TU Delft_ Urbanism_ Divya Gunnam_ Atlas, Bergen Op Zoom by Divya G

Divya Gunnam 5099218

Bergen Op Zoom A journey through time

Bergen Op Zoom A Journey Through Time AR1U090 R & D Studio : Analysis and Design of Urban Form TU Delft - Msc Urbanism - Q1 Tutor - Marco Lub Divya Gunnam 5099218 This Atlas is a synthesis of the city of Bergen Op Zoom in the North Brabant province. The city is a modest sized industrial town which is slowly becoming distinctive as a residential city. This atlas attempts to study the origins of the city and the reasons for its evolution over the past several years. It starts with an overview of the city’s historical journey, its identity and attempts to understand this growth within the themes of landscape, morphology, land use and open city. From this research, we get a better look at the city’s characteristics that will be further judged as either potential or limitations for future development. By analysing the trends of city’s growth, multiple future scenarios can be predicted. Firstly, a densified residential town with open borders, that is contextually reflective and historically representative can be envisioned. Secondly, loss of quality of the neighbourhoods can be dealt with by revamping them to act as micro centres for equal opportunities. In the end, it proposes a rough scenario for the future, it looks at all the gravity centres of the city and proposes a framework for the future. This framework helps to reconnect the city with its historical identity while being more aware of its geographical potentialities.

Contents • •

Location Map Origins of Bergen Op Zoom 1. Transformation and Growth of the city 2. Influence on the edges 3. Masterplan - Landscape 4. Growth along the land 5. Growth along the water 6. Landscape Conclusions

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p4 p5 p6 - 7 p8 p9 p10 - 11 p12 - 13 p14

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Evolution of the city 1. Evolution with shifting paradigms 2. Land Use pattern map 3. Districts and social distribution 4. Evolution of Morphology 5. Comparison of Morphology 6. Neighbourhood Analysis 7. Typology Conclusions

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p15 p16 - 17 p18 p19 p20 p21 p22 - 23 p24

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Openness of the city; redefining the identity 1. Sense of Openness 2. Degree of Publicness 3. Potentials and limitations 4. Vision of the city

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p25 p26 - 27 p28 - 29 p30 - 31 p32 - 33

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City Portrait Reflection Bibliography

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Location Map

Bergen Op Zoom

Origins of Bergen Op Zoom Bergen op zoom is one of the oldest dutch towns, was a product of land lord urban politics and planning. The unique landscape had given Bergen Op Zoom ample opportunities in the past as a remarkable natural defensive site and also a prosperous trade town due to its land networks.

Humus on fine sand

Marine clay

Loamless drifting sand

Fine sand

Bergen Op Zoom formed at the confluence of water and land, sandy soils and marine clay with access to water but on a higher ground.

Located at the cross roads of three countries, it enjoyed good connectivity. The city would govern neighbouring villages.

It originated directly bordering on the river schelde, and on unusually high locations, by dutch standards, on the junction of sand and clay soils, a crucial condition in a time when rivers and inlets were not yet contained within dykes and the land was fully exposed to high tides.

Rotterdam

Dordrecht Breda

Bergen Op Zoom

Roosendaal

Antwerp

The city was craved out of Breda and received city rights. By land, it was accessible by all major cities boosting its trade oppurtunities.

Similar to other old towns like Utrecht, Maastricht, this city is situated along major watercourses which for a long time, determined its spatial development. It is flanked by the vast water landscape in front of it and also the Brabantse wal behind giving the impression of a city nested in nature.

It was situated on the crossroads of three different countries; graafschap zeeland, brabant and vlaanderen.

Bergen Op Zoom

Antwerp

Located next to the river schelde, it was between the open sea, Rotterdam port and the port of Antwerpen.

It’s unique geographical position provides good connectivity both via land and water to important harbours and cities like Antwerp, Rotterdam and Breda. This network facilitated trade for centuries making the city prosper.

