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bpd MAGAZINE

N O 1 WINTER 2014-2015 MAGAZINE ABOUT AREA DEVELOPMENT IN EUROPE

BPDEUROPE.COM

“WE LEND SIGNIFICANCE TO SPACE”

INNOVATION

THE BLUE BANANA

LONGER LIVES

LIVING ENVIRONMENT

THE FUTURE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF RENOWNED DESIGNER DAAN ROOSEGAARDE

WHY LARGE-SCALE ECONOMIC MODELS DON’T WORK

THREE MAYORS ON THEIR CITIES’ AGEING POPULATIONS

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A NEW HOUSING ESTATE

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bpd MAGAZINE

BPD MAGAZINE 1, YEAR 1 WINTER 2015

BPD Magazine is a publication by BPD Europe, Postbus 15, 3870 DA Hoevelaken. This magazine appears twice a year in four language versions (English, German, French and Dutch) and is distributed among a limited audience of BPD business contacts within Europe.

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE BPD

Marcel Baas, Elizabeth Georges, Caspar van Loo, Hans Weber CONCEPT & CREATION

ZB Communicatie & Media DESIGN & LAYOUT

ZB/Marinka Reuten CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS EDITION

Jaco Boer, Niels Christern, Alex von Finkel, Elizabeth Georges, Mathilde Giard, Kees de Graaf, Karen Jochems, Willem van Leeuwen, Karina Meerman, Ruud Slierings, Guido Spars, Judith Wieringa (translation), Joost Zonneveld PHOTOGRAPHY & ILLUSTRATIONS

Ivo van der Bent, Karin Crona, Nick Dolding, Martin Dijkstra, Remy Jon-Ming, Erik Smits, Tzenko, Alexander Vejnovic, Keith Witmer PRINTING

Roto Smeets GrafiServices, Utrecht BPD Magazine is printed on uncoated woodfree offset paper.

7,500 COPIES IN CIRCULATION

Complete or partial reproduction of articles, photographs or illustrations from BPD Magazine is exclusively permitted after editorial authorisation and must include accurate source references. BPD nor ZB Communicatie & Media may be held liable for layout or printing errors.

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INTRODUCTION

DEVELOPMENT REQUIRES FORESIGHT WALTER DE BOER CEO BPD

We hereby present the voluminous edition of BPD Magazine. Our company created this new international publication to help us share our vision, expertise and experience and to serve as a source of inspiration for our readers.

JEAN-PHILIPPE BOURGADE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD BPD MARIGNAN

FRANZ-JOSEF LICKTEIG CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD BPD IMMOBILIENENTWICKLUNG

The magazine’s title is a reference to Bouwfonds Property Development’s new name. As of this year, our organisation will be known simply as BPD. A new, more international name that better reflects and expresses the ambitions, expertise and convictions that we have in our capacity as a European area developer.

In addition to addressing a wide range of relevant topics, each BPD Magazine will focus on a specific important international or European trend that impacts the real estate sector. This first edition will focus on the ‘ageing population’.

Why? Because the issue is two-fold in Europe: the percentage of seniors in the overall population is increasing and life expectancy is also on the rise.

This development will affect both society and housing. Will residential mobility among the elderly increase or not? We will report what the consequences of the ageing population may be on the European housing market and on residential quality.

We are also curious to find out how an internationally renowned young designer such as Daan Roosegaarde can make a positive contribution to ‘living’ environments. I interviewed Daan and we discussed the dynamic relationships between (public) space, people and technology. To what extent are developers and designers co-dependent in the creation of residential environments?

Bouwfonds has become BPD. That name will be used to increase the visibility of our already strong European brand. We have linked that to our mission, which can be captured in three words: creating living environments. That means that at BPD, we strive to create living residential environments.

Neighbourhoods where nature and urban development go hand in hand in harmony, places that residents are happy to call home, that offer room to breathe, tranquillity and security. This magazine will provide numerous examples of residential environments that meet our ambitions or come very close. Let yourself be inspired.

WALTER DE BOER, CEO BPD

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CONTENT

VISION

INSPIRATION

26 BLANK SPACES Is there still room to look for new uses of public spaces or has every square metre already been spoken for? Walter de Boer (BPD) and Daan Roosegaarde (designer) offer their opinions.

40 COLUMN What characteristics are needed to label an environment ‘living’? According to urban planner Bruno Demetier, it is primarily a matter of interaction between architecture and environment.

47 LIVING IN VATHORST What does a real living environment look like?

Photographer Erik Smits captures everyday life in the Amersfoort’s Vathorst neighbourhood.

80 RECREATION Europeans engage in all sorts of outdoor activities in their spare time. Photographer Lars van den Brink travelled throughout Europe to capture this photographic portrait.

56 FUTURE-PROOF Throughout Europe cities are faced with ageing populations. This creates challenges, but also opens up a wealth of new opportunities.

Three mayors share their points of view.

72 COLUMN Not all senior citizens want to return to the city.

Re-urbanisation is an overrated trend, says urban and regional economist Guido Spars.

BLANK SPACES “The conservative building sector is ready for change.

The time is now.”

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LIFE IN VATHORST Room to breathe and grow. And a healthy start for the children.

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CONTENT

PROJECTS

BACKGROUND

8 THE GREY TSUNAMI Europe is buckling down for the double ageing phenomenon. What will be the impact on the housing market?

42 LARGE-SCALE ISN’T ALWAYS GOOD The Blue Banana and European Sunbelt may be popular among policy makers, but how valuable are these large-scale economic models really for area developers?

19 GREEN LIVING Nature is a principal factor in creating living environments. In fact, it has been cast in the starring role in these three BPD projects in Germany, France and the Netherlands.

88 PROMISING URBAN AREAS There are still European regions that offer promising opportunities for area developers, despite the crisis. The BPD housing market survey outlines the possibilities.

64 AFFORDABLE HOUSING In many European cities, rising prices are driving middle-income families away. In other areas, the quality of life has come under duress, with all the negative consequences that implies.

What’s the solution?

74 A NEW EUROPEAN EXPORT PRODUCT Smart technology opens a myriad of doors to support the ageing population. Europe is the testing ground for innovations that can conquer the globe.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING “The popularity of the city is still growing; prices are continuing to skyrocket.”

PROMISING AREAS Despite the crisis Europe still offers area developers plenty of opportunities

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BACKGROUND / AGEING POPULATION / TEXT JOOST ZONNEVELD / IMAGES REMI JON MING, NICK DOLDING

THE COMPOSITION OF EUROPE’S POPULATION IS CHANGING

GREY TSUNAMI Life expectancy throughout Europe is increasing and the number of senior citizens will continue to rise over the coming decades. Is the housing market ready for the grey tsunami?

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“IT’S DIFFICULT TO SAY WHAT EUROPE WILL ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE IN 45 YEARS”

“MANAGE OUTSIDE OF THE HOME” Walter Schmidt is District Head (or district mayor) of District 3 in Dusseldorf. He works with the district’s senior citizen advisory committee.

“Dusseldorf is a young and expanding city. But we also have a growing number of elderly residents in need of care.

High rents have caused many families with small children to move away to homes with gardens in more rural areas. However, after the age of 55, many people look to return to the inner city to cut down on their commute time.

Others come back after they retire. This group has specific needs and desires, including threshold-free homes and easy access to medical care.

Our district board also puts great emphasis on making new properties wheelchair accessible. Usually, investors file building plans that take the special needs of the elderly into account.

However, renovations of older buildings more commonly require making certain compromises, which might lead to the decision not to install a lift for example.

In Dusseldorf each district has its own advisory committee that is comprised of senior citizens.

The committee was responsible for the erection of a ‘multiple-generation house’ near the university, which consists of a combination of residential units, accommodating a range of generations. It also features a playground with activity equipment for senior citizens. And threshold-free is not limited to the home: we want people to be able to move around freely beyond their own front door as well. That is why public transportation and local amenities should be wheelchair accessible.

We are working hard to make that happen.”

TEXT ALEX VON FINKEL

THE POPULATION COMPOSITION in Europe is changing dramatically. According to figures from the European Union 1, no less than one in three people will be older than 65 in 2060. This increase is mostly due to the fact that a rising number of Europeans have access to good healthcare, maintain healthy lifestyles and have work that is less physically strenuous than in the past.

Furthermore, life expectancy at birth is rising for both men and women, by approximately eight years (to 84 and 89 years old respectively). This means that so-called ‘double ageing’ process will also increase.

This refers to the relative number of elderly over the age of eighty.

It’s difficult to say what Europe will actually look like in 45 years. Predictions tend to be inaccurate. How will the economy develop over the coming decades?

Where will the principal economic hubs be found? Will Europe preserve its key position in terms of the global economy? These are major questions, and the answers are uncertain.

On a smaller scale, the question is whether we will be successful in maintaining a sufficient quality of life in our ever-expanding cities. And whether the next generation will prefer to surround themselves with clean air and a natural rural environment. If mobility from the countryside to the inner city workplaces is improved, this may indeed prove to be the case.

The direction these developments take will have a major impact on the population composition of cities and villages, and on the demand for certain amenities, restaurants, shops.

THE POPULAR CITY

Is there a clearly discernible trend with regard to the places where seniors live? Is the ageing population more prevalent in one country than another? BPD’s research Housing Market in Perspective 2014 2, which

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“EVERY GENERATION HAS ITS OWN PREFERENCES”

addresses developments on the housing markets in the Netherlands, France and Germany clearly shows that rural areas are more subject to an ageing population than the cities. This is in part affected by the expansion of cities.

Urbanization is a global phenomenon; since five years, more people reside in cities than in rural areas. An unprecedented situation. And cities have a particular appeal for younger generations, for those groups that depend on the urban setting for their work and also thrive in the hustle and bustle that city life offers.

In the Netherlands, this is evident in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-The Hague-Utrecht conurbation. For example, the median age of the population of Utrecht is not expected to increase at all over the next ten years. By contrast, substantial portions of the eastern Netherlands will see a shrinking population as younger people move away, more or less leaving the elderly ‘behind’.

Traditionally, the situation in France shows the elderly leaving the cities, choosing to settle instead along the coast. But another trend has also emerged recently. “Older residents tend to flock to small or medium-sized municipalities in the Loire department, close to the health care services of Nantes or Tours”, says Yankel Fijalkow, professor and researcher at the Centre Recherche sur l’Habitat. Together with young families that also prefer the area, seniors have caused a general upgrade of the old neighbourhoods.

According to the results of the Housing Market in

SOURCE

1. The 2012 Ageing Report. Economic and budgetary projections for the EU27 Member States (2010-2060) – European Commission and the Economic Policy Committee 2. Housing Market in Perspective. Germany, France, the Netherlands. BPD, 2014

Sociologist Yankel Fijalkow, professor and researcher with the Centre Recherche sur l’Habitat, in Paris, can see his city change before his very eyes.

“Eighteen percent of the French population is now over 65 years old. That is twice as many people as in 1950, and in 2050 no less than one-third of all of the French population will be over 60.

Senior citizens traditionally move toward the coastal regions when they leave the big city.

These days, however, there is an increase in the number of older residents that move to small or medium-sized municipalities in the Loire department, close to the health care services provided in Nantes or Tours. These seniors, who are actively involved in a variety of clubs and associations, generally prefer to settle in lively areas with plenty of shops.

In collaboration with the young families who have chosen to buy their first homes in these areas, these senior citizens contribute to the upgrading and revitalisation of the old neighbourhoods.

This trend is causing a transformation of tranquil neighbourhoods in medium-sized cities. You

will find organic specialty shops here: pensioners are health conscious. Seniors of 60 and over enjoy travelling by tram, a means of transportation that is more easily accessible for them than the metro or the bus.

Green neighbourhoods, numbering approximately four hundred in France, are also to their liking. A hint for project developers: turn the open areas between flats into common gardens.

The Duflot Act encourages cooperative housing forms, where people work with each other to live and manage medical services together. Cohabitation of different generations is also gaining popularity.

A connection is forged between the elderly who live alone in large apartments and youths who are unable to find proper accommodation in the city.

Flexibility trumps readymade solutions. Because every generation has its own specific preferences!”

TEXT MATHILDE GIARD

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17,2%

BE

17,5% 24,3%

BG

15,2%

27,4%

16,3%

CZ

24,8%

DK

24,6%

2040

11,3% 20,2%

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2010

%

16,6%

FR

25,6%

,0%

% ,6 25

IE

65+ EU

(incl. IS, LI, NO, CH)

17,4%

LV

26,6%

14,8%

16,6%

HU

24,8%

MT

14,9%

RO

12

15,3% 25,0%

SI

27,0%

AT

12,3%

16,5% 25,4%

NL

17,6%

27,5%

SK

27,6%

17,0% 24,1%

FI

25,5%

THE SHARE OF 65 AND OVERS IN THE TOTAL POPULATION OF THE EU WILL SKYROCKET IN YEARS TO COME. THESE ARE THE 2010 FIGURES

20,7%

17,1%

DE

EE

AND THE PROGNOSES FOR 2040.

