Portfolio Liesbeth Hautekiet

PORTFOLIO

URBAN DESIGN LIESBETH HAUTEKIET

Personal Name

Liesbeth Hautekiet Date of birth 05 - 09 - 1988 Nationality Belgium Address Stampkotstraat 3, 8580 Avelgem Phone 0032 484 923 441 Email liesbethhautekiet@hotmail.com

Education 2006 ASO Math - Mathemetics St-Jan Berchmanscollege, Avelgem 2011 Master Architecture (cum fructum) Sint-Lucas Gent 2013 Master Human Settlements (cum laude) Master Urbanism and Strategic Planning (magna cum laude) KU Leuven

Skills Languages Nederlands moedertaal Engels uitstekend Frans goed Arabisch basis Computer AutoCad

Adobe: Photoshop, Indesign, Illustrator SketchUp QGIS

Office: Word, Excel, Powerpoint

Experience 20013 - 2015 Junior Architect-Urban designer MOPurbandesign 2015 Junior Assistant Belgian Development Agency (Palestine)

Soft Teamplayer

Eager to learn Independent Problem-oriented

Belgium E WATERscape GuARD N Master Architectuur IA Bulskamp, Veurne Dampoort Station Master Architectuur Gent ACT INTER Master Human Settlements PLAY Antwerpen Urban Espalier, Branches and knots Master Urbanism and Strategic Planning Kortrijk Haalbaarheidsstudie en Masterplan Citadel Diest MopUrbandesign Diest Masterplan Cuppensplein MopUrbandesign Houthalen-Helchteren StrategicCommercial Plan Deinze MopUrbandesign Deinze

E WATERscape GuARD N IA Bulskamp, Veurne Master Architectuur in samenwerking met Florence Ghyselen en Iris Dewitte Designing for the future. That the sea level is rising has long been known. The consequences for the lower polder in Belgium have been extensively mapped. But how do we tackle changing environmental conditions in the design of new urban developments? A further concentration around the existing residential areas in an ecologically responsible manner is the starting point of the design exercise.

Bulskamp is a small polder village and parish of Veurne. Central in the village one can find the church, a nursing home for the elderly, a commercial building, social services (such as sports fields and a library) and small retail. In the surroundings of the project area there are a number of biological (very) valuable areas. Not only is it the purpose of preserving these valuable areas, but also to further strengthen them. In addition, the new development must provide a response to the already existing current flooding problems.

A maximum of multi-used space is aspired; living areas are combined with new social facilities including a primary school and new library, and the green structure and especially the water get a prominent place in the design. A new way of ‘sustainable conscious living’ is researched; extensive reuse of water, community gardens, an orchard, minimal dwellings, use of sustainable energy, etc.

Station Dampoort Gent Master Architectuur in samenwerking met Jenthe Blancquaert en Anthonin De Kimpe Dampoort is a strategically located, large and busy intersection of different means of transportation in Ghent. Reorganizing the intersection into a meeting point in the broader sense of the word is a particular challenge. The design mission was to unravel this infrastructural knot, design a new train station and develop an attractive and high-quality public domain.

Starting from the existing mobility studies the social character of the surrounding neighborhoods was also examined in order to achieve a first concept study. New features such as a community center and theater were intertwined with the necessary infrastructural needs. Designing a train station and its environment requires also a technical design. In the selection of techniques, we opted for an ecological approach. The ‘Ghent Sustainability Measures’ were used to make sound technical decisions but also to integrate sustainability throughout the entire design process.

level 0

level 2

INTER/ACT/PLAY Antwerpen Master Human Settlements in collaboration with Josephine Malonza, Yuvraj Chauhan and Mieke Moerman Luchtbal is a place with a unique character, witness of a rich social and historic background. A closer look however, reveals a very fragile and fractured reality. Current social composition of Luchtbal differs drastically from the original. The area has shifted from being the modern-dream-dwelling for middle-class-workers families to become the destination of - mostly marginalized - migrants, composing a very complex mix of different cultures, ages and social backgrounds. Fieldwork also revealed two other important realities of the site. On one side the over presence of open space which remains mostly underused and without appropriation. On the other, a strong divison between the garden city in the north and the modernist housing towers and slabs in the south, are invisible frontier separating different spatial and social fabrics.