Evolution of the City

14th - 15th Century Important and international market town 1. Nieuwe fish markt 2. Koren markt 3. Grote markt

This location favoured long distance trade which was essential for urbanisation and prosperity. The town prospered, becoming an international market for fish, pottery and cloth. In this period the town palace, the Markiezenhof was build and the church was enlarged.

16th - 19th Century Garrison and Military town

1. Fort waterschaans

Bergen op Zoom was considered the key city due to its strategic position; higher ground, near the sea. It had a system of robust fortifications and a garrison. It was walled off and became a closed city. Fort waterschaans from that period still remains. From the late 16th century and during the 17th century , the medieval town walls were replaced by bastion systems

19th Century Infrastructural changes - Important trade town

1. Railway station

The vesting was broken down and new harbours and basins were constructed. After the arrival of railroads in the 19th century, the focus shifted from the waterfront to the railway line. The train station, like in most towns, was situated on the opposite side from the water - based infrastructure. Fortifications were dismantled and transformed into boulevards, recreational parks.

20th -21st Century Industrial town, new urban development A new change has determined in the city’s growth in a distinctive way. The train, starting in the 1950’s was gradually replaced by the car and the city development was accessed by a system of roads, preferably linked to the national motorway network. With additional demand due to new industries emerging, polder cities tranforming into new urban developments became common.

Influence on the City’s Edge

Bergen Op Zoom has two highly unique edge conditions. It is flanked by land and water on both sides and the direction of the future growth is highly dependant on these edges’ characteristics. The Brabantse wal is a protected landscape that has prevented the city from growing in that direction.The water edge has been flexible in nature adapting itself to house new developments. Other important pattern is the direction of growth towards other villages. The edges that separate these places are unclear in nature making it difficult to demarcate exactly the extents of the city.

Masterplan - Landscape

City boundary City area Neighbouring Villages Brabantse Wal Agricultural lands Protected Areas Swampy marsh Lake Canal 9

Growth along the Land 3 km

3 km

2 km

1 km

2 km

3 km

1800

1850

1950

Bergen op zoom has a radial development. The factors that determined these are railways. The city started expanding towards the motorway away from the water edge after the introduction of cars. As the city expanded with its changing identity, it started to spread towards the neighbouring villages creating both clear and unclear boundaries. 3 km

3 km

2 km

1 km

2 km

3 km

1975

2000

2019

A new limiting factor around the same period was the protection of valued landscapes like the ‘Brabantse Wal’. The developments were now curtailed in the direction of these areas and the subsequent growth had to be diverted to the north and the south-west. The edges are usually physical or visual boundaries that separate two areas. With the protected area on the east and the need to preserve the water landscape on the west, the city now faces a major challenge about the future growth opportunities.

Land Edge

Part A - Brabantse Wal Edge

Part B - Brabantse Wal Edge

Part C - Halsteren Edge

The land edge on the east of the city is a very strong and a rather forbidding one. The edge is next to the highway which is inaccessible to pedestrians, only passable at a very few points.

There is a green wall all along the highway and this physical element acts as a very clear border. This edge becomes a noise barrier as well as a visual barrier to the motorway.

On the northern side, the city has fragmented edges as the physical walls disappear at a few places creating weak borders, implying that the city can grow more freely in that dircetion.

Section; Part A

Residential Area

Green wall/ Burm Highway Edge

Brabantse Wal

Section; Part B

Green wall/ Burm Highway Edge

Residential Area

Brabantse Wal

Section; Part C

Residential Area

Green wall/ Burm Highway Edge

Halsteren

Growth along the Water The water-edge in Bergen Op Zoom is extremely dynamic in nature. Similar to many coastal dutch towns, the development of the city was influenced highly by the water infrastructure. Since its origin, Bergen Op Zoom relied on the coast line for trade routes, military opportunities and future expansions. Due to the rapid urbanisation that started in the late 20th century, need for expansion was felt. With Brabantse wal on the east curtailing the development, the agricultural lands were drained and new residential areas were created. In 1959, Theodorus harbour was constructed.