24,8%

31,7%

18,9%

EL

16,8%

28,1%

13,1%

20,2%

IT

29,8%

16,1%

LT

25,6%

21,3%

CY

LU

22,9%

17,9% 25,1%

18,1%

SE

27,8%

14,0%

13,5%

PL

ES

PT

27,9%

16,4% 24,0%

UK

23,2%

Perspective 2014 survey, there are substantial variations in Germany, both in terms of population growth and the number of households. Particularly the southern federal states and the city states of Berlin and Bremen. The population of the eastern federal states is shrinking.

Large German cities in particular will see a growing population over the next fifteen years, and as a result of the ageing population, so will the number of senior citizens.

Although the expansion over the next decades of the cities in these three countries is largely determined by an increase in the number of youthful residents, the percentage of pensioners will also grow. Seniors who already live in the city are unlikely to leave. In fact: their numbers are rising. “Many senior citizens return to the inner city after they turn 55, or when they retire. Aspects such as medical care and easy accessibility are key to this group”, adds Walter Schmidt, District Mayor of District 3 Dusseldorf, a city with a relatively young population. Moreover, the average age of the existing group of seniors is also increasing: The percentage of seniors, aged 80 or over and still living independently continues to grow. That is a fundamental change compared to the previous generation of seniors, the majority of whom lived in nursing homes.

A HIDDEN MISMATCH

A variety of research into the elderly and their residential wishes suggest that in countries such as Germany, the Netherlands and France, demand among seniors for age-adapted housing is meagre. With ten percent, the demand in France is slightly higher than in Germany and the Netherlands according to the BPD report Housing Markets in Perspective 2014: “In 2013, detached homes will still remain the most popular housing type by far in all three countries.

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“A DEMAND FOR NEW HOUSING OPTIONS” Jan-Hendrik Jessen, Senior Fund Manager with German PATRIZIA AG, recognises a great need for threshold-free housing, shared housing and nursing homes.

“With twenty percent aged 64 and older, only Japan’s population is older than Germany’s. This development, and increasing life expectancy in particular, will have a significant impact on the housing market in the years to come. The growing need for nursing homes and appropriate housing for seniors offers investment opportunities in this market segment.

In the previous year, PATRIZIA analysed its own survey into the investment opportunities for nursing homes and appropriate housing for seniors in Germany.

There is already a national shortage of two million age-adapted homes.

The demographic developments also call for new types of housing. The majority of people want to stay in their own, familiar environments when they grow old.

This is evident in all of the countries in which we operate. In order to meet this demand, flexible housing types are becoming more prominent, including assisted living, shared senior housing and fully integrated

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neighbourhood nursing homes.

Of course, this type of housing also requires specific structural engineering elements. So-called ‘Ambient Assisted Living’ systems will become common practice. These are technical IT-based aids that will make life easier for senior citizens. We believe that complete neighbourhoods specifically designed for senior citizens, modelled after American example are difficult to imagine from our perspective. We feel that the objective should be a balanced mix between young and older residents of a neighbourhood. In that regard, a home without thresholds is not only appealing to seniors, but is also extremely convenient for families with young children, who use buggies and prams.”

TEXT ALEX VON FINKEL

Semi-detached houses are sought after only in the Netherlands, as opposed to loft housing. Of the three countries, the French are most interested in senior care housing, although the numbers are still small.”

However, research by PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency 3 shows that there is currently a substantial mismatch. Many seniors live in houses that are not actually appropriate to their needs, due to aspects such as the presence of stairs that are difficult to navigate for the physically impaired or the lack of access to health care services. The situation is much the same in Germany, according to Jan-Hendrik Jessen, Senior Fund Manager with German real estate investor PATRIZIA AG: “We are already faced with a shortage of two million age-adapted houses for senior citizens.”

MOVING MAY NOT BE AN OPTION

The fact that the elderly remain in their familiar living environments is not always a deliberate choice; sometimes moving to another home simply isn’t an option. According to Friso de Zeeuw, Director of New Markets with BPD, in the Netherlands this is predominantly linked to the generally strong financial position of seniors. It would be financial folly for those who own and have paid off their own houses – and their numbers have risen significantly over the past decades – to buy or rent a new home, as this would cause an increase in the monthly expenses and fiscal burden. De Zeeuw: “A small group of pensioners does choose to move. They usually opt for a quality rental home in a small-scale apartment building in an up-market neighbourhood, preferably in the town or the city where they already live.” But this option is not open to everyone. The value of their own home may have dwindled, and others

SOURCE

3. Ageing and Real Estate, PBL, 2013

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“CELEBRATE LIFE WITHOUT APPOINTING A DESIGNATED DRIVER”

are stuck in subsidised rental homes. For the latter group, a new home almost automatically entails higher monthly expenses, creating a financial gap that cannot be bridged.

Only a small percentage of the elderly have physical impairments that force them to move to a nursing home. The number of senior citizens that will reside in nursing homes is expected to drop further due to the rising cost of healthcare. In short: seniors throughout Europe will continue to live independently longer.

According to a report by the Verwey Jonker Institute 4 that is also what many seniors prefer. However, because the elderly do use healthcare services more often than average, it is key that the healthcare facilities in the neighbourhood are sufficient. And although the number of private initiatives for sourcing care is still limited, interest in this option is growing.

This concerns the elderly setting up networks in their own areas, but also groups of seniors who decide to build their own housing and join forces in sourcing care.

Denmark and Sweden in particular – with the support from the government and private funding – have seen the effectuation of dozens of such projects.

Hans Adriani, council member for new town Nieuwegein, where the impact of the ageing population is substantial, recognises these needs. “We have to bring healthcare to the people.” In France, the Duflot Act (which creates beneficial conditions for joint purchases of real estate) promotes such cooperative housing, says Yankel Fijalkow. He has also identified another trend: cohabitation of different generations. Seniors with large homes are linked to youths who are unable to find appropriate residential accommodation.” Such cohabitation projects are also up and coming in Germany.

3

SOURCE

4. Gemeenschappelijk wonen, Verwey-Jonker Instituut, 2008

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“In Dusseldorf we are building a ‘multiple generation house’ near the university, which will house different generations under one roof”, Walter Schmidt says.

AGE-ADAPTED BUT NOT SIDELINED

Because senior citizens are increasingly required to take charge of their own health care needs, this will result in a qualitative demand. This will be visible in both the social rental sector and the private sector. A prime example is how Habion, a Dutch housing organisation for the elderly that operates nationwide, has come to consider major cities as new markets. “The group of seniors in the city is rising steadily, and the available housing stock is grossly insufficient. Especially now that the elderly continue to live independently for a longer period of time,” the director of the housing corporation states.

Consequently, Habion has launched a number of medium-scale new housing developments in Amsterdam, in collaboration with healthcare institutes. As a result, healthcare will always be nearby, as will amenities such as shops, sports facilities and restaurants. The type of housing in these ‘senior complexes’ have also been given a lot of thought. They look like ‘regular’ apartments, but feature quite some home automation and are built so they can accommodate more intensive health care when that should become necessary. This flexibility also allows the houses to be made available to a variety of other groups in the future. And seniors do not get the sense that they are moving to an ‘in your face’ age-adapted house.

Senior housing units that look like normal apartments, but also meet the requirements for more intensive health care: Antonius Kirsch, location manager with BPD in Stuttgart, can see the demand for such houses increase rapidly. “In and around Stuttgart the situation is much like the rest of the country: there is a rising demand for housing in the city centre. Increasingly,

“A ROADMAP FOR MAKING SMART COMBINATIONS”

that demand originates from seniors.” The higher demand for supported housing, where residents can continue to live when their healthcare needs become more profound, is even greater. People are much more candid about their physical abilities and think ahead to find solutions for when they can no longer manage on their own”, Kirsch states. The current generation of senior citizens does not consider such housing as ‘a preface to death’, but as the perfect homes to accommodate the many active years that still lie ahead. A future that does not necessarily include a car, Kirsch knows: “Seniors want to celebrate life without needing a designated driver. We have seen demand for reserved parking spaces drop.”

THE NEED FOR PURPOSE

The projects referred to here reflect the mindset of the new generation of senior citizens. Today’s elderly consider retirement the start of a new chapter in their lives, not as the end of the book. They want to enjoy themselves as long as possible, continue to evolve, travel, play a significant role in society and certainly want to avoid being dismissed as old and obsolete. Added to this is that over the past decades seniors, particularly in West European countries, have become more affluent than their parents ever were.

“If commercial parties, housing corporations, healthcare providers and groups of independent private parties join forces to develop more (small-scale) residential complexes with tailored services and healthcare facilities, it would certainly constitute a opportunity for the market”, says Friso de Zeeuw. And not just with respect to the well-to-do aged 65 and older. Specifically the group for whom moving house currently offers little financial advantage might be persuaded if the benefits in other areas outweigh these financial arguments. For example, many seniors are afraid of loneliness. They would like to help one another and have a genuine sense of purpose in their lives. Shared housing could satisfy these needs. At

Hans Adriani is a council member in Nieuwegein and manages the housing and care portfolio in the Utrecht city region. The impact of the ageing population is substantial in a new town such as Nieuwegein.

“The composition of our population is extremely consistent. In 1982 young families flocked to our town, and they are still here today. That means that we will all grow older and require increased healthcare services more or less at the same time.

Our perspective of the policy on the ageing population is based on three mainstays. First, we want to build houses – part new, part renovation – that will allow residents to live comfortably and receive care. Regional collaboration is key in that respect, because we know that the ageing cycle is not uniform. The new houses will cause a shift forward on the housing market.

And research shows that many first-time buyers would prefer to stay in Nieuwegein.

The second mainstay is a new social infrastructure in neighbourhoods and districts. Now that nursing homes are closing down

and elderly care is often extramural, we have to make sure that we bring care to the home.

The third mainstay is accessible public spaces.

People have to be able to manage in and around their homes, which means that the environment should accommodate older residents by offering features such as walker accessible sidewalks.

We want to create these types of housing in the near future. That requires transparent collaboration between housing corporations, healthcare institutes, healthcare centres and municipalities. Our municipal duties will increase significantly, as will our resources. The result is opportunities: we will be handed a roadmap that will allow us to make smart combinations.”

TEXT NIELS CHRISTERN

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“THE ELDERLY USED TO BE A LIABILITY, NOW THEY ARE AN ECONOMIC FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH”

present, shared housing for the elderly in the Netherlands and most other European countries, with the exception of Scandinavia, is scarce. Most noteworthy are those shared housing initiatives that also suggest a fundamental or cultural link. Ethnic housing groups for the elderly of Chinese or Turkish origin for example, or for people with the same sexual orientation or with shared artistic backgrounds.

Private building initiatives by groups of seniors are on the rise. These most certainly include social cohesion and joint sourcing of healthcare services. However, these groups are often very small. Apparently, seniors value their freedom and age alone is insufficient grounds for opting to live in shared housing. Compared to the United States where retirement communities are immensely popular, seniors in Europe stem much more from a tradition where various groups live with and among each other in society. A smaller unit of peers makes it easier to continue to play a significant role in a neighbourhood that is also home to others.

COMBINATIONS CREATE OPPORTUNITIES

Europe’s population will continue to age for decades to come. Seniors have a future that is characterised by extended independence and a higher level of social activity and energy than ever before. And despite the fact that they make their own deliberate choices, they also want a sense of social cohesion. Large-scale senior housing complexes or fully age-adapted communities with a resort-like atmosphere appear to be losing ground to affordable and more modestly scaled housing that maintain a clear link to the surroundings. Seniors seek one another out, but do so in a manner that does not erase the link to the neighbourhood or area. “Self-contained neighbourhoods modelled after American example are difficult to fathom here.

The objective should be a comfortable mix of young and older residents within a single neighbourhood” investor Jan - Hendrik Jessen states. “Make smart combinations, that’s where the opportunities lie”, council member Hans Adriani summarises.

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*

HIGHLIGHTS Europe is facing the so-called double ageing phenomenon: the proportion of elderly in the population composition is growing (there are more senior citizens) and life expectancy is rising (on average, seniors live longer).

• The population of rural areas is ageing more than in the cities.

• Seniors prefer to live independently as long as possible.

• Healthcare and independent housing must be combined more often in the future, in part to maintain the affordability of healthcare.

• Parties looking to tap into the opportunities offered by the ageing population must offer seniors choices and flexibility.

