Initiating a Flourishing City

Initiating a Flourishing City: Creating a safe environment for young urban families in M4H, Rotterdam

Majeed, Mazeen (TU Delft Architecture and the Built Environment)

Kupers, T.W. (mentor)
van der Putt, P.S. (mentor)
Adema, F. (mentor)
Chan, P.W.C. (graduation committee)

Delft University of Technology

Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences

2021-06-25

According to Dutch Deputy Prime Minister, Kajsa Ollongren, the Netherlands is faced with a massive task of creating one million homes before 2030. Big cities are characterized by the steady sub-urbanization of young middle-class families. Households often leave the city as soon as they want to have children, or shortly after their child is born. In the Netherlands this steady trend of out-migration has occurred since the 1960s, and will certainly continue in the 21st century (Wouden, 2001). CBS Netherlands reported in 2018 that, in the case of the four largest cities (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Den-Haag), some 30% to 40% of families with young children leave the city within four years of the birth of their first child (CBS, 2018). The reason these families leave the city is because the available housing is either too expensive or doesn’t meet their needs. Therefore, they are forced to move to the suburbs, leaving behind their job, family and friends in the city. Meanwhile, the city loses this middle class workers and the social cohesion that families provide. Living in a city like Rotterdam is beneficial for the development of the child since cities offer children exposure and better opportunities to experience public spaces (museum, cinema, etc.) and interact with a diverse range of people. Living in a city is beneficial for parents since they can live near their work, family, social life. Reasons why young families are leaving the city is because their housing needs are not met. By translating the needs of children (space to play, learn and living) and parents (work, leisure, peace of mind and living) into a design proposal, families will stay in the city.

Young families
M4H, Rotterdam
Modern families
Collective Housing
Dutch Housing
Children
family dwelling

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Student theses

master thesis

© 2021 Mazeen Majeed