A. 1850

As there was always a threat of flooding, the city had an extensive network of drainage canals and dykes creating polder cities. The phenomenon that changed the landscape dramatically was the great flood of 1953.

B. 1950

With the construction of the Schelde Rijn canal, Delta works completed in 1975 transforming the water systems and creating multiple lakes. By 1995, after the establishment of SABIC companies, Bergseplaat and Noordland were construction as residential and industrial areas respectively.

Schelde river Lake Swampy marsh land City boundary today C. 1980

D. 1995

Section A

Binnenschelde

Dykes

Industrial areas

Section B

Residential area

Binnenschelde

Dykes

Retail area

Residential Area

Water Edge

Fort Waterschans

Binnenschelde

The lake edge of Bergen Op Zoom is very dynamic in nature. The once swampy marshland has become a very clearly defined edge today. The dykes at certain places break the visual continuity of the landscape, however the dykes themselves provide an interesting shift from the hard shell of the city. The boundary stretches upto 3 kilometres and it keeps changing which adds an interesting layer to the city. Here, the edge acts as a path that is enticing both the land and water together. The edge also has very clear directional properties. It has the obvious side-from-side differentiation of water and city, and the end-from-end distinction provided by Fort waterschans.

Landscape - Edge Conclusions

The city exhibits a wide variety of characteristics with polders, lakes, canals, agricultural lands, protected areas all around. The physical and visual barriers, however, act as limitations for the city’s future potential. They need to be relooked at to create functional edges.

Bergen op zoom has clear borders on the east where it meets Brabantse Wal and on the west where it is joined by the binnenschelde lake. Even though both are strongly defined edges, the visual connection is very felt in the direction of the water. The motorway acts as a wall between the Brabantse Wal and the city.

The city has no place to physically grow because it is surrounded by villages, protected landscapes and water bodies. Future visions should be cautious about this situation.

Evolution of the city 1990

1990

2000 2005 1980 1970

2010

1970

1990

2005

1980

2000

2005 -

The population of Bergen Op Zoom is increasing at a very slow and steady pace. Due to the constraints in the growth due to the landscape conditions, the city is growing inwards for the past two centuries. Since the city cannot grow outwards anymore, the future densification might happen within the city. Older constructions will be demolished to house new developments and this will affect the way neighbourhoods work and interact with each other. This gives us an oppurtunity to take a relook at the existing neighbourhoods to analyse them and establish parameters for a better system. By reading the existing systems, we can propose and a more suitable plan. The evolution of the city is also determined by the evolution of the grain of the city. The building block has evolved since the medieval times with changing demands and with it transforming the city’s identity. The analysis studies the growth patteerns and paradign shifts of the past to beetter grasp the future trends that might gain potential.

Paradigms; Evolution of the city After the Stagnation Period The city grew along important trade routes and the railways. The spatial configuration is that of branches originating from the city centre and buildings started appearing on either side of these branches. During the war period, almost all construction came to a halt with the exception of military barracks and harbour areas for defence. Post War Urban Development An important paradigm after the war ended in the 1950s is the sudden demand for additional housing. The built up area of Bergen Op Zoom doubled in size during these years by the addition of a belt of working and middle class housing developments around the existing towns. These additions were usually filled in between the highways giving raise to fragmented neighbourhoods. Bergen Op Zoom has mixed income districts with some activity centres that try to tie the whole area together. Introduction of the Car - 1950 A new infrastructural change had a profound impact on these post war developments. With the arrival of the car, street networks were heavily dominated by automobiles and the human scale disappeared. All housing developments are accessed by a system of roads, preferably linked to the national motorway network.

Phases of Development 1000 1100 1200 1300

Modernist movement

1400

Another important shift in the discipline of city planning that redefined the identity of Bergen Op zoom is the beginning of the modernist movement. The movement focused on making manufactured-style housing and surrounding roads that was quick and effective. They were highly repetitive, for instance, like the stamps and wouldn’t lend any character to the development. However, it lacked the ability to maintain the design ideals of this medieval town and instead only focused on the new wave of industrialisation.