ONLINE bpdeurope.com ec.europa.eu @bpd_nl

PROJECTS/ IMAGES / TEXT KAREN JOCHEMS / IMAGES BPD & CAN STOCK PHOTO

GREEN LIVING How do you integrate nature into the developed environment? Inspiring examples from Germany, France and the Netherlands.

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STELLWERK 60 – COLOGNE

TREES, SHRUBS AND PLAYGROUNDS INSTEAD OF PARKING SPACES AND ROADS Stellwerk 60 has given a former railway maintenance station a new lease on life. The neighbourhood features a wide variety of housing types. The smart layout allows a number of housing units to utilise passive solar energy. The variation in housing types also results in a pleasant mix of residents: families, singles and couples of all ages live here. The car-free planning lends the area a sense of tranquillity. It is a safe place for children to play, and for older residents to walk.

Smart measures such as carpooling, bicycle racks and bicycle basements mean that residents retain their mobility.

PROJECT DETAILS PROJECT: Stellwerk 60 CITY: COLOGNE NUMBER OF HOUSING UNITS: 430 TYPE: owner occupied

and rental units EXTRAORDINARY: car-free living,

passive solar energy system START DEVELOPMENT: 2001

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NIEUW KORTENOORD – WAGENINGEN

A STUNNING CONTRAST: OLD TREES FLANK NEW HOUSES The Nieuw Kortenoord project is arising on a plot that formerly belonged to Wageningen University, the Netherlands’ ‘green’ university.

In keeping with this heritage, the neighbourhood will feature numerous sustainable aspects. New technology will be applied to reduce energy consumption, such as aquifer thermal energy storage, PV cells and solar boiler systems. The green and sustainable character is also reflected in the general planning: the original landscape (with old trees) and the former university buildings have been preserved where possible.

PROJECT DETAILS PROJECT: Nieuw Kortenoord PLAATS: Wageningen NUMBER OF HOUSING UNITS: 1.000 TYPE: single family homes

(social sector, terraced, semi-detached, detached houses) EXTRAORDINARY: sustainable housing, urban water storage START DEVELOPMENT: 2007 START CONSTRUCTION: 2011 COMPLETION: 2012-2020

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CLAIR D’ÉTANG MAGNY-LE-HONGRE

TRADITIONAL COUNTRY LIVING WITH CONTEMPORARY COMFORT New housing, but traditional character – that defines the Clair d’Étang project. This development fits in seamlessly with the existing environment of Magny- Le-Hongre, an area that, dotted with picturesque villages, is the very epitome of the French countryside. This is where Parisians can come to enjoy nature’s peace and quiet, at only a fortyminute drive from the city. Although the houses may be nostalgic in appearance, they contain smart features such as solar boiler systems, PV cells and high-grade window insulation. In every sense, Clair d’Étang brings green living to life.

PROJECT DETAILS PROJECT: Clair d’Étang CITY: Magny-Le-Hongre NUMBER OF HOUSING UNITS: 58 TYPE: detached homes,

large gardens EXTRAORDINARY: energy

efficient (label B), country living COMPLETION: 2013

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“BREAK DOWN THE NUMBER. MAKE IT SMALL, BECAUSE THE SUM OF MANY ASSOCIATIONS EQUALS A HUGE CHANGE” WALTER DE BOER

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DOUBLE INTERVIEW / OUTSPOKEN / TEXT RUUD SLIERINGS / IMAGE IVO VAN DER BENT

The synergy between people, technology and space defines the work of visionary-designer/artist Daan Roosegaarde (35). His ‘interactive landscapes’ respond to the presence and the actions of humans. His designs include the Smart Highway (energy efficient and illuminated highway), Dune (a led-illuminated ‘cornfield’ that lights up and rustles when it senses the presence of a human), Crystal (stones that illuminate when touched), the Sustainable Dance Floor (a floor that generates energy by moving and dancing on it) and the Smog Free Project (a smog filter installation in parks that purifies air).

VISIONARY, DESIGNER AND ARTIST DAAN ROOSEGAARDE

WALTER DE BOER CEO BPD Walter de Boer (56) has been chairman of the board of BPD since 2008, and is responsible for BPD operations in the Netherlands. De Boer is an engineer in urban planning (TU Delft).

In 1991 he joined what was then Bouwfonds as a development manager, and became a member of the executive board a few years later. De Boer is also a member of the executive board of the Rabo Real Estate Group, the parent company of BPD.

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NEW SPACE The word space embodies a sense of freedom, of self-determination. Strangely, those are exactly the two things that have disappeared from the public space: nearly every square metre has been incorporated in some sort of zoning plan. Is it high time to break free from these chains? Walter de Boer (CEO BPD) and Daan Roosegaarde (visionary, designer and artist) discuss their standpoints.

DESIGNER/ARTIST Daan Roosegaarde is a fountain of ideas. But make no mistake, this designer doesn’t have his head in the clouds. Daan is firmly rooted in today’s society. The existing world, our reality is his starting point, from where he proceeds to stretch the possibilities to create new, better ways of living.

In order to do so, he designs applications that bring people, nature and technology together. Walter de Boer is CEO of BPD. It is no accident that he is the man who wants to arrange his organisation in such a manner that thinking in terms of ‘living environments’ is more than a precondition, it is second nature.

FROM ‘EXPERIENCE’ TO ‘SIGNIFICANCE’

De Boer: “Urban society is becoming more dense, people are literally living closer together. We need to find solutions to spearhead these issues, and we need designers to help us do that.”

Roosegaarde: “Over the decades, the

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world of creation and the world of design drifted apart. Technological advances, but also a change in perspective, are leading those worlds to carefully engage in conversation again.” De Boer: “That is a prerequisite to creating new forms of cohabitation. To move forward from the ‘experiences’ that we have been inundated with for a long time, to true ‘significance’.” Roosegaarde: “Nanotechnology, 3D-printing: there is a wealth of amazing innovations ahead. Until now, technology was mostly used to reduce production costs. Now we’ll be using it to make diversity possible. I’ve been talking to a Chinese builder who can print a house for 3,500 euro. The houses are made of biodegradable materials, so when you’re ready for something new, you can run your house through the shredder, recycle it and start over.” This careful renewed acquaintance is the start of a connection between two different worlds. De Boer: “Making that connection possible; that is

what’s important. A connection between ideas and effectuation. Between hard and soft. Between people and companies.” Roosegaarde: “But I do think that innovation in this sector always comes from outside.” De Boer: “You’re right, it usually does. My goal is to create a situation where the area is not finished, where you haven’t planned every single square centimetre, but where you let some aspects run their course.

That’s extremely difficult in the Netherlands, we want everything to have a purpose, a label.

But take Berlin for example, it illustrates the approach perfectly. Of course I understand that in this city, which can accommodate 4.5 million but houses only 3.7 million people, loosening your grip is a much less daunting task.

Nevertheless, I think it’s a road we should choose to take more often in other cities as well.” Roosegaarde: “That would really create a living environment.”

Roosegaarde: “When you loosen the reigns, those ‘venture areas’ generate new things that would otherwise remain impossible.” De Boer: “We call that organic development, because it is still development, and there will always be regulations and legislation that you must abide by.

Brasilia is a great example, the only effectuated utopia. The Brazilian capital was founded on space and infrastructure, not on the zoning plan. That’s difficult to realise in Europe, especially in the Netherlands. Everything here is carefully cultivated. Look what happens when we forget to zone a stretch of land between Almere

and Lelystad: it becomes a gorgeous and valuable natural environment. That’s how it works.” Roosegaarde: “That’s not a very pretty picture you’ve just painted: it’s only the odd mistake that allows us to lose control.” De Boer: “That’s true most of the time. At least, that’s how it is for the time being.”

Nevertheless, both De Boer and Roosegaarde feel that change is in the air. Roosegaarde: “The old world is disintegrating! Everyone is much more open to try new things. Why else would a construction company like Heijmans invest a few million in the

“MAKING THE CONNECTION POSSIBLE, BETWEEN IDEAS AND EFFECTUATION, PEOPLE AND COMPANIES” WALTER DE BOER

development of a Smart Highway?

That’s definitely more than a PR stunt.

They are serious about innovation, in a practical way. The conservative construction sector is ready for change. The time is right.” De Boer: “The problem is that the construction sector is so fragmented: in the Netherlands, but even more so in France and Germany. There are countless specialties, each of which is responsible for a specific link in the process chain. And the structure of our economy means that many parties, including the government, want to maintain cash cows like cars and houses. That’s what’s stonewalling major breakthroughs. The great thing about your approach is that you’re not aiming for major creation, but for feasibility. You associate, combine ideas and bring companies together.

You forge connections, or rather: you challenge people to forge connections.

Indeed, the Smart Highway illustrates that perfectly.”

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“NANOTECHNOLOGY, 3D-PRINTING...

THERE ARE AMAZING THINGS AHEAD” DAAN ROOSEGAARDE

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x x x

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“WE MUST LEND SIGNIFICANCE TO SPACE” x x x

WALTER DE BOER

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“THE AGEING POPULATION IS CAUSING US TO LIVE CLOSER TOGETHER” WALTER DE BOER

Bringing these two worlds together can lead to something beautiful, both men agree. Roosegaarde: “One of the reasons that the construction sector is finally receptive to a different perspective and change, is the crisis. Love and desperation have always been a good match. But so what? Just consider the Dutch windmill village of Kinderdijk.

Today, it is considered a cultural heritage site, a major tourist attraction, but it was originally built like it was due to a capacity problem. That is why the windmills are lined up as prettily as they are. We might be building Kinderdijk 2.0 and not even know it. A landscape, maybe a digital layer over our analogous world; a self-subsistent way of dealing with food and health? I don’t have a clue. The fact is that we are successful in bringing together worlds that are capable of innovation, that can create something beautiful. Something that may be considered pure poetry in 200 years, just like the windmills of Kinderdijk are today.”

THEORY AND PRACTICE?

De Boer: “The essence is that you shouldn’t want to do everything all at once, you need to take things step by step. That will give you panache, it appeals to the imagination. In the quest for Kinderdijk 2.0, or for ‘living environments’, developers and designers can be extremely valuable to one another.

Daan’s ideas are slowly gaining ground in our organisation. Or rather: his way of

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thinking is. We don’t want to continue to complete residential neighbourhoods the same way we always have. We want foster innovation.” Roosegaarde: “You have to make way for soft capital.

There is already plenty of hard capital in construction.” De Boer: “Exactly. In the end we have to make sure it’s not just a way of thinking, but we have to put it into practice as well.”

HYBRID METHODS

Roosegaarde is slightly cautious, however: “My fear is that the housing market will recover, and everyone will automatically snap back to their old routine.” De Boer: “I don’t think that will happen. It won’t happen to us, I’m sure of that. We have anchored the conceptual approach in our chain of best practices, with a strong capacity for organisation and effectuation.

It’s policy, there’s no turning back.”

Roosegaarde: “You have to be capable of hybrid operation.” De Boer: “We do.

And in certain segments, that’s more difficult. Take conversions; those often involve a lot of steel and concrete, so it tends to be about steel and concrete, instead of about innovation and connection. There’s a world to be won there. We want to forge those connections, but we haven’t accomplished that yet, not by far.” Roosegaarde: “There’s not much I can do in terms of execution. I don’t’ know anything about construction, and I don’t want to. But

I do have thoughts on construction. Not one, but more like twenty.”

FIGHTING THE BATTLES

According to Roosegaarde the current tender system is another ‘bump in the road’: “That system doesn’t work when you want to innovate, because ‘the new’ can’t be compared to anything else.

The tender process in its present form blocks innovation, because it delimits the exception. It is based on comparability, but of course new inventions can’t be compared to each other. Can you think of a solution to that problem?” De Boer: “Architect Aldo van Eyck once taught me: Break down the number. In other words: make it small, because the sum of many associations equals a major change. So make it small: take it step by step. Wim Pijbes, the director of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam also had to fight a lot of small battles to win the war and finally claim a major victory. Essentially, the same applies to France and Germany: by their very nature, densely urbanised and populated areas incorporate countless opposing interests.”

FORCED GROUP BEHAVIOUR

De Boer: “There’s something else that it is becoming an increasingly important factor in densely populated areas: forced group behaviour. In Singapore, for instance: you’re welcome to come live there, but you have to speak Malay within a year. They come to mutual

agreements and set high demands.”

Roosegaarde: “I’ve travelled there quite often, but I absolutely wouldn’t want to live there. That imposed lifestyle depresses me.” De Boer: “I agree that it makes you wonder whether that way of life could ever lead to a living environment. And yet, there are masses of people who feel extremely happy there.”

