Amsterdam is growing, and approximately 60% of its residents have a migration background. It’s important that everyone—regardless of origin, culture, or religion—can connect with each other. Together with VU Amsterdam, we conducted research for the municipality of Amsterdam on how to make neighborhoods in Amsterdam Southeast livable for all residents. Our focus was to identify where people meet each other.
Amsterdam Zuidoost (Southeast) is characterized by its great diversity of cultures. In the areas Venserpolder and K-buurt, an average of around 80% of residents have a migration background, which is considerably higher than the city average of 60%. The Social Design Foundation commissioned us, together with VU Amsterdam, to investigate these two neighborhoods. Within these neighborhoods, two types of residential buildings were selected: apartment buildings (portiekwoningen) and residential towers (the four K-torens). These housing types illustrate stacked and elevated living in the city – a type of housing that the municipality of Amsterdam, like other Dutch cities, is increasingly using to accommodate the growing population in a densifying city.
We conducted surveys and interviews among residents to determine how they experience their own living environment. Researchers of VU investigated the sociological issues in the neighborhood, while we focused on spatial interventions needed to improve living conditions. Both Venserpolder and the K-torens potentially have a significant group of “connectors”, which are people that ensure that people feel connected with each other. However, in these two areas their efforts are hampered by the spatial layout.
The theoretical framework
The research builds on the Becoming a Minority (BaM) project (2019–2024) by Professor Maurice Crul and Frans Lelie of VU Amsterdam. They developed the Integration in Diversity (ID) theory, which sheds new light on integration in superdiverse cities. The research builds on the Becoming a Minority (BaM) project (2019–2024) by Professor Maurice Crul and Frans Lelie. They developed the Integration in Diversity (ID) theory, which sheds new light on integration in superdiverse cities. The theory shows that integration is not only about “settling in” (of the newcomer), but also about how all groups meet each other (including native Dutch people) and build relationships. The BaM study shows that the design of buildings and public spaces plays a significant role in this. Social interaction doesn’t happen automatically. An inclusive living environment requires strengthening both the physical space (design and layout) and the social processes (collaboration, shared activities).
ID theory distinguishes several resident groups, depending on their attitudes toward diversity and how they embody it in their daily lives. In this study, we focus on two opposing groups from the theory: ID groups 3 and 7, or the “connectors” (3) and the “disconnecters” (7). A key conclusion is the importance of “connectors.” A neighborhood only feels like home when you feel connected to others. This is partly due to residents who encourage this and actively connect.
Insights of Venserpolder
Each neighborhood faces different challenges, both social and spatial. Venserpolder lacks a human scale in its public spaces. The research shows that people don’t meet in the community gardens or shared community rooms. They meet on their way to the metro, for example. At intersections of busy walking routes, attractive meeting places can be created with simple means.
The main streets between some of the houses are too large, approximately 30 meters wide. Small interventions like benches and greenery won’t solve this problem here. Too wide, empty streets create a feeling of insecurity because the space increases anonymously. Anonymity is mentioned in several interviews as a problem here. Other problems mentioned include drug and alcohol use, noise pollution, and fights. All of which happens outside in communal gardens or on the street.
Respondents are indicating that they do wish to have nice, public spaces with more room to socialize. As said, this requires a different design – but also means an addition of facilities. This will create more traffic on the streets around those places and automatically more social control.
Insights from the K-torens
The public space surrounding the towers has lots of activity and there are more meeting places. There are short walking routes to the lively shopping center with good amenities, to the metro, to the market, and to social gathering places like the community center or the mosque.
In this area the shared indoor spaces are the problem, as their design hinder social interaction. The large communal hall, which provides access to the eight surrounding apartments on each floor, feels bare and cold. It’s primarily a large, empty space that you have to cross to get from the elevator to your apartment. The hallways on the upper floors are also bare, and there are no windows from the apartments into this space, resulting in little visibility and social control. Despite the spacious layout and the balcony with a view of the city, it’s not a place that invites you to chat with your neighbors.
While some anonymous outdoor spaces in the Venserpolder are dominated by people with alcohol or drug addiction and by the homeless, this is increasingly happening in the shared indoor spaces in a number of the K-towers. The stairwell is often littered with feces, and residents experience nuisance caused by drug users and people without homes. This presents significant social challenges.
More info
The results will help the City of Amsterdam improve policy and strengthen social cohesion, particularly in Zuidoost, but it can also be used as an example for other neighborhoods. We are involved in the process of upgrading the indoor areas of the K-torens en the outdoor areas of Venserpolder. We will remain involved throughout the process, together with VU Amsterdam.