1500

Pre - urban phase

Town formation and prolonged prosperity

1600 1700

Stagnation

1800 1900

Revival and expansion

2000

Post WWII growth

Evolution with shifting Paradigms

1800 1800 - 1850 1850 - 1900 1900 - 1945 1945 - 1975 1975 - 1985 1985 - 2005 2005 17

Landuse Pattern map

BOZ Municipality extents BOZ Urban city boundary Cultural centre Business/ Industrial Area Amenities Area Social Centre Area of Comparision

District and Social distribution The organic growth of the city along trade routes have left multiple fragmented districts that are very distinct in their character. New additions were usually filled in between the highways giving raise to fragmented neighbourhoods. The oldest villas and the more recent developments fall in the higher income category, where as the post war developments on an average have the lowest income with the inhabitants working in the industrial sector. Bergen Op Zoom has mixed income districts with some activity centres that try to tie the whole area together.

< 20,000 € 20000 - 25000 € 25000 - 30000 € > 30000 € Industrial area

Evolution of Morphology

Sections of different streets

City centre - <1800

Historical Centre, old town Cultural Identity of Bergen Op Zoom Closed block planning, highly dense Museum showcasing the past

7 mts

Development along train track 1850 - 1990 City spread along the transportation networks. Introduction of Open block. Part of the inner city.

11 mts

Post War Construction 1960 - 1975

High influence of Modernisation. Increased demand for new residential layout. Implementation of stamps.

13 mts

Individual Plots 1930 - 1945

Introduction of private villas for the higher economic sections. Twin houses with larger plot areas.

15 mts

New Development 2005 -

Establishment of new industries, need for increased housing. Polder cities, land reclaimed from the sea.

18 mts

Comparison of Morphology Urban block

Built Form

Parcellation

Roads

Green Network A neighbourhood is highly influenced by the paradigm shifts that occured over centuries. It is very evidnet from the analysis that the residential block has undergone many changes. The old city centre is made up of closed block that are highly dense with dwellings spilling into the courtyards. The block started opening up around 1900s later because the closed block became problematic in terms of sanitation, hygiene and dingy living conditions. Stamp - The block was broken down on the sides and a pattern was creating to let the car in. Block beecame more porous in nature but the streets became highly vehicular. The planning is very uniform and repetitive. The villas in the city are privetly owned large properties that are usually found next to urban green areas. They have well defined boundaries. Recent developments saw repetitive spatial planning again. The network is very rigid in planning and teh block disappears. However, there is a strong emphasis on bringing green into the street networks. It harmonises nature and the urban form.

Neighbourhood Analysis - Gageldonk

High income housing Middle income housing Low income housing

Gageldonk is a district to the east of the city centre. It is a mixed development with an equal distribution of young working class people and people aged abouve 60. More than 60 percent of the buildings in this district are constructed post war between 1950 - 1980. The neighbourhood has 3920 people and 1768 houses. It is considered to be a low income district with an average income of 20,000 € per year compared to the city’s average of 35000 €. It is primarily a residential district with people working in the business centre of Bergen Op Zoom.

Income Distribution

Motorway Primary roads Secondary roads Residential streets

Street Hierarchy As Charles Jencks, a proponent of postmodern architecture critiques, “modernism was unable to produce meaningful and livable public realm, for its failure to come to terms with the city as a historical construction of collective consciousness, and for its inability to communicate with multiple audiences”. The streeets are heavily influenced by car traffic.

Retail area School Residential area Green Network

Land use map

These developments were highly formalistic in nature creating rigid boundaries around them. The neighbourhood has its own school and retail areas which are accessible for all the residents. The green stretch at the centre is mainly accessed only by the higher income housing due to the proximity and organisation.