Roosegaarde: “I know, but I don’t want to live in a machine.”

THE AGEING POPULATION AS AN OPPORTUNITY

There are also factors that can have a positive impact on living environments.

De Boer: “Trends such as the ageing population mean that we will literally live closer together. Our paths will cross more often, whether we like it or not.”

Roosegaarde: “That’s what makes the public space so important.” De Boer:

“Not just the public space, but the overall picture. Which means it’s more about building cities than it is about building houses. By the way, the impact of the ageing population in the Netherlands and the large urban areas in Western Europe is quite limited. Here, everything is nearby: healthcare, amenities, everything. The real problem lies in the former DDR or the French countryside: there are no facilities there, everyone is moving away to the city.” Roosegaarde: “Maybe you can use technology to bridge that gap as well. To monitor from a distance, for instance, but also to extend the period in which you can remain independent. Just an example: I’m currently developing a vitamin sticker. You wear it on your skin, and it detects whether your vitamin A, B, C, D levels are sufficient.

And when you go to the store, we can make those items that contain the vita-

mins that you are lacking light up. That kind of technology can help the elderly stay active longer.”

“That is why I’m so excited about the fact that you connect with designers for the planning and effectuation of living environments. It may also be a practical choice, but it proves that you have guts and vision.” De Boer: “I call that purpose, lending significance to space. We need this to pull us out of the world of endless specialties, and find a way to unify us.

We’re realising now: wow, there’s much more quality, much more added value in cohesion.” Roosegaarde: “And as you move along during a long-term project, you will see that the insight into the benefits of that cohesion will also grow.

You have to get used to each other, have to learn to loosen your grip on your own part of the process and open your mind to new ideas. The crux isn’t knowledge,

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“TODAY KINDERDIJK IS A CULTURAL HERITAGE SITE, BUT IT ORIGINATED FROM A CAPACITY PROBLEM” DAAN ROOSEGAARDE

but discovery. Once you have achieved that kind of relationship, you can truly share. And shape that sharing.”

ALWAYS RAISE THE BAR BY

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HIGHLIGHTS

ONE CENTIMETRE

De Boer: “So we have to break down the number, in the broadest sense.

Arrange the organisation in such a manner that there are no more barriers between the specialties, that we give room to association, interaction. Allow for discussion, tear away from protocol.

You need an almost obsessive attitude to get that done, but in the end it’s a matter of leading by example. The construction sector is so thoroughly conservative, we have to break down the number.”

Roosegaarde: “Which means you have to allow for unexpected ideas. That longing for innovation is what I look for in every assignment, every relationship my studio enters into with companies and government bodies. That is our ambition.

Our starting point is totally unique and unprecedented, but our final objective is to raise the bar by one centimetre. Take a simple frying pan: that will set you back about 10 euro. It’s non-stick, because of a compound that was once a super high-tech NASA innovation. But today, it’s standard issue. We have to find that same impact for the creation of living environments. Just imagine what will happen if we are successful in raising the bar by one centimetre. It will change our world profoundly.”

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The worlds of design and creation need each other to create new forms of society and cohabitation.

• Connecting both worlds is key to creating real living environments.

• Organic development yields innovative forms. But we need to apply the approach more often.

• The big picture is important: encourage cohesion between disciplines, cross borders.

• Change starts with the ambition to do things differently and do them better. The construction sector is aware of the theory, now is the time to turn ideas into action.

ONLINE bpdeurope.com studioroosegaarde.net @bpd_nl @SRoosegaarde

PROJECTS DAAN ROOSEGAARDE

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1 DUNE

2 SMART HIGHWAY

3 SMOG FREE PROJECT

4 MARBLES

This project consists of a series of hybrid landscapes of nature and technology in various global locations. The rods light up in reaction to sound and motion. (Sydney, Australia; Rotterdam, the Netherlands)

Interaction is central to the living environments of Daan Roosegaarde.

Here priority lanes to charge electric cars.

The largest smog vacuum cleaner in the world uses ion technology. The result: clean air in the chaos of the inner city. (Beijing, China)

These large, illuminated ‘marbles’ react to people in their direct vicinity through sound, light and colour.

(Almere, the Netherlands)

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ILLUSTRATIE KEITH WITMER

CV Bruno Dumetier is head architect and urban planner. In 1981 he launched his own firm, which now employs forty people. He lives and works in Lyon, where he is closely involved in the metamorphosis of the city in a variety of ways.

COLUMN

BRUNO DUMETIER Head architect – urban planner

THE LIVING ENVIRONMENT

WE ARE ALL Europeans, but we have different lifestyles, different attitudes toward housing and about how we approach each other. One expression connects us all: quality of life. But what does that really mean? A green environment, a range of amenities, shops, schools, sports facilities, cultural centres, public transportation, etcetera. Because the living environment should make our daily lives easier. In France, a living environment is associated with living in the inner city, where you can reap all the rewards that the urban dynamic has to offer. The Coeur de Soie project by BPD Marignan, located in Vaulx-en-Velin, a municipality at the eastern edge of Lyon, is such a living environment.

This industrial area was planned in full compliance with the prevailing health theories of the late nineteenth century, in order to improve the living circumstances of the three thousand workers who had moved from the country to come work here in the factory. A garden town with

housing blocks consisting of two to four houses, surrounded by vegetable patches that were meant provide families with healthy food, flats of collective dwellings, with small garden plots in the middle, care homes for unmarried residents, sports fields, shops, a child consultation clinic, a church….

It’s not difficult to imagine just how vibrant and attractive this neighbourhood once was. The new residential estate spans 15,000 m², and was designed to be a park that incorporates buildings (and not the other way around), with a car-free pedestrian square measuring

“URBAN PLANNING AND NATURE GO HAND IN HAND”

10,000 m² and a mix of residential buildings and office units. It will eventually house nearly two thousand new residents and accommodate approximately one thousand professionals. In Coeur de Soie reflects the return of dynamic living areas, where urban planning and nature go hand in hand. We have accomplished the projected objectives for architectural and urban quality, with respect for all standpoints and interests. Every voice was heard during the discussions. Our aim was to prevent a mismatched hotchpotch, and yet avoid falling back into dull repetition. Coeur de Soie proves that a living environment can be created on a limited budget.

I think the perfect equilibrium this project has achieved between high quality demands and economic reality is particularly impressive. The purchase price is among the lowest in the market and despite that, the quality of the architecture, landscaping and environmental measures is outstanding.

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BACKGROUND / INTERVIEW / TEXT JACO BOER / ILLUSTRATION TZENKO

BIG AND POPULAR ISN’T NECESSARILY GOOD They are called Blue Banana or European Sunbelt and are spectacularly popular among policy makers. But how realistic and valuable are these spatial-economic concepts really for area developers? Friso de Zeeuw, Director New Markets at BPD and Professor of Applied Area Development TU Delft, is very sceptical about such politically based models. He prefers to zoom in on the continent’s promising individual regions.

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“THE ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE OF EUROPEAN REGIONS IS HARDLY RELATED TO THEIR LOCATION IN A CORRIDOR”

THE ‘BLUE BANANA’ incorporates economically strong areas such as London, the Dutch conurbation Amsterdam-Utrecht-The Hague-Rotterdam, The Ruhr-area, RhineMain and Milan. This banana-shaped corridor stretches from the West-Midlands in Great Britain to Italian Lombardy, and with its above-average population density and high gross regional product it is considered the economic heart of the continent. It is home to approximately 110 million people and the economic added value effortlessly exceeds two billion euro. A sizeable European megalopolis capable of competing on a global scale, such was the original thought behind labelling this geographic zone.

ECONOMIC ‘BACKBONE’

De term Blue Banana was coined in 1989 by French geographer Roger Brunet of the RECLUS research institute in Montpellier. He considered the urban corridor with its concentration of industry and services the economic ‘backbone’ of Europe. He believed that the origin of this zone could be found in the historic trade routes that interconnected the urban areas within the corridor. For instance, during the Middle Ages Italian city-states such as Venice and Genoa already maintained close ties with Flemish textile cities such as Ghent and Bruges. Subsequent economic and political developments caused other cities and regions to join in and gave the spatial-economic corridor its current banana shape. Brunet’s intentions were clear. He aimed to demonstrate that France had lost its connection to the European economic core. The politics of economic and administrative focus on Paris had failed! The simplicity and strength of the Blue Banana concept took effect: policy makers and advisors quickly picked up on the idea.

Scientists set to work with the model and lobbyists used the corridor to secure government funding in order to ‘correct’ the situation and connect peripheral regions to Europe’s economic heart. Why the banana-shaped zone was launched in blue is still unclear. Some are sure it is a reference to the European

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flag, other associate it with blue-collar workers, who as pillars of the industrial development had an enormous impact on the spatial model.

LITTLE INTERACTION DUE TO PROXIMITY

How valuable is such a spatial-economic concept really for area developers looking for promising regions within Europe? Should they concentrate on the areas within the Blue Banana? Director New Markets at BPD and Professor of Applied Area Development Friso de Zeeuw doesn’t think so. “You should be very careful with sexy concepts like these on such a grand scale. In smaller areas, thinking in terms of economic corridors may be useful. Consider the A2 motorway knowledge-axis in the Netherlands or the Rhine axis. But academic research has shown that the economic performance of European regions is hardly related to their location in a European corridor. The Blue Banana does encompass a number of economic strongholds, such as London, the area around the four major Dutch cities and the German regions Rhine-Ruhr (Cologne/Dusseldorf) en Rhine-Main (the greater Frankfurt area). However, the interaction between those areas, where there is any, is certainly not always based on geographic proximity.”

Furthermore, De Zeeuw feels that certain aspects of the Blue Banana seem dated. The omission of an emerging economy such as Poland bears witness to the fact that the model was created before the fall of the Berlin Wall. “The model also omits Paris and a number of successful regions in the south

of France, such as Toulouse with its thriving aerospace industry and medical. Or Lyon, with its nanotechnology cluster. For housing developers and other investors, these regions with their solid footing in modern industries and high concentrations of people are extremely interesting.” De Zeeuw identifies another remarkable development within Europe that is difficult to reconcile with the Blue Banana concept. “At the southern end of the continent, the position of Northern Italy has been weakened, whereas to the North, a number of Scandinavian urban regions are doing very well.” Among scientists, the disregard for southern European growth regions in the Blue Banana has led to a supplemental concept: the European Sunbelt, or the Golden Banana. This stretches from Valencia and Barcelona in Spain to

Marseille and Nice, through to Genoa in Italy, in an arch around the Mediterranean Sea. With its focus on high-tech sectors, this corridor may eventually take over the position of Europe’s economic backbone from the Blue Banana – although the financial crisis and subsequent economic downturn seem to have dampened the chances of that happening in the near future.

SENIORS FLOCK TO THE COAST

The professor of applied area development is as sceptical of this new spatial-economic concept as he is of the Blue Banana.

“The connection and the interaction between the regions must first be demonstrated, otherwise it’s just a shot in the dark.

Seeing is believing.”

However, excellent external connections in terms of roads, high-speed railways and a sizeable regional airport will certainly contribute to the strength of the region. De Zeeuw is equally unimpressed with the maps created by ESPON, the –EU-subsidised – European detection network for spatial planning that conducts research into regional development. “You sometimes get the impression that ‘distributive European justice’ bears more weight than the actual distribution of power on the continent.” Friso de Zeeuw prefers to zoom in on individual urban regions within Europe, like in the recent BPD survey ‘Housing Markets in Perspective 2014’, which reflects the total balance of housing market developments in Germany, France and the Netherlands. It reveals that the demographic and economic growth regions are dispersed throughout the continent like confetti. In addition to an extensive list of well-known

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“THE BLUE BANANA WAS CONSIDERED THE ECONOMIC ‘BACKBONE’ OF EUROPE”

investment locations, this report also contains a few surprises in BPD’s home countries. For example, in France, in addition to the previously mentioned cities of Lyon and Toulouse, NantesRennes also emerges as a strong region. The area still boasts a flourishing automobile industry and is home companies at the vanguard of the agri-food technology sector.

The area around Bordeaux and substantial regions along the Mediterranean coast – with a leading role for the Côte d’Azur – particularly benefit from the arrival of large numbers of pensioners and affluent second-home owners; these groups boost the local service economy.

