A Socially Cohesive Overtoomse Veld: A research project on how the monofunctional post-war neighborhood Overtoomse Veld can be transformed into a more socially cohesive mixed-use area

Amsterdam is a rapidly growing city with a high demand for new homes. Research indicates different initiatives and processes over the last years to densify the city and enhance the liveability in its neighborhoods. However, time has shown the injustice accompanying these proposals and the situation in several neighborhoods worsened over the last years. Overtoomse Veld is one of these neighborhoods and will function as a precedent in this project for other post-war neighborhoods. The expansion of Amsterdam’s center, the development of more owner-occupied housing, and the attraction of high-income knowledge workers and according amenities, have amounted to an environment which lacks many opportunities for social cohesion in the neighborhood and segregation and gentrification occur more often in the city. This project aims to find possibilities and potentials for future program and densification of the city & its neighborhoods, which stimulates social cohesion between current and new residents. By making use of two different scenarios, it is investigated how different densities can be achieved, but simultaneously social cohesion in neighborhoods can be stimulated. Therefore, the project offers a perspective on how to deal with the issue of densification by catering the social aspect in the process.Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences | Urbanis