Neighbourhood Analysis

It is a mixed income neighbourhood with buildings constructed from way back in 1910s. Due to the difference in ideologies of city planning that have evolved over the past century, there are some fundamental differences in spatial organisation and some streets work more efficiently than others. The landscape is often privatised for the high income houses, being treated as a luxury that a right. The low income areas often have accessed to any residential green since more often than not, they are surrounded by cars and garages.

Section A

Low income housing

Motorway

Private Villas

Brabantse Wal

Section B Residential Area

Low income housing

High rise Apartments

Car Parking Area

Motorway

Brabantse Wal

The edge of the city is either built as private properties or new high rise apartments in the recent time. The lower income housing do not any get views because of these barriers. It also disrupts the visual flow of the city and acts as a wall between the city and its surroundings. Changes should come in the policy regarding the heights, orientation of the edge buildings so they can facilitate the transitionary spaces.

Typology - Conclusions

€

€€ € € €

€€ € € €€

€

€ € €

€ €

Mixed income districts are more prevalent in the city, adding a socially diverse character to the city. However, recent developments are very homogenous in nature.

Streeet networks that are predominantly vehicular act as rigid boundaries between blocks. Even though they share the same locality, there are no social activities that bring the whole neighbourhood together. Change in building orientations for visual connections

Infrastructure blocking visual and physical connections

PROPOSAL

Making the edge more porous to connect to the nature

Residential parks accessible to only a few Green networks that connect the whole area

The housing areas are disconnected. The low income areas do not have access to green areas now. The infrastructure all around is very imposing and acts as visual barriers. Visual barriers like apts of 6 floors block all views to Brabantse Wal. Orientation becomes important when trying to maintain visual and physical continuity.

Introducing green and water networks as a part of street systems. Changing into a soft city. Neighbourhoods should be pedestrian friendly. The neighbouhood should be connected with networks that increases the dialogue. Green Network to be equally accessible to every type of housing in the neighbourhood.

Openness of the City; Redefining the identity

Trade Center

Garrison Town

Military Point

Major Port

Industrial Town

Transport Hub/ Junction City

Future

Ecologically Responsive city City of Oppurtunities Historical city

Bergen Op Zoom had many identities over its journey till today. It is now considered an industrial hub and a residential town. With the city becoming more and more insular, it feels disconnected to its surroundings and its history. Since neew industries are coming and new developments are required, the city also has to go through a reidentification. Even though the fortifications are broken down making the city open around 400 years ago, the infrastructure, the digital age and the social hierarchy of the city makes it feel closed off again. The city has to get a new identity that ties that past and the future, the nature and man made together. In this theme, we explore different functions that influence the city’s character and understand the today’s situation at Bergen Op Zoom. By analysing the scope and limitations, a vision is proposed for the future that nudges the growth of the ccity in a sensitive direction.

Cultural

Educational Institutions

Hospitals

Retail and Markets

Parking areas

Residential parks

Sports fields

Urban Parks

Leisure Landscape

Sense of Openness

Dysfunctional Spaces These spaces are technically public, however they are not fit for social interactions. Owing to the city being heavily dependant on cars for travelling, most of the main urban areas have been used for parking which don’t facilitate encounters or interactions. The spaces are designed for public use but lack proper accessibility from all parts of town. These areas neeed to be revamped to be integrated into the city’s fabric.

Education Markets

Time and Ownership

Cultural buildings

Shops, cafes, Cultural Buildings act as public spaces but are privately owned. They are technically open to everyone but can only be accessed at specific times and specific conditions. You have to be a student or teacher to enter the school, be a club memer to use the sports field and pay if you want to sit in the cafe. It is however these exact places that act as main attractors of the city.

Degree of Publicness

Sense of Openness Some places feel more public than others; main streets, parks, city sqaurees are coloued in white and they ceratinly feel open to everyone. Neighbourhood parks, residential streets on the other hand are semi-private in nature. Industrial zones and residential plots are privately owned and hence are closed to the public.

