bring In Knowledge From The South To The North!

“Bring in knowledge from the south to the north,” Alfredo Brillembourg shouts on stage, while he presents his Urban Think Tank and several projects on the first day of the International Social Housing Festival in Amsterdam. In line with the topic of diversification, the US-Venezualan, Swiss-based architect delivers a keynote speech on how to achieve diversification… Read More Bring In Knowledge From The South To The North!

Solidarity, social housing, and… swimming pools!

France is a country with a large social housing sector that secures the right to a decent home for millions, its ubiquity, importance and centrality to national debates creating a cultural imagining– not always positive– of French social housing that permeates beyond the bounds of the national. From l’ Union Sociale pour l’ Habitat is… Read More Solidarity, social housing, and… swimming pools!

Segregation in European Social Housing- A Path to Move Forward

The International Social Housing Festival is underway in Amsterdam and is bringing many interesting minds from academia, social housing companies and other think tanks together.  Today we had the opportunity to hear from Martin van Ham who is a professor of Urban Renewal at the University of Delft spoke about segregation and inequality.  He brought… Read More Segregation in European Social Housing- A Path to Move Forward

Immigration and Public Housing: How the Arrival City is Changing

This is a quick summary of one of the first sessions that took place during the International Social Housing Festival in Amsterdam. Doug Saunders-British/Canadian Author The presenter Doug Saunders spoke about the theme of arrival cities. His definition of an arrival city is a place or district where immigrants end up right after immigrating.  … Read More Immigration and Public Housing: How the Arrival City is Changing

Strength from power: Meriam Koekkoek explains energy cooperatives

As something of a bare necessity for a functional and comfortable modern life, energy efficiency and best practice is a cornerstone of the holistic and inclusive social housing models in much of the world. Energy cooperatives let communities take control of their energy production and supply, and maximise efficiency in supply and maintenance. From HIER Opgewekt… Read More Strength from power: Meriam Koekkoek explains energy cooperatives