SUCCESSFUL SMALL GERMAN CITIES

According to the report, in economically booming Germany the best opportunities for investors are still to be found in a limited number of successful regions such as Hamburg, the RhineRuhr zone with the major cities of Cologne and Dusseldorf and in the Rhine-Main area around Frankfurt. Certain parts of Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg have also proven appealing residential development areas for decades. It is striking that beyond Munich and Stuttgart, smaller cities such as Regensburg, Nuremberg, Augsburg, Heidelberg and Konstanz also offer sound development opportunities. In the north-western federal state of Lower Saxony, the same holds true for the smaller cities of Munster and Osnabruck. And finally, Berlin/ Potsdam. After many years in which the German capital suffered an economic standstill, it has finally seen an opportunity to develop into an economically successful region, with Leipzig and Dresden following in its wake at some distance. De Zeeuw: “This kind of research into individual growth regions will become more important. As European cohesion jerks forward, the differences in strength and potential between the various urban regions will become more poignant than the differences between national states. Moreover, concepts such as the Blue Banana are often politically rooted and are meant to justify certain policy choices. Which is why we will continue to conduct our own research in this field.”

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HIGHLIGHTS The performance of European regions is hardly related to their location in a corridor such as the Blue Banana.

• Demographic and economic growth regions are actually dispersed throughout the continent like confetti.

• Own research often yields better results than trusting large-scale models.

ONLINE bpdeurope.com diercke.com @bpd_nl

INSPIRATION / TEXT KAREN JOCHEMS / IMAGE ERIK SMITS

LIFE IN VATHORST A neighbourhood is much more than a collection of buildings. It is a place where people live, where they feel at home and safe. That is what BPD means by ‘living environments’: areas that bring people, nature and buildings together. Photographer Erik Smits captured this in his photographs of the new Amersfoort city district of Vathorst. BPD is closely involved in the development of this neighbourhood.

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ABOUT VATHORST The Vathorst district belongs to the city of Amersfoort, in central Netherlands, and is growing into a living residential and commercial environment for 30,000 people. In 2014, the neighbourhood counted approximately 11,000 homes, with room for another 2,700. Completion of the district is expected in 2023. BPD is a participant in the consortium that, in collaboration with the municipality of Amersfoort, is responsible for the development of Vathorst.

BPD has currently built 1,525 homes in the area.

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DREAMS Vathorst is a child-friendly new development. The outside space invites playful discovery, but there is also plenty of room to lean back in the grass and daydream or watch the clouds drift by.

ARTISTIC Residents have become so used to the red gates created by the Czech artist Alexandra Kolácková that they hardly even notice them anymore.

They have been absorbed by the living environment.

WATER Ponds, canals, creeks – water is a key element in the area. It creates a natural contrast with the bricks and mortar of the buildings, and offers ample opportunity for recreation and play.

BABYSITTING Vathorst is home to many double income families. Days off work are limited and school holidays are long, so grandparents are often called upon for a day of babysitting, especially during the summer.

OPPORTUNITY Room to breathe and grow. Many residents have deliberately chosen to live in Vathorst to give their children a happy and carefree start in life.

RELAXATION July 2014. Temperatures soar to almost 30 degrees. Those who are off work, flock outdoors. The atmosphere on the streets is laid-back.

A day of swimming, sailing, or, as we see here, fishing.

CONTINUED GROWTH Bricklayers put the finishing touch to the new street called ‘Middellandse Zee’. Vathorst is a lively neighbourhood: far from finished, welcoming new homes and new residents every day.

VIEW The view of Vathorst as you step out from the station. The proximity of public transportation was key to the area’s popularity. Many people have a daily commute to work.

PHOTOGRAPHER Erik Smits (1973) is a Dutch photographer whose clients include Volkskrant Magazine and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

His curiosity for people and what makes them tick leads to images that capture everyday life.

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“THE GOOD NEWS: WE LIVE LONGER”

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THE AGEING POPULATION / INTERVIEW

THE PERSPECTIVE OF THREE MAYORS The percentage of senior citizens in the total population is expected to rise sharply over the coming years. How do municipalities respond?

Three mayors from Germany (Neuss am Rhein), the Netherlands (Heerhugowaard) and France (La Garenne-Colombes) speak out about their expectations and preparations.

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HERBERT NAPP

Herbert Napp was born and raised in the city of Neuss, where he has been mayor for over sixteen years now.

After earning his degree, he returned to lead a law firm there. In addition to mayor, Napp is also chairman of the board of the construction association (Bauverein AG) and of the municipal companies (Stadtwerke Neuss GmbH) of Neuss, and is a member of the traffic committee of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (RGRE).

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A STEP AHEAD OF FUTURE PROBLEMS The German city of Neuss (West of Dusseldorf) has joined forces with its housing corporations to take measures in preparation for the demographic migration, mayor Herbert Napp says.

“FOR GERMANY, the implicattions of the demographic migration are: more seniors, fewer youths and a decline in the overall population. Although these developments may not specifically apply to our city, but we must not underestimate their impact on Neuss. That is why we have already taken precautionary measures. Neuss’ population volume is stable, there is even a slight increase.

We have over 152,000 residents and we want to keep the number somewhere between 150,000 and 160,000, which is what our infrastructure is equipped to handle. If the population falls below a certain threshold this may lead to a high number of vacant properties, which could then result in a downward spiral for the affected districts.

PRECAUTIONS

Although the current group of elderly in Neuss is not very large, we have already taken precautions to make sure our city can meet the needs of this group should it be required to. The housing corporation has created residential communities for senior citizens. These consist of small, independent housing units, each with a private bath and a small kitchen, which are built around a large central living room. There is also a large common

kitchen. Residents can decide whether or not to seek out the company of others.

There are also guest accommodations for visiting children and family members who live far away.

In the current market, both demand for housing and rental prices are on the rise.

Our municipal housing corporation continues to create new housing. We already incorporate such features as obstruction-free floor plans. Seventeen percent of their eight thousand homes are free of obstacles such as steps or thresholds. In the first place because there will be more elderly residents in the future, but also because young families appreciate easy access for their prams as well. Having our own housing corporation, which is nearly a full subsidiary of our municipality, offers us a wealth of freedom. Of course, the corporation must operate in a market-driven manner, but we also feel it has a social obligation – after all, it’s main objective does not concern profit maximisation.

MULTIPLE GENERATIONS

The corporation is currently building a large multiple-generation housing project, which will feature a total of four hundred housing units in a variety of styles: from small apartments suitable for seniors to spacious houses to accommodate large

young families. The project will offer both rental and owner-occupied housing, and will also provide assistance services to interested residents and others.

We have set up a volunteer exchange that has attracted a large number of participants and does a lot of good work for our fellow city residents. We also support a parish project. Seniors and other mobility-impaired citizens can use small-repairs service at a low fee. It also offers a grocery service. Ageing citizens prefer to live in the inner city, with easy access to the available amenities. Many people from the suburbs would also like to move to the city. That is why we are planning to activate more space in the city for new housing developments. In order to prevent the elderly from being forced to move areas where they do not have access to amenities, we charge rental rates that lie below the referential rental prices. A secondary effect is that this limits overall rental inflation as well.

The demographic migration will bring new challenges. We will have to put in even more effort to achieve an obstacle-free public infrastructure. And we have already noticed that the demand for sports and education facilities and city library services is rising, particularly during the day.”

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HAN TER HEEGDE

Han ter Heegde was born in Enschede and earned his masters degree in Public Administration from the University of Twente. From 1994 to 1999 he was a council member in Voorburg and deputy mayor and member of the executive committee for metropolitan Haaglanden.

In 1999 Ter Heegde was appointed mayor of the municipality of Langedijk.

Since 2004, Ter Heegde is mayor of the municipality of Heerhugowaard, a large-scale new housing development with a population of 53,000.

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TEXT WILLEM VAN LEEUWEN / IMAGE MARTIN DIJKSTRA

INNER CITY BUILDING IS THE TREND OF THE FUTURE The ageing population isn’t a problem according to Han ter Heegde, mayor of Heerhugowaard, a place near Amsterdam. Today’s seniors are fitter and more active than the previous generations of retirees ever were. And they often have good pensions. Essentially, the ageing population brings forth opportunities, although it does require tailored solutions in housing and care.

“BECAUSE HEERHUGOWAARD was a large-scale new housing development, the population ageing process here is slightly more profound than in many other Dutch cities. I don’t consider that a problem. It’s a natural process that offers opportunities of its own. In general, the current generation of senior citizens is extremely fit and active. They keep busy. In our city, for example, we have a huge number of volunteers for the local neighbourhood bus. That highlights the current climate, in which the government no longer appropriates funds to support all sorts of initiatives and the working population is decreasing. This is a part of the participation society, which is quite a novel concept here, especially in comparison with Germany.

Our government should improve the way it facilitates informal care. Senior citizens should be able to move in with their children without suffering financial repercussions. It should be easy to place temporary kangaroo housing in a private garden so that parents can live next door to their children. The obstacles that still stand in the way of these developments should be removed as soon as possible.

MULTI-PURPOSE BUILDING

We are pretty much at the vanguard in terms of welfare and healthcare. We have started the campaign ‘That’s perfectly

normal in Heerhugowaard’ to place informal care in the limelight as commonplace.

We are creating neighbourhood teams, agents that act as intermediaries between the demand for and supply of healthcare and assistance. Our goal: to allow people to remain in their own homes for as long as possible, while receiving the care and attention they need. Our energy neutral neighbourhood Stad van de Zon now has a multi-purpose building for services specifically tailored to the needs of ageing residents. More and more ‘old fashioned’ nursing homes are closing their doors, but we are replacing them with residential care combinations, independent apartments with a healthcare component.

ENORMOUS CHALLENGE

In the Netherlands – and Heerhugowaard – we find ourselves in the middle of an important transition period. Municipalities have taken over responsibility for the implementation of the Social Support Act (WMO - Wet Maatschappelijke Ondersteuning), the Act on Exceptional Medical Expenses (AWBZ) and the Participation Act. It’s an enormous challenge to maintain quality levels despite a cutback on resources. The elderly prefer to remain in their own homes for as long as possible.

This is often feasible, because the current generation of seniors is much fitter than their predecessors, and their relatively

high pensions offer them the necessary financial means.

I think this will lead to a third transition: from suburbanisation to urbanisation.

People, and particularly seniors, want to have and keep all the urban amenities close to home. Consider Amsterdam, which was already (re)discovered by pensioners a few years back. The Jordaan, IJburg; these are the new homes to active, relatively affluent retirees who flocked to the city from other areas.

MADE TO MEASURE It isn’t easy to draft an instant policy for such developments and changes. How do we step forward into the future of spatial planning after this crisis and the era of large-scale new developments?

When Heerhugowaard was built, most construction took place outside of the city. The time of enormous master plans and uniform projects is over. These days housing, healthcare and welfare are all made to measure. In this region, the area between Zaandam and Heerhugowaard, we are currently discussing whether future construction – including those plans for senior citizens – should focus on inner cities. That is why I expect that in the next two decades, construction in Heerhugowaard will be concentrated in the inner city. In small swatches, so that we can continue to meet current demands.”

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PHILIPPE JUVIN

Philippe Juvin, who became a council member at the young age of 19, was appointed mayor of La Garenne-Colombes in 2001. He is a professor of medicine and head of the ER at the European Georges-Pompidou hospital in Paris. He is also a member of the European Parliament and political advisor to the UMP. His medium-sized city is valued for its spatial planning, with detached homes, small apartments and tree-lined streets near to the towers of La DĂŠfense.

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TEXT MATHILDE GIARD / IMAGES KARIN CRONA

HEALTHCARE AS A CITY FEATURE Philippe Juvin is a doctor and mayor of La Garenne-Colombes; a municipality with a population of 28,000 in the Hauts-de-Seine department, in the Paris area. His city has two new Ehpads (establishments for caredependent elderly), which were completed in February and April of 2014 and have special departments for patients with Alzheimer’s disease.

“THE GOOD NEWS IS that we live longer. But sometimes old age comes with dependence. Many elderly residents would like to move to collective housing, but frankly, there is no miracle solution. We have to offer a total package: make sure that people can stay in their own homes and yet also have access to specialised support structures.

“For the total renovation of our city, we started with a completely blank slate. Ehpads aren’t disconnected projects that are built in the middle of a cornfield somewhere. They are part of a bigger picture: you’re not building a line of apartment buildings like Lego houses, but you’re building a city, a city with a purpose.

LOCATION IS IMPORTANT

Residence La Tournelle, the Ehpad built by project developer BPD Marignan which was completed in April, is situated in the middle of the Champs Philippe district, which saw a total overhaul over the past six years. It is a part of a group of buildings that

also includes a residential apartment complex. The facades are exactly the same. Visitors can come by tram, there is a stop nearby. The adjacent park is perfect for afternoon strolls. The complex is fifty metres away from a newly built theatre, with which it shares an underground car park – ensuring safe visitor parking.

The isolated locations of most nursing homes is a real problem: patients no longer live with their families and the distance makes the situation all the worse. Placing this project in the city centre is testimony to an overall vision.