Private Semi Private Public

Distribution of Open spaces around the City

Modified Nolli Map The distinction between private and public, open and not open is very complex and needs more layers. The distribution of these spectrum of spaces look quite uniform on the city scale. It is very evident that the city centre still acts as an important node of publicness. The centre still holds the potential for affecting the city’s openness.

Private

Educational Institutions

Semi Private

Markets

Public

Cultural buildings

Green Network

Neighbouring landscape Lake landscape; Molenplaat Leisure landscape; Brabantse Wal Residential Green Urban parks

GREEN NETWORK There is a hierarchy in accessing the green pockets of Bergen Op Zoom. The traffic green serves as a division between roads. Urban parks, camp sites, Brabantse wal and Molenplaat are some unique landscape features of Bergen Op Zoom. The residential green on the other hand, because of the neighbourhood framework, is only accessible by a few. The city’s potential can be looked at by identifying natural hotspots. These are open to everyone and establish the social spectrum of the poeple in the city. Urban parks, camp sites, Brabantse wal and Molenplaat are some unique landscape features of Bergen Op Zoom. These combined with its significant city centre gives potential for relooking the identity of the city itself. It becomes important to establish connections to acheive higher social interactions.

Potentials; Existing Nodes

Existing gravity centres Natural Nodes

Historical Nodes Natural Nodes Natural Nodes Cultural Nodes Historical CulturalNodes Nodes

Cultural Nodes

Historical Nodes

CONNECTING NODES OF THE CITY

Ecological Corridor

The green natural nodes surround the city on three sides. Urban parks, camp sites, Brabantse wal and Molenplaat are some unique landscape feaCONNECTING OF THE CITY tures of Bergen NODES Op Zoom. If these can be connected through the city centre by establishing ecological corridors, there’s oppurtunity for equal accessibility for every resident. The the green theimportant city on three sites,itBrabantse are someaunique landscape feaAlso, citynatural centrenodes could surround become an partsides. of thisUrban natureparks, walk camp rendering new uses.wal Theand cityMolenplaat centre can become museum for the city tures of Bergenpatterns Op Zoom. and movement can be relooked at. These ECOLOGICAL CORRIDORS can function next to the main access networks but become a distinct If these can be through the city centre by establishing ecological corridors, there’s oppurtunity for equal accessibility for every resident. layer friendly forconnected pedestrians and cyclists. Also, the city centre could become an important part of this nature walk rendering it new uses. The city centre can become a museum for the city and movement patterns can be relooked at. These ECOLOGICAL CORRIDORS can function next to the main access networks but become a distinct layer friendly for pedestrians and cyclists.

The green natural nodes surround the city on three sides. Urban parks, camp sites, Brabantse wal and Molenplaat are some unique landscape features of Bergen Op Zoom. The city centre boasts of valuable historical and cultural value. The city centre becomes a museum in itself that represents the past and the journey of the city. The ECOLOGICAL CORRIDORS, created along the main axes of the city can function as a distinct layer friendly for pedestrians and cyclists.

These important nodes and their connections add another system of networks to that city that coexist along with the tangible systems.

Potentials; New Magnets - Retail areas

RETAIL RETAIL CENTRES CENTRES - RE-ESTABLISHING - RE-ESTABLISHING CONNECTIONS CONNECTIONS

EXISTING EXISTING SITUATION SITUATION

PROPOSED PROPOSED SITUATION SITUATION

The commercial spaces have moved away from the city centre beacuse of the need for car park and deman for larger footprints of land. This resulted in the formation of smaller microcentres for retail spread around the city. These shopping centres are main nodes for the though citizens and due to these theirshopping geographical locations, canareas, evolve Even though Even there there is potential is potential for these for shopping centres centres to become to become mor ethan mor ethan justthey shopping just shopping areas, that isthat is not explored not explored in their inlayered planning. their planning. The malls The malls have ahave concrete a concrete band band around around them them for cark forparks cark parks and further and further sur- surinto multi spaces.

rounded rounded by main by main roads.roads. The human The human component component is completely is completely missing. missing. The areas The areas are located are located next to next green to green corridors corridors so there so there couldcould be anbe attempt an attempt at making at making thosethose barriers barriers more more porous porous to achieve to achieve pedestrain pedestrain mobility. mobility.

