Defining the Metropolis was input for INTA’s first Community of Competence on Innovative Metropolitan Development.
Can a polycentric system of different cities, like Randstad Holland, work as an integral metropolis? Defining the Metropolis, the research about the influence of global top urban facilities in the development of urban agglomerations in the world, was input for INTA’s first Community of Competence on Innovative Metropolitan Development.
INTA International Urban Development Association is a global membership association of urban policy-makers and practitioners to share knowledge, experience and tools for integrated territorial development. INTA's ‘Communities of Competence’ are practical cross-disciplinary working platforms addressing specific issues identified within the membership that most likely will have a significant impact on urban society and businesses.
In the Community of Competence, the case of Randstad Holland was discussed. Defining the metropolis showed that some of the top urban facilities in the world are located in Randstad Holland. Although the inhabitants of Randstad Holland use a variety of these top urban facilities that are scattered around in Randstad Holland, they do not feel related to the urban agglomeration. Randstad Holland, a dispersal of urban areas each with a specific top urban facility, is there for lacking a ‘metropolitan atmosphere’. This conclusion made the discussion focus on the question: Can a polycentric system of different cities, like Randstad Holland, work as an integral metropolis?
Statements form the discussion:
- Randstad Holland can only become an integral metropolis if the inhabitants feel related to the scale of this urban agglomeration.
- Can Randstad Holland aggregate and concentrate when a suburban mentality prevails?
- The search for a metropolitan personality becomes crucial: how to create distinctiveness (cultural diversity, density and difference) in a polycentric system?
- The identity of a nation is mainly built on a common history, which creates tradition, and tradition creates identity and political linkages. In a city, identity is built more often on the vision of a common future than on history. There is no common past and this weakens the identity. Thus, participation and interaction are needed to build both a common story and a common future.
Participants:
Line Algoed (INTA), Lawrence Barth (Architectural Association School of Architecture), Eric Corijn (Free University Brussels), Stephan Cox (Ecorys UK), Lola Davidson (INTA), David Dooghe (Association Deltametropolis), Paul Gerretsen (Association Deltametropolis), Martijn Kanters (INTA), Rupert Kawka (Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban affairs and Spatial Development), Jeroen Laven (STIPO, Rotterdam), Viviana Rubbo (INTA), Michel Sudarskis (INTA)