The project proposes to sew these fractures by creating a central active park. The strategic location allows for new relations with divided neighborhoods and - bridging the highway - integrates the existing park in Mersem. The new public space has the potential to position itself as a step-stone in between Spoor Noord and the Oude Landen. Sports is chosen as dominating program, giving a specific identity to the park.

The re-conversion of the General Moters, conceived as a condenser and container of sport facilities is the catalyst of the project. The strategy is complemented with the gradual down-grading of remaining open spaces into more intimate local areas and a general densification and diversification of the fabric.

SPORTS HALL LUCHTBAL

CC LUCHTBAL

URBAN ESPALIER: BRANCHES AND KNOTS Kortrijk Master Urbanism and Strategic Planning in collaboration with Jon Geib, Thomas Willemse The historical compact city of Kortrijk, after several waves of rupturing infrastructural, economic and technological change, is dispersed. Development scattered outwards while the inner city grew porous with vacant sites. Semand for new development is low as population growth is at a standstill. It is quite an opportune moment to begin a transition away from car-based planning and its isotropic treatment of the city.

The transition strategy begins with a reading of the city’s anisotropic development, in which Hoog Kortrijk represents the latest in a series of successive lateral southward expansions of the city within a territory strongly stratified in the E-W direction. We reinforce this latent ladder structure by recognizing and requalifying various N-S axes (which gather vacant sites and open spaces) according to their character and potential - most boldly in the transformation of the redundant west ring road.

Facing a vast amount of vacant and residual space, we propose a landscape strategy, in which forms of remediation particular to the axes structure these sites. They give direction to developmentin the long-term while articulating larger landscape figures, forming hierarchy withing the diffused city.

Using the analogy of espalier, these remediation landscapes become ‘branches’ that can be knotted, at crucial interfaces, to the ‘framework’ (the ladder structure and requalified axes reaching to Hoog Kortrijk). As in espalier, both branches and frame determine strategic adjustments - which intend to guide future growth while invigorating the ‘branches’ with new activities and exchange.

Espalier (French, from the Italian spalliera, meaning “something to rest the shoulder (spalla) against”): the horticultureal and agricultural practice of ‘steering’ plant growth by tying branches/vines to a constructed frame.

Haalbaarheidsstudie en Masterplan Citadel Diest Diest MOPurbandesign The extraordinary scale of the citadel and its regional importance ask for a different approach of the historical study than if was it an ordinary building. If we look at the citadel of Diest, we see an urban unit with different elements in it. In order to successfully describe the entire construction, one needs a clear strategy. Due to its different meanings, the citadel is subject to diverse regulations and influences.

One of these is its value as an urban entity, of which 7 parts can be distinguished as they all have their own character and historical importance. One is saved, the other one is demolished or its existence and function have changed over the years. Another meaning of the site is its military function. It used to work in an introvert way but today a new approach is needed as the citadel has the ability to, in an extrovert way, house a large amount of functions. This building-historical study has to ensure that the valuable architectural elements and the overall character of the fortress is respected.

At last this citadel also has a meaning for different actors such as Monuments & Landscapes, the city council of Diest, the province, the future hospital, the OCMW, and Tourism Flanders.

The strategy is to bring together the different opinions in order to create concrete proposals.

As such the project isn’t a snapshot in time, but should the decisions that are made today give leeway in the future: a process approach. This strategy serves as such dealing with the complex reality of realising strategic projects. This building-historical study forms the framework for upcoming developments as it creates the foundation for the generation of a contemporary program within the monumental site. At the same time it guarantees the further existence of the citadel as a meaningful and valuable patrimony.

Masterplan Cuppensplein Houthalen-Helchteren MOPurbandesign The masterplan for the center of Houthalen-Helchteren originated in a unique setting: the town is working together with private partners to strengthen the urban quality.

The masterplan has the intention to enhance the spatial ambition, the economic functioning and the liveability of the town center. The project is defined by a combination of themes: urban development of a strategically located terrain on both sides of the ‘Grote Baan’ (partly a brownfield), design of the buildings and public space, rethinking the livability and safety of the infrastructure. It will consist of a mix of commercial activities and housing, and will be structured by a large public space that connects the different parts of the project.