There is a primary school next to the Ehpad: perhaps future educational initiatives will bring the senior citizens and the children together.

There is a growing need for adapted structures for dementia in the most general sense. In order to cater to these needs, we have built these two Ehpads – La Garenne in the city centre and La Tournelle – both have special departments of two hundred beds each for Alzheimer patients. That is sufficient for the time being, I believe. We also

have a service flat for the elderly in this municipality.

FINANCING

The departmental administration of Hauts-de-Seine has provided ample support in this process. Financing is difficult for this kind of project. Who will pay for the beds? That question calls for a solution on a national scale, especially when you take into account the fact that the average income of a retired man is € 1,200 per month, and that of a retired woman is € 1,100. That won’t stretch very far. Offering people the choice between moving to a nursing centre or staying in their own homes calls for a new philosophy. It requires sufficient funds. Ehpads are a wonderful initiative but as a doctor I can’t help but wonder: is it acceptable to us that in the long run, every senior citizen will end up in an Ehpad? We have to place our trust in the hands of medical research and hope that eventually we will find treatments for geriatric diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

So that people can grow older and retain their independence.”

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BACKGROUND / INTERVIEW / TEXT KEES DE GRAAF / IMAGE ANP-AFP - YOSHIKAZU TSUNO

AFFORDABLE HOUSING Affordable housing is under threat. In the Netherlands, but also abroad, especially in large cities. Peter Boelhouwer, chairman of Dutch organisation Research for the Built Environment (OTB - Onderzoek voor de gebouwde omgeving), sees rising price levels, with all the consequences that entails.

“Lower and middle income families are being driven out of the city.”

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THE NAKAGIN CAPSULE TOWER IN TOKYO, JAPAN, HAS A TOTAL OF 140 CAPSULES THAT CAN BE USED FOR RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES.

“HOUSES IN PARIS ARE SUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER. APARTMENTS OF THIRTY SQUARE METRES ARE QUITE COMMON THERE.” PETER BOELHOUWER

“AFFORDABILITY IS an issue the world over, reaching as far as Australia”, OTB chairman Peter Boelhouwer points out. “We are a member of the European Network of Housing Research and I have seen many research papers on this topic pass by. The problem is particularly serious in countries without major subsidised rental sectors. But even in those countries that do have a social rental sector it is sometimes difficult for people to find appropriate and affordable housing.”

Southeast England, Paris, Frankfurt, Munich: Boelhouwer effortlessly lists the urban areas that are faced with this problem. “In those areas even the middle incomes are suffering. However, I must say that the differences within the regions can be huge. I was in Cologne a while ago: the inner city is quite expensive, but ten or fifteen kilometres from the city centre prices are much lower.”

AVAILABILITY IS ALSO A FACTOR

Affordability strongly correlates with price levels on the purchase and rental markets, but according to Boelhouwer that is not the only variable that impacts the nature of the housing market. He believes that availability is equally do not have access to those homes, it will get them absolutely nowhere.” To illustrate, Boelhouwer refers to the situation in many German and French cities: “These cities often have a large group of tenants with old, very favourable rental contracts. The homes they live in will become available only when they move away. However, when that does happen, landlords usually to raise the rents significantly at once – which subsequently has a negative effect on affordability. So you see: they are

closely intertwined.” Such nuances aside, Boelhouwer nevertheless asserts that the rental policy is undergoing a liberalisation process nearly everywhere in the western world, including the Netherlands. “Another issue is temporary rental contracts, which is common in Belgium. As a result, tenants may be faced with a major increase in rent after three years.”

At present housing corporations in the Netherlands are charging much higher rental increases than they used to. In recent years the rental policy followed inflation. Boelhouwer feels that the rent increases are threatening the affordability of housing: “There are major differences in that respect, however. In Amsterdam, the average rent of a private rental house has increased to nineteen euro per square metre, elsewhere the rate is approximately twelve euro per square metre.”

The claim of housing on income is subject to rapid increase, especially in these times of economic crisis: “Internationally, a ‘housing ratio’ of thirty percent is maintained as reasonable. Another norm that is becoming generally accepted is that of housing expenses as a percentage of the net disposable household income. The Netherlands rates around the European average, at 34 percent. But that percentage is also increasing here- particularly due to lower rental subsidies, higher current rental rates and dropping incomes due to the economic crisis.”

PROBLEMS RELATED TO LIVEABILITY

The ‘policy’s target group’ – the lower income groups – bears the brunt of this combination of factors, the OTB chairman clarifies: “The total housing ratio –

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“IN MANY EUROPEAN CITIES, LOWER AND MIDDLE INCOMES ARE BEING DRIVEN OUT OF THE CITY”

which is the sum of all housing expenses – already takes up 43 percent of their income, and the percentage is growing. The result: twenty to thirty percent of these households can no longer make ends meet.

Other countries are enduring similar problems.” The role of housing quality should not be underestimated in this respect, according to Boelhouwer. “Houses in Paris, for example, are substantially smaller than here.

Apartments of thirty square metres are perfectly normal. To compensate, many people have second homes in the country – à la campagne. A phenomenon that is also common in many Scandinavian countries.”

THE BROAD NOTION OF HOUSING QUALITY

Size is far from the only factor at play. Housing quality should sometimes be taken literally: “Many subsidised rental homes in England are of a significantly inferior quality compared to those in the Netherlands. Belgium and France also have housing complexes – such as the grands ensembles around Paris – that would be torn down immediately if they were situated in the Netherlands, because their quality levels are far below what is considered acceptable. Those houses may be affordable, but the liveability issues there are of a completely different order. Belgium and France have actual no-go areas; a phenomenon that is alien to us here in the Netherlands.” The objective there is still to achieve a mix of income groups. Although scientific proof for the advantages of ‘mixed income’ populations is still hard to find, Boelhouwer states: “It supposedly has to do with exemplary behaviour and forming social networks, but the proof is feeble. This may lead to the rushed conclusion that mixed income populations are

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pointless: that isn’t fair either. A one-sided concentration of lower income groups is detrimental to property values in certain neighbourhoods. Once a threshold has been crossed, the higher incomes will move away, with all the consequences for liveability that entails.”

LONDON AS AN EXTREME EXAMPLE

When the issue is the impact of unaffordable or unobtainable housing on other social sectors, the labour market quickly comes into particular focus: “In many European countries middle incomes are being driven out of the inner city. London may be the most extreme example: because there is still a green belt around the city, people on tight budgets end up in growth areas such as Milton Keynes. That’s a ninety minute, two hour commute. For nurses and certain other professions that simply becomes unacceptable at some point. Which is why the English have launched special programmes to accommodate these so-called key workers in the city. But that is far from an easy task in a city continues to grow more popular.

That’s when the market kicks in: prices are skyrocketing.” In time, this process will eventually mean that popular inner cities will become the exclusive domain of high incomes and Chinese and Russian property speculators. At the same time, people with less money to spend choose to live together in concentrations at a (greater) distance from the city. A relatively unknown phenomenon in the Netherlands, says Boelhouwer: “Amsterdam may indeed become less affordable for some groups, but that still leaves perfectly good alternatives like Almere, only a thirty-minute train commute away. You might not be living in Amster-

HOUSING MADE WITH SEA CONTAINERS, USED AS STUDENT ACCOMMODATION IN AMERSFOORT, THE NETHERLANDS.

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AFFORDABLE AND SUSTAINABLE LIVING, A CONCEPT DEVELOPED AT THE SPANISH INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED ARCHITECTURE OF CATALONIA. PHOTOS: ADRIÀ GOULA

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“INTERNATIONALLY A ‘HOUSING RATIO’ OF 30% IS GENERALLY CONSIDERED REASONABLE”

dam, but you can still combine housing and work in the urban area.”

LESS LUXURY

When we consider the Dutch situation the question is how we can supply a sufficient volume of affordable housing. Boelhouwer: “For the existing housing stock you could choose to conduct an income survey every five years. People whose incomes have risen to beyond a certain level will either have to leave or pay the market appropriate rent. The increase in rental income that would generate can be used by corporations to develop new affordable housing elsewhere.” Our relatively high demands on housing quality can be lowered somewhat, as the corporations themselves have already agree: “Until now we have only ‘upped the bill’ in that respect, just look at the Building Directive, which is full to the brim with quality requirements – that makes building expensive. New developments will be smaller and will feature less luxury the coming years. Numerous concepts to that end are currently under development, particularly upon the initiative of construction companies.”

Boelhouwer has also noticed an increase in the number of temporary rental contracts: “For students, but also for newcomers on the rental market.” Another solution may be the temporary letting of empty office buildings.

“That is something that the Foundation For Temporary Housing (Stichting Tijdelijk Wonen) in Utrecht in the Netherlands is working hard to realise.”

TIME FOR ACTION

The need for action is not a matter of contention says Boelhouwer: “The dilution of the family is ongoing and labourer migration is still rising. Consequently, the

demand for affordable housing will also continue to increase. Once the economy will start to grow again, demand will shoot up. Which will then lead to a rapid swell of the housing shortage. We are unlikely to be faced with Japanese extremes – where people live in capsules - but we do have to be prepared.”

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HIGHLIGHTS Affordability of housing is an issue all over the world.

In addition to prices, availability is also a factor.

• Liberalisation of the rental policy often leads to rising rental rates and the displacement of low incomes from the inner city.

• Some countries have implemented programmes to keep key workers with low incomes in the inner city.

• Innovative building concepts and new codes are called for in order to continue to meet demand for affordable housing.

ONLINE otb.tudelft.nl epthinktank.eu @ArchTUDelft

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ILLUSTRATIE KEITH WITMER

CV Prof. dr. Guido Spars is an urban and regional economist, with an emphasis on the economics of real estate. He has been a teacher at the university of Wuppertal since 2006 and is a member of several advisory boards, including the current government committee for the reduction of building costs and the BPD Delphi committee in Germany.

COLUMN

RENAISSANCE OF THE CITIES: AN OVERESTIMATED TREND? A GREAT DEAL OF ATTENTION has been lavished recently on the ‘Renaissance of the cities’ and the ‘Return to the city’ in Germany. This re-urbanisation trend has been particularly evident over the past years in the major cities and university cities. This specifically pertains to the younger population aged 18 to 30, looking to further their educations.

If we consider only the twenty five to thirty year-olds, then the reported growth in major German cities in the period from 1999-2008 was approximately 12.5%. On a national level however, this same age category saw a drop of some 5% (DIW 2010) 1. Seniors are often named instrumental to this re-urbanisation. This includes the repeated assertion that the older generation is leaving their ‘empty nest’ in the suburban areas, to subsequently seek out the proximity of socio-cultural and medical infrastructures in the cities. Empirical research reveals that this effect is rather overestimated. For example, over the period from 2000-2010 the migration sum among pensioners in Dusseldorf

was mostly negative. The housing market in Bielefeld reports a negative migration trend for this age category. In 2012 the negative balance among this group amounted to 305 individuals, despite growth figures for the other population groups. Similarly Ludwigshafen, Mainz, Trier and Kaiserslautern in Rhineland-Palts also report negative or neutral migration figures for the 65 and over age group in 2011 (Gewos study on migration from and to the city in Rhineland-Palts, 2011). For the positive migration sums that were determined in Koblenz, Neuwied, Pirmasens and Speyer, the share in that positive result of the senior citizens can hardly be called significant.

The result of a survey among people aged 50 and over who live in the Munich, Aachen and Karlsruhe area did

“NOT ALL SENIORS PREFER LIVING IN THE CITY”

reveal variations in volume among this age category, but “the general re-urbanisation trend is nevertheless rather inconsequential” (Kramer, Pfaffenbach 2011). Of the population of suburban Karlsruhe, none of the respondents was planning to move back to the city. In Munich, this number totalled two (less than 1% of the 273 respondents) and in Aachen, no more than six (2% of the 295 respondents).

Although there are seniors who prefer living in the city, there are also numerous elderly residents who make the traditional move to the suburbs and beyond.

In order to make an accurate estimate of housing mobility, the sum of arrivals and departures is relevant. And often, this is not the positive figure that slogans lead us to believe. That is why, for the purposes of this gradually growing age category, cities will only benefit from a differentiated analysis of the numbers, the migration motives and the housing stock.

1. DIW Berlin – German economic research agency

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BACKGROUND / ESSAY / TEXT KARINA MARCUS

A NEW EUROPEAN EXPORT PRODUCT The ageing of the European population is creating a huge market for innovative products. Director dr. Karina Marcus from the European programme Ambient Assisted Living (AAL), outlines the opportunities that the ageing population offers and defines what she means by ‘growing old happily’.

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the general stage: in 2020 a quarter of our European population will be older than 65.

