Inclusive urban development demands an honest acknowledgment of our blind spots. Lyongo Juliana advocates for urban planning that genuinely reflects the needs and realities of residents in super-diverse cities. In an interview with Gebiedsontwikkeling.nu, he shares how spatial professionals can create inclusive environments—by engaging deeply with local dynamics and becoming aware of their own biases.
“As a designer, the challenge is to create for everyone while also addressing the needs of specific groups—without those goals conflicting. Unfortunately, much of today’s design and development still stems from a fairly homogeneous perspective, shaped by a white, Western, highly educated narrative. Take a park, for instance: for many spatial professionals, it’s a place for peace and walking. But for many city residents, it’s where you gather with your entire family—a large group, with food, drinks, and music. I’m not saying one use is better than the other, but it’s the designer’s responsibility to make space for both.”
It’s crucial to understand that, as a human being, you carry biases—and that means you can’t automatically assume you know what’s best for others. “When I start a new project, I always visit the site. I take a look and ask myself: what do I see? Do I understand this place? I try not to judge, but to really listen. How many designers today create based on Google Street View and have never even been to the location?”
Creating neighborhoods for everyone
In the Netherlands’ major cities, the percentage of residents born outside the country is high: 60% in Amsterdam and The Hague, 55% in Rotterdam, and 40% in Utrecht, according to CBS (Statistics Netherlands). The question is: to what extent is this reality reflected in our urban developments?
Many developers mention “inclusive” in their policies. For us, inclusivity means being consciously aware of who you’re designing for and how they live. If you don’t understand that, you risk creating places that don’t align with the lived experiences or needs of the people who will actually use them. It’s not about building ‘Moroccan’ or ‘Surinamese’ neighborhoods—most of the residents in these areas have never actually lived in those countries. Just like our food-culture, our living culture has evolved—thanks in large part to non-native communities, especially in the big cities. So be aware, it’s about understanding that a spatial designer—often white and male—is part of a demographic minority in the Randstad, and that this realization matters.”
When you talk about improving existing neighborhoods, it is often said that social additions to an area are too expensive. But we are in one of the richest countries in the world, so let’s see how we can make it happen…