Strategic Commercial Plan Deinze MOPurbandesign The city of Deinze is at a turning point. On the one hand, it was praised for its qualitative approach in various urban renewal projects, but on the other hand it is confronted with a rising vacancy of commercial spaces. Moreover, D-shopping opened its doors in March 2014 and Driespoort is being developed as another shopping area. Two retail parks that together will increase the toal commercial floor space with 20 %. Finally, sprawling retail along the access roads to the city are a big influence on the commercial character of Deinze’s city center. To give the commercial centre of the city a new dynamic and attractive image, we developed a strategic vision for the city, concretised in realistic actions that are mutually supportive.

SAMEN versterken verweven expliciteren S t r a t e g y

-

In the analysis phase, a coherent overview was made of the existing retail functions with a coupled SWOT analysis. In a second phase we worked on a strategic vision, structured by clear guiding principles: limiting the commercial area to strengthen it, give corner buildings a strong appearance and give facades enough hight, create interconnections between the commercial axis and residential areas behind to strengthen horizontal density, integrate and communicate the mobility vision of the city, make the spatial structure readible (importance Analysis existing offer etc. Finally an action plan andAnalysis street profile of the ‘gates’ to retail the centre), corresponding communication plan served as practical working tools for the future.

U r b a n i s m

-

L a n d s c a p e

-

A r c h i t e c t u r e

Interconnectedness with residential areas behind

Urban functions as motor

Strengthen gates to the centre

Horizontal density

1 6 S t r a t e g y

-

U r b a n i s m

-

L a n d s c a p e

-

A r c h i t e c t u r e

China Serve the City, Serve the Village Master Human Settlements Beijing, China

SERVE THE CITY, SERVE THE VILLAGE Master Human Settlements in collaboration with Tao Cai The title ‘Serve the City, Serve the Village’ originates in the 1950’s, when Mao used the slogan ‘Serve the people” for his political campaign. As Taihu is located on the fringe of the rapidly growing petropolis of Beijing, the area will inevitably become part of the city fabric. Currently however, the identity of Taihu features a clear contrast between dense traditional villages and open fields defined by the highly depleted irrigation system. In order to maintain such characteristics, Taihu has to serve the city by becoming a valuable asset for its urban logics.Beijing produces a considerable amount of garbage, has very polluted water infrastructure flowing through it, is clouded by heavily polluted air - amongst the worst values in China - and has an exploding population in desperate need for new housing.

Turning these problems into assets has led to the complete reversal of the NIMBY (Not In My BackYard) approach to a WIMBY concept: Welcome In My BackYard. Welcome garbage, we shall mould you into fascinating landfill art. Welcome dirty water, we will let you flow and treat you until a purified sewage system will provide Taihu with a hydrologically sustainable condition once again. An embracing forest will clean the polluted air and at the same time provide protection to the area, reconverting the agricultural patterns into wind corridors and reinforcing a productive landscape.

New residential housing will be provided in accordance with the scenario of seeing Taihu’s population double by 2020, without however destroying the existing clustered fabric and its connection with the intermediate landscape. A vision for the future of Taihu is developed which, while serving the city with new spatial qualities, new work opportunities, introduces recreational uses and re-qualifies the traditional village housing by injecting more diversity and services. Ultimately, it also serves the village and the people of Taihu.

City Area, 1975

Highly poluted water infrastructure | Lack of fresh water

City Area, 1988

City Area, 2002

(Source: Master Plan of Beijing 2002 – 2020)

Migration | Growing urban population | Lack of housing

clean the air create a protective and productive landscape

purify the water create a wetland again

landfill art and energy

Increasing garbage production City Area, 1996

keep and re-qualify villages provide new housing (diversity)

City Area, 1992

provide housing

take the garbage

Air pollution amongst the highest in the world

landfill art and energy

industrial archeology

highway

high speed train

reused factory

recycled art

sun terrace

3. botanical garden

watch tower

reused factory

amphitheater

recycled art

recycled art

1

pick nick area

50

wetland to collect runoff water

sports facilities

DEFINED LANDSCAPE 200 m 3 2

1. SPORT FACILITIES - AMPHITHEATER

2. BOTANICAL GARDEN - SUN TERRACE

3. INFRASTRUCTURE CUTTING TROUGH

Palestine Bridging Communities Master Urbanism and Strategic Planning Deheisheh Refugee Camp, Palestine Regeneration of Historic Centers Belgian Development Agency (BTC) Palestine Local Government Reform and Development Program Belgian Development Agency (BTC) Palestine