The baby-boomers with fulltime jobs will become fulltime pensioners. Roughly, over the next fifteen years, the number of people aged 65 to 80 will increase by nearly forty percent.

And between now and 2060, the number of 80-year olds will triple. The current ratio of working individuals to non-working individuals in Europe is four to one. This will gradually shift to two working to every one non-working working citizen. The ageing population puts a certain stress on society, the labour market and healthcare. More people will require care and fewer people will be able to provide the labour and funds that requires. This is a concern for the entire EU. Debates about this demographic change however often emphasise the negative implications: the budgetary issues and lower quality of life for the elderly. The demographic shift also has a positive side.

It offers ample opportunities for social innovation by means of IT. Smart application of technology can relieve the pressure on healthcare providers, will extend the period of independent living for seniors as valuable assets to society and is also a source of opportunities for commercial parties, particularly SMEs. It is important to stress that IT does not just refer to

the internet, because 30 percent of all Europeans have never even been online. The utilisation of mobile telephones and television is also a key component. We have to work toward a society with an infrastructure that allows people to grow old and stay or become active and healthy. We age differently than the generations before us: in large numbers in retirement centres or nursing homes, or cared for by their children or grandchildren. Autonomy is essential. Extended independence is important not only from a financial or workforce standpoint, but it is also what we want. In order to make that possible, self-confidence is important, as are a healthier lifestyle and increased mobility. Technology can play a principal role in that respect, by providing information and by forging and maintaining contact between people. Because the network of caregivers, informal carers, families and healthcare organisations will become more relevant than ever. When the government’s social safety nets are scaled down or even dismantled, we must be able to fall back on the people and organisations around us. Social isolation may well be the most harrowing problem in an ageing society. Loneliness leads to depression, which is associated with a host of physical ailments. Therefore, I believe in a future with local, technologically advanced communities that connect people, where trading services and sharing available resources will become common practice.

“SOCIAL ISOLATION IS ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ISSUES IN AN AGEING SOCIETY”

DIVERSITY

“LET ME START BY SETTING

Europe’s main challenge of course lies in its cultural and infrastructural diversity. With respect to technology, the differences are enormous: in Estonia 98 percent of the population has access to broadband internet. In Romania however, only 44 percent of the population can access internet, and not

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“WE ALL WANT TO LIVE LONGER, BUT NOBODY WANTS TO BE OLD”

necessarily high-speed internet either. In order to have any chance at success on the European scale, this means that projects have to utilise other channels as well, including television and mobile phones. In those situations where Wi-Fi isn’t available, will 4G or 3G or 2G do? Europe’s northern countries are heavy technology users, but solutions that require the very latest in tablets simply won’t fly in other European regions. There is also a difference in learning. In Italy, the trans-generational approach is successful: grandchildren ‘teach’ their grandparents how to use technology.

In the Netherlands and Belgium, people prefer to learn from their peers. Another issue is the particular infrastructure of healthcare in question. Some countries primarily have private initiatives, sometimes due to a lack of national funding. In others, healthcare is a fully government coordinated matter.

Therefore, a single solution for all of Europe is impossible.

That is why AAL looks for projects that involve at least three countries. The great cultural diversity in Europe is exactly why products and services are easy to export to the rest of the world. There is always a country to be found with a similar senior culture and technological infrastructure.

NOT FOR SENIORS

What we definitely shouldn’t do is think of things for the elderly without involving them. The adoption of new ideas is much greater when people are allowed to contribute their own ideas about what will work and what won’t. Moreover, we should also avoid solutions that look like they were specifically devised for the elderly. That will most certainly be rejected by the target group, especially the generation that is up for retirement. We all want to live longer, but nobody

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wants to be old. In some European countries, ‘old’ is synonymous with wise and experienced, but unfortunately in most cultures the term is generally considered the same as weak and helpless. We should not stigmatise the elderly. IT will give people a choice. Because whether we like it or not; old age comes with impairments. We simply have to take note of poorer vision, stiff hands and hearing impairments. The tablet was an important breakthrough: the device does not look as if it was designed specifically for seniors, but it is easy to use; that includes people who have never used computers before. The letters can be enlarged or replaced with icons.

Furthermore, tablets such as the iPad can use voice recognition and aren’t riddled with tiny buttons. It’s a tool people are happy to use.

SHARING A RESTAURANT

I recently saw an advertisement by a Swiss watch manufacturer that clearly gets the point. The company makes watches with GPS and an alarm feature. Their campaign features pictures of mountain climbers and adventurous yachtsmen; no matter where you are, we know your location and help is on the way. And, by the way, the watch is also very helpful at home, because sometimes, emergency assistance is necessary in the most mundane of settings. Of course, this kind of campaign is much more appealing than one that features a disabled senior with a red plastic alarm button around his neck. From the social innovation perspective, Europe is an exciting source of new developments. There is more focus on building smart housing for seniors. Wider doors, smooth floors and lower windows also make a house more comfortable for wheelchair users. And in group housing,

people live independently in their own homes, but share a restaurant and a central meeting place. These buildings are often close to healthcare centres. Multi-generation designs are also on the rise: complexes that provide good housing for different generations under a single roof. Students and senior citizens who share a building, houses that offer room to young families and their (grand)parents: I think that’s a marvellous development. It is so important that we don’t isolate our elderly from society - which has become a practical impossibility anyway, considering their numbers. Moreover, we can all learn from one another. For example, students can help with computers and internet, but the elderly have more life experience. IT will play a prominent role in all of these relatively new housing forms, in order to facilitate a comfortable quality of living for as long as possible. This is a spearhead for the European Commission, which recognises the necessity for social innovation and therefore contributes to the AAL programme.

PROJECTS

AAL projects are genuinely practical applications and not gadgets. The end user is always involved in the development process and forty percent of our business partners are SMEs. In order to receive funding, a project must involve at least three member states and the product or service must be ready to market within two to three years. We petition research, development and innovation projects within a certain field. Our first petition was in 2008, the last is in 2017.

Our fields of interest include chronic diseases, mobility and social interaction. The annual budget is 55 million euro. The entire AAL programme will run through to 2020, and has

KARINA MARCUS Karina Marcus majored in Computer Sciences and earned a PhD in Combinatorial Optimisation. She spent a few years working in the public an private telecom sectors, in Brazil, France, Canada and Belgium. From 2008 through 2010 she was research programme manager with the European Commission in the IT field for Environment and Health. In that capacity, she contributed to the implementation of policy and strategy development. As of October 2011, she is director with the Central Management Unit of the Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) Association, where she is responsible for the AAL programme, which subsidises European projects on the field of ‘comfortable ageing with IT.

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“LOOKING FOR WAYS IN WHICH EVERYONE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETY”

AMBIENT ASSISTED LIVING (AAL) AAL is funded by the European Commission.

Implementation in the Netherlands is executed

by ZonMW, on assignment to the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. The programme involves 22 countries: Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Austria, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. The programme will run from 2008 to 2020. Fifty percent of the overall 700 million euro in funding is received from government finds and fifty percent is from the private resources of participating organisation. In order to help organisations successfully market their projects successful, AAL has established the activity AAL2Business. The main mission of AAL2Business is to assist companies with their commercial activities

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throughout the different stages of a project. In practical terms, this includes finding investors, implementation and post-project support. The foundation of a Market Observatory for the various stakeholders in the AAL community is underway. This community consists of entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, users, interested parties and (semi)governmental bodies. This organisation will collect sector-relevant information and keep close track of developments. The objective is to help parties along the demand and supply axis make sound investment decisions. This will subsequently improve the commercial chances of European healthcare solutions.

already yielded wonderful programmes. In the first year we placed a petition for IT solutions for the prevention and management of chronic illnesses among the elderly. One of the products was CapMouse; invented by dentist Tomas Brusell from Norway. It replaces a regular computer mouse, which is difficult to operate for people with arthritis or Parkinson. The CapMouse is worn like a headphone and is operated with the tongue. The prototype was completed in 2012. The second year focused on the improvement of social interaction among seniors. SeniorChannel is a Spanish-Italian-French initiative that unites people of the same age. It is a television channel that people can follow via internet on their own television sets. The channel provides information about activities in their area and lets them connect with other viewers. The objective is interaction, by means of debate and feedback on the programmes. SeniorChannel is perfect for nursing homes: people can watch content together - content that was created by and for them - and are given the opportunity to connect with others.

PLAYING WITH LIGHT

The Guiding Light project gears into the use of light as a healthcare tool. Smart use of light can help solve day-night rhythm disturbances, which in turn can cause insomnia and suppressed appetites. The colour and brightness of light affect emotion: lighting can create warm or cool rooms and can make areas feel comfortable or unappealing. Playing with light can encourage people to eat on time, by ‘leading’ them to the kitchen at dinnertime by means of warm colours. Guiding Light is an adaptable lighting system that can be installed in nursing homes and private residences.

Sensors observe an individual’s daily routine and the brightness and colour of the lights are automatically adapted accordingly. For instance, if a person gets up to use the bathroom every night, a path of light can lead the way as soon as the individual steps out of the bed. This prevents falls, a major danger in elderly care. Our most recent petition concerns involving older citizens in society.

It is an issue that I am passionate about. The wealth of experience and knowledge should not be lost once people retire. We must continue to look for ways in which everyone can contribute to society, whether it’s by means of a part time job or volunteer work. Not that everyone should work their entire lives, but people who contribute tend to feel better about themselves. Their self-esteem increases, and that’s the best medicine against depression. And moreover, society can also benefit from the expertise of senior citizens. IT can provide the necessary support.

CONTACT

Of course, technology can never replace human contact.

If someone cannot be physically present, videoconferencing is a practical tool. But it isn’t our intention to use videoconferencing so that people don’t have to be present. IT is a means of improving en enhancing the quality of human contact. Data collection, such as measuring blood pressure levels, monitoring heart rates and recording medicine use: IT can help the elderly do these things themselves. But genuine contact and providing affectionate care: that is exclusively reserved to people. IT can offer support, through the efficient allocation of time and resources.”

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HIGHLIGHTS The ageing population offers ample opportunity for IT-assisted social innovation. Examples include healthcare solutions but also manners in which independent living can be supported.

• Europe’s main challenge lies in its cultural and infrastructural diversity. That is also an advantage: is a solution works here, it will also work elsewhere on the planet. Which means that innovation is an export product.

• Involving the elderly in the development of solutions is vital.

• Technology is a tool and can never replace human contact.

ONLINE bpdeurope.com aal-europe.eu @aal_jp aal jp

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SKATING IN THE KRAKAU ARENA, POLAND.

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INSPIRATION / PHOTO REPORT / IMAGE LARS VAN DEN BRINK

THEATRE FESTIVAL MATIESIONIU VILLAGE, LITHUANIA.

FREE TIME Your work is done, you finally have some free time – now what?

Photographer Lars van den Brink went in search of people spending some leisure time together. The result was a cross section of our continent: this is how Europe spends its weekends outdoors.

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STRANDBAREN ÅRHUS, DENMARK.

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BRIDGE JUMPING CONTEST IN VIŠEGRAD, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA.

A HAPPY DAY IN EUROPE For six months, Lars van den Brink travelled across Europe with his wife and daughters.

Along the way he photographed Europeans in the weekend, under the title ‘A happy day in Europe’. His goal was to paint a picture of how the average European tries to make the most of outings, for himself and for others.

PROCESSION PRIOR TO OSWALDISONNTAG

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IN KRAKAUDORF, AUSTRIA.

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CLEANING THE OUTDOOR POOL TOGETHER AT THE END OF THE SEASON IN LANGENSTEIN, GERMANY.

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A+ (most promising) A B C D E F (least promising) EU country: no data available

PROMISING URBAN REGIONS Despite the economic downturn Europe still offers plenty of opportunities for new housing development. In the report that was published earlier this year, Housing Markets in Perspective 2014, which records the balance of the housing market developments in Germany, France and the Netherlands, BPD defines no less than fifty areas with growth potential.

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PROJECTS / REPORT / TEXT RUUD SLIERINGS

THE APPEAL OF DYNAMISM Over half of the global population lives in or nearby the city. That percentage continues to grow. That means ample opportunity for parties that create urban living environments. A number of examples from Germany, France and the Netherlands are given below.

WHERE THE APPEAL OF THE CITY once lay in employment opportunities, these days there are many more factors at play. Of course, a flourishing (urban) economy is vital: work, amenities, innovative strength. But it takes more than rational considerations to turn an urban region into a people magnet.

That requires experience, dynamism. Living in the city is a choice made out of conviction. In the city residents find a combination of identity and diversity, of history and innovation, intimacy and ubiquity, functionality and unification. This offers a wealth of opportunities for designers and developers. A major responsibility, because opportunities can also be spoiled.

