Knowledge and Learning in Complex Urban Renewal Projects; Towards a Process Design



Learning in urban renewal - PhD project Janneke van Bemmel OTB Delft

However, we are quite a few steps away from a cohesive body of theoretical and empirical work that
focuses on learning in urban renewal. Therefore, several literature themes must be combined to
create a framework suitable for the analysis of learning processes in urban renewal.

This paper is part of a research project that aims at designing a process design for enhancing
learning in the planning phase of urban renewal processes, resulting in an improved quality of
decisions. The main research question of this research project is the following: How can learning - the
development, sharing, application and evaluation of knowledge - in urban renewal networks be
enhanced in the planning phase of urban renewal processes in order to improve the quality (the
extent to which the decisions are based on the knowledge available in the network) of decisions? In
this paper, a first process design for enhancing learning in the early stages of urban renewal is
developed by analysing several theoretical themes. In a later stage of the research project, this
process design will be complemented and refined through case study research and expert panel
testing.

In the next paragraph, the urban renewal policy in the Netherlands is briefly introduced. After
that, the uncertain and knowledge intensive character of urban renewal processes is described. Then,
learning is introduced as an answer to the uncertain and knowledge intensive character of urban
renewal processes. Subsequently, it is explained what a process design is, how a process design can
be developed and what its’ value can be. Then, several theoretical elements are presented with which
a first version of a process design for learning in urban renewal is composed. At the end, conclusions
are presented and the further research phases are introduced.

URBAN RENEWAL IN THE NETHERLANDS

In Dutch national policy documents, urban renewal is defined as physical and social actions in urban
areas focused on improving liveability and safety, promoting sustainable improvement of quality of
dwelling and environment, reinforce cultural qualities and social cohesion, improvement of the
accessibility, augmentation of the quality of the public space or otherwise structural improvement of
the quality of the urban area (Law on Urban Renewal, Wet Stedelijke Vernieuwing, 2000). To finance
the physical aspects, an Investment Budget for Urban Regeneration (Investeringsbudget Stedelijke
Vernieuwing, ISV) has been created. Urban regeneration is primarily a task for municipalities and
other local players such as housing associations and welfare institutions. In order to receive money
from the Investment Budget for Urban Regeneration, these local partners must reach agreement on
the formulation of a development programme and subsequently work together to realize the
implementation of the programme.

This research focuses on physical measures (demolishing, improving, rebuilding dwellings) in
post war neighbourhoods. Most of the pre-war districts in Dutch cities have by now already been
renewed. In many districts built in the post-war period in Dutch cities however, houses no longer
meet our modern standards and social problems such as criminality and joblessness are growing.
These problems concern post-war neighbourhoods that consist predominantly of social housing owned



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