By reducing By reducing the amount the amount of carof parking car parking happening happening on theon ground, the ground, we can wefree canup free theup space the space for introducing for introducing Even though there is potential for these shopping centres to that spill over spill activities over activities like cafes like that cafescan thatincrease can increase the possibility the possibility of encounters of encounters in these in these areas.areas. The main The road mainthat road divides divides the green the green pockets pockets from the from retail the areas retail areas can become can become more more permeable for movement for movement making making the conthe conbecome more than just shopping areas, thatpermeable is not explored in their nections nections stronger. stronger.

planning. The malls have a concrete band around them for cark parks and further surrounded by main roads. The human component is completely missing. The areas are located next to green corridors so there could be an attempt at making those barriers more porous to achieve pedestrain mobility.

EXISTING EXISTING SITUATION SITUATION

PROPOSED PROPOSED SITUATION SITUATION

Section

By reducing the amount of car parking on the ground, we can free up the area. This space can be further utilised for introducing spill over activities like cafes that can increase the possibility of encounters in these areas. The main road that divides the green pockets from the retail areas can become more permeable for movement making the connections stronger. The retail centres can then become public plazas and the area outside, multi funtional spaces. Further by linking this to the natural parks around, the space can feel open for everybody.

Existing condition

Proposed condition

Vision

The city centre should become independent of just retail function. Multi function spaces, plazas and galleries to showcase the rich history of Bergen Op Zoom

Making connections over the highway to make this edge more porous. Pedestrians/ cyclists should be able to move freely between the city and Brabantse Wal.

Conduting fares and recreational activities to bring in tourists and boost the functionality of the space.

Open the city to its natural boundaries that is filled with potential

PORTRAIT OF BERGEN OP ZOOM The portrait shows the journey of the city through time. It takes us through the different paradigms that affected the city’s evolution and finally provides a futuristic vision where the land, the water and the nature coexist harmoniously.

Reflection This exercise really helped me understand the crux of a Dutch city. By looking at an entire city and studying it from its origin, I could analyse the different parameters and influences that shape a city. Since Netherlands urbanised gradually and systematically, I am able to identify similar patterns in other cities as well. I feel it is advantageous for us that we learn important aspects of the dutch planning like polder cities in the first quarter itself. We tried to study the city in multiple scales to get a better understanding of the overall fabric. We mapped the city starting from regional scale to neighbourhood scale. By getting a clear understanding of how things were shaped in the past, we can try to anticipate the future needs of the city by closely following the current trends. We had the liberty to choose any interesting idea and work on it. The literature was very helpful in identifying trends of the city. I personally enjoyed the site visits and group. The group discussions and the peer reviews helped me gain additional insights into my work which I’m very thankful for.

Bibliography Theory References Allen, S.1999 Points + Lines: Diagrams and projects for the City Princeton Architectural Press Rutte,R; Abrahamse,J. Atlas of the Dutch urban landscape, A Millennium of spatial development, 2016 C. Rowe F. Koetter. Collage City. Basel, Birkhauser, 1997 Michel Foucault. Des espace autres; Utopias and Heterotopias. Lecture, March 1967 Published by the French journal Architecture/ Mouvement/ Continuite, October 1984 [ Translated from the French by Jay Miskowiec] Kevin Lynch. The image of the city. The MIT press 1960. Charles Waldheim. Landscape as Urbanism: A General Theory, 2016

Web References https://pdokviewer.pdok.nl https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Bergen_op_Zoom https://www.europeanwalledtowns.org/bergen-op-zoom https://www.citypopulation.de https://brabantsewal.nl https://allecijfers.nl/ http://www.topotijdreis.nl

Thank you