HOUSING MARKET

In 2011 BPD, in collaboration with Oxford Economics, researched urban regions in Europe. This research was repeated in 2014. Nearly 900 regions were analysed according to factors including volume and productivity of the economy, size and growth of the population, the labour market, income development and housing market developments. OF the fifty most promising regions, 22 are located in BPD’s core countries (twelve in Germany, six in France and four in the Netherlands).

It is remarkable that nearly all of the urban regions that were identified as promising in 2011 became stronger. Furthermore, the housing markets in these countries are becoming increasingly similar, even though the price differences are still substantial (the Netherlands is significantly less expensive than France and Germany). The flipside of urban appeal is that in most cases the housing supply cannot keep up with demand.

This results in rising land and housing prices (which threatens

population diversity). The housing market survey does not address the ‘emotion of the city’, or residents’ choice criteria. What the survey does do, is reveal the underlying economic and demographic figures. In other words: rationalise the grounds for those emotional criteria, so that urban area plans can expect a sustainable future.

The following pages will zoom in on projects in promising regions in Germany, France and the Netherlands.

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HIGHLIGHTS The city is more popular than ever.

• In addition to economic factors, experience and dynamism are also important factors in the appeal of cities.

• The fifty regions that were identified as promising by means of a first survey in 2011, are still strikingly successful in 2014.

• The demand for housing exceeds supply, resulting in rising land and housing prices. This threatens the diversity of the population.

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PROJECTS / REPORT / TEXT RUUD SLIERINGS

GERMANY > FRANKFURT > EUROPAVIERTEL Urbanisation in Germany of urban areas is rapid and intense. This is caused by continued economic growth and falling unemployment in Germany. A rising housing shortage, higher price levels and a declining percentage of inexpensive housing is the result.

Demand for newly built housing is not expected to drop in the coming years. In the promising urban area of Rhine-Main, BPD is meeting this need with the so-called Europaviertel: a city district in Frankfurt with 370 homes, which is being built on the site of a former freight depot.

The plan is vast and spacious: the neighbourhood will see the construction of 25 low-build apartment complexes.

1. Hamburg 2. Berlin 3. Munster/Osnabruck 4. Dusseldorf 5. Cologne/Bonn 6. Rhine-Main Area 7. Rhine-Necktar Area

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8. Nuremberg 9. Regensburg 10. Stuttgart 11. Munich-Augsburg 12. Bodensteekreis/ Konstanz

Three architectural firms were commissioned for the actual design, guaranteeing variation in the overall housing concepts. The Europaviertel is conveniently located with respect to both the inner city and the (natural) surroundings. The Central & Park project (urban and green) ensures a coherent living environment in this area. The plan itself is characterised by ample ‘air’ and ‘space’; there are numerous public parks nearby: Europagarten and Pocket-Parks, and the development also offers views of the Frankfurter skyline and the Taunus mountain range.

PROJECT DETAILS HOUSES: NUMBER OF HOUSING UNITS:

357 apartments START DEVELOPMENT:

2009 START CONSTRUCTION:

2012 COMPLETION:

From 2013

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PROJECTS / REPORT / TEXT RUUD SLIERINGS

FRANCE > MARSEILLE > LES CHLOROPHYLLES France has six urban areas with good economic and demographic prospects. These areas will see both autonomous population growth and growth particularly due to the migration of affluent seniors (specifically in the southern regions). These regions benefit from the competitive cluster policy promoted by the government, which encourages economic growth in core areas. The housing market here, which is still growing, continues to be extremely dynamic (more residential relocations than in Germany or the Netherlands).

To the north of Marseille (Côte d’Azur region), BPD Marignan is developing a part of the prestigious residential neighbourhood ‘Les Hauts de Sainte-Marthe’. Bordering on a lush wooded and hilly area, the project is only fifteen minutes from the city centre, boasts a host of amenities in the immediate vicinity (including schools of every level) and excellent public transportation connections.

1. Île-de-France 2. Loire-Atlantique & Ille et Vilaine 3. Gironde 4. Rhône 5. Haute-Garonne 6. Côte d’Azur

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This residential neighbourhood, named Les Chlorophylles, features single family homes, villas and apartment buildings. It accommodates a total of eight hundred homes that are built to the highest possible environmental standards. Accordingly, the project is eligible for the Haute Qualité Environnementale label, it is energy efficient and uses superior insulation, natural ventilation, solar water heating systems and sustainable materials. The city council recognises the importance of this project; it offers Marseille housing in a segment for which the existing options were extremely scarce.

PROJECT DETAILS

NUMBER OF HOUSING UNITS:

800 single family homes, villas and apartments START DEVELOPMENT:

2006 START CONSTRUCTION:

2013 COMPLETION:

the first 600 units have been completed

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PROJECTS / REPORT / TEXT RUUD SLIERINGS

THE NETHERLANDS > NIJMEGEN > HANDELSKADE The promising urban areas in the Netherlands are in the proximity of the major transportation routes. More so than in Germany and France, the Dutch population is ageing, an unfortunate consequence of which is the under-representation of the 30-45 age. The fact that the population is ageing is also reflected in the lower disposable income, and of course in housing profiles.

Consequently, demand for apartments is rising and ground level (single family) homes are losing terrain in every sense.

The Handelskade project in Nijmegen (in the promising A50 motorway axis region) illustrates these developments. Between the city centre and the bank of the Waal river, a neighbourhood with over two thousand homes will be realised. It is a historically significant area, with remnants from Roman times, but it is also home to a more modern industrial heritage, reflected in the Honig Factory. A true landmark along the Waal.

1. Amsterdam Area 2. Southern Conurbation Amsterdam-Utrecht-The Hague-Rotterdam 3. Utrecht Area 4. A50 Motorway Axis

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BPD is shaping a new part of the inner city, close to the station on an inland harbour, which once accommodated the printing works and offices of the De Gelderlander newspaper. The site will feature over five hundred apartments for the sales and rental markets, with commercial units on the ground floor ribbon.

Although the floor area is limited, no concessions will be made to the public space: the houses will be built around a green courtyard. The project’s eye-catcher will be ‘De Lunet’: a fifteen floor residential tower, immediately on the banks of the Waal.

PROJECT DETAILS HOUSING UNITS:

534 apartments (purchase and rent), + amenities (ca 2,800 m2) START DEVELOPMENT:

2006 START CONSTRUCTION:

2013 COMPLETION:

2015-2017

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PROFILE BPD

FOR OVER ONE MILLION EUROPEANS

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one of the largest area developers in Europe. The organisation operates in the Netherlands, France and Germany and has facilitated the construction of the homes and neighbourhoods of over one million Europeans.

In the Netherlands and Germany we are known as BPD, and BPD Marignan in France.

The scope and complexity of the areas that BPD develops varies enormously. We are, particularly in the Netherlands, responsible for urban expansion areas that may have thousands of homes, but also for apartment blocks in Munich’s city centre. For state of the art villas in Nice and for the development of the small plot of land at the heart of Amsterdam that can accommodate only a few houses. In that sense the field in which we are active is both very large and very small, and we are a project and an area developer in one.

OOUR COMPANY IS

foundation, and a new neighbourhood should reflect both the past and the present.

REGIONAL OFFICES

There is no such thing as the European housing market, and there are even substantial regional differences within the borders of the Netherlands, France and Germany. A provincial city in the Netherlands may see a high demand for single-family homes with sunny back yards, whereas consumers in Hamburg and Lyon may be more interested in luxury apartments, particularly if these offer views of the Elbe or the Rhône. With dozens of regional offices in three countries, we are deeply rooted in the local housing markets and remain on top of all the latest residential trends.

BORN IN THE NETHERLANDS, RAISED IN EUROPE

LIVING ENVIRONMENTS

We strive to contribute to creating ‘living environments’, residential areas that are alive in their own right. Places that offer peace of mind but also encourage activity on the streets outside, where people take pleasure in their homes and their community. We are dedicated to ensuring the quality of the built environment, where we take into account every aspect and element that impacts our quality of life and home. From planning public spaces to landscaping. From architectural diversity and harmony to safety and accessibility.

AREA DIRECTOR

The design and development of new neighbourhoods is an extremely complex process. The majority of projects involve a host of different parties, including (local) authorities, urban planners, architects and construction companies. Our organisational savvy means that we are often the initiator and director of development processes, which can span many years. Wherever possible our new neighbourhoods cherish what was already there: the former biscuit factory, a characteristic farmhouse from 1820, a meandering stream lined with old oak trees. You cannot build without a

BPD was founded in 1946 by a number of Dutch municipalities. In the years of serious housing shortages, we provided funds to facilitate the construction of affordable housing. This approach satisfied a significant need, and today there are nearly 300,000 homes in the Netherlands that were built with our help.

Since then, we have grown to become a leading area developer in Europe. With six offices in the Netherlands, seven in France (not including sales offices) and seven in Germany. Thousands of owner-occupied and rental houses that were built with our help are completed every year. Since 2006 BPD is a part of the Rabo Real Estate Group, a full subsidiary of Rabobank. That gives us the room and freedom to concentrate on our core business: creating ‘living environments’, where life and living is good.

ONLINE bpdeurope.com bpd-marignan.fr bpd-de.de

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CONTACT DETAILS BPD

BPD

REGION MIDDLE

GERMANY

(SINCE 1946)

De Brand 30 3823 LK Amersfoort, The Netherlands T +31 (0)33 453 41 11 www.bpd.nl ontwikkeling.midden@bpd.nl Eric van Winsen, regional director

BPD IMMOBILIENTWICKLUNG GmbH

Head Office and 5 regional offices (+ 1 subsidiary) 4,000 – 7,000 sold homes per year CONTACT:

Westerdorpsstraat 66 3871 AZ Hoevelaken, The Netherlands T +31 (0)33 253 97 00 www.bpdeurope.com ontwikkeling@bpd.nl

REGION NORTH-WEST

Leidsevaart 588 2014 HT Haarlem, The Netherlands T +31 (0)23 530 66 03 www.bpd.nl ontwikkeling.noordwest@bpd.nl Harm Janssen, regional director

MANAGING BOARD

- Walter de Boer, CEO BPD and member of the executive board of Rabo Real Estate Group - Hayo Doornink, COO - Carl-Jan Kreikamp, CFO THE NETHERLANDS

BPD Ontwikkeling BV Head Office Westerdorpsstraat 66 3871 AZ Hoevelaken, The Netherlands T +31 (0)33 253 97 00 www.bpd.nl ontwikkeling@bpd.nl Walter de Boer, CEO REGION NORTH-EAST

Grote Voort 223 8041 BK Zwolle, The Netherlands T +31 (0)38 425 44 40 www.bpd.nl ontwikkeling. noordoost@bpd.nl Frans Holleman, regional director

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(SINCE 1993)

6 regional offices 850-1100 sold homes per year CONTACT:

Lyoner Straße 15 60528 Frankfurt, Germany T +49 (69) 21 97 980 www.bpd-de.de Franz-Josef Lickteig, chairman of the board FRANCE BPD MARIGNAN SAS

REGION SOUTH-WEST

(SINCE 1970)

Poortweg 2 2612 PA Delft, The Netherlands T +31 (0)15 268 08 08 www.bpd.nl ontwikkeling.zuidwest@bpd.nl Patrick Joosen, regional director Wim de Haas, regional director

5 regional offices (+ 17 local sales offices) 3.000 - 5.000 sold homes per year

REGION SOUTH

Kronehoefstraat 72 5622 AC Eindhoven, The Netherlands T +31 (0)40 265 98 59 www.bpd.nl ontwikkeling.zuid@bpd.nl Carl Smeets, regional director

CONTACT:

70, rue de Villiers F-92532 Levallois-Perret Cedex, France T +33 (0)1 4 96 41 515 www.bpd-marignan.com Jean-Philippe Bourgade, chairman of the board

“GERMANY ALREADY HAS A SHORTAGE OF TWO MILLION AGE-ADAPTED HOUSES” JAN-HENDRIK JESSEN / SENIOR FUND MANAGER PATRIZIA AG / PAGE 8

“THE WORLD OF CREATION AND THE WORLD OF DESIGN HAVE DRIFTED FAR APART” DAAN ROOSEGAARDE / VISIONARY DESIGNER / PAGE 26

“YOU’RE NOT BUILDING LEGO HOUSES; YOU’RE BUILDING A CITY, A CITY WITH A PURPOSE” PHILIPPE JUVIN / MAYOR LA GARENNE-COLOMBES / PAGE 56

“TECHNOLOGY CAN NEVER REPLACE HUMAN CONTACT” KARINA MARCUS / DIRECTOR AAL / PAGE 74

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