Bridging communities An Urban Design investigation of Deheisheh Refugee Camp and Doha Municipality Master Urbanism and Strategic Planning Despite the fact that the camps were set up as “temporary waiting rooms”, they are, over the last 6 decades, transformed into dense urban fabrics. Today the camps suffer an extreme over-population and full saturation which results in a lack of open spaces. Due to the high density and the poor conditions in the camp, the wealthier and economically independent families moved out of the camp, creating the so called spillovers of the camps.

The first Intifada was a mass civil uprising of the Palestinian population and was celebrated as a victory. Though years after the Oslo Accords – supposed to be the Peace Accords – the feeling of frustration has been growing amongst the Palestinians and especially amongst the third generation refugees. Within this growing situation of frustrations, the need for an alternative strategy of resistance is urgent.

The concept of the common can very much be seen as an act of resistance against the ongoing Israeli spacio-cide. The search of the commons, which was introduced by Campus in Camps is now however only visible and tangible in the refugee camps as an alternative of the lacking public sphere. However the spatial and more importantly the institutional differences between the camps (therefore seen as states of exception or archipelagos within the collection of archipelagos) and the remaining Palestinian territory, the discourse of the common in the camps can be used as a strategy of resistance for the whole of the West Bank. As such, the common is no longer only used to strengthen the different communities but rather to unify the Palestinian population.

This thesis is as such searching for the meaning of architecture of resistance. Here for I am using the specific case of Deheisheh and Doha as a starting point to look for the spaces of possibility that can bridge the gap between the two communities. This case study can then be the root of an expanding network of resistance that is working against the Israeli

oppression.

The aim of my thesis is thus to formulate a counter strategy that takes the Occupied Palestinian Territories away from the Israeli marginalization and furthermore to formulate a map that can unify the fragmented and distorted Palestinian territory and strengthen the Palestinian identity. Here for I focus on the relation between Deheisheh refugee camp and its spillover Doha.

Area A Area B Area C

Jerusalem

Deheisheh

How can the camps’ COMMON become a tool in the resistance against the division and destruction of Palestine; the Israeli spacio-cide?

How can the camps’ COMMON be a tool to produce new urban realities which are shaped by the will to resist and survive?

Bethlehem

Hebron

N

0 1

5

10km

Built Structure

Open areas

Street Structure

Green Structure

Entrepreneurialism

Doha 2013

Above: A testing ground for the return?

Source: Brave New Alps for Campus in Camps Under: Deheisheh (left) and Doha (right) developing along the Hebron-Jerusalem road.

Two sides of the same coin?

Source: Common, Campus in Camps

The idea of bridging both communities through the common spaces derives from the symbolism of the bridge. The bridge, the initial representation of the concept of the common, literally links Deheisheh camp and its spillover Doha. As such, the bridge can be seen as the pounding hart of the interconnection of both communities. In order to revive the bridge as a common space, the “bridge� is stretched out to become a string of common spaces located in both Doha and Deheisheh. Hereby new common spaces are introduced in Doha and existing common spaces are revived in Deheisheh camp.

Doha Park

sports field common sports park

common garden

linear bridge space

common spaces Deheisheh

Feniq garden

section AA’

Hebron-Jerusalem road

Amphitheater

Library & Book Exchange

Street

Market Space

Palestinian Territory

Local Government Reform and Development Program To enable service provision, local economic development and territorial integration Strengthening the capacities of the Ministry of Local Government and Local Government Units

Further developing the regulatory framework and policy on decentralisation

Supporting inter-village collaboration and villages’ investments in infrastructures

Actively promoting citizenship, awareness and community participation

Local Government Reform and Development Program Belgian Development Agency (BTC - CTB) Villages and Municipalities are the oldest existing level of public authority in Palestine.

They even have been, in some periods of the Palestinian history, the only operational level of administration. Villages are the main social anchorage of citizens and a true witness of the Palestinian culture and identity. Still it seems that citizens don’t always realize the importance and the role of Local Government Units in the Palestinian governance and administration system.

The Palestinian Authority’s mission in the field of Local Governance is defined as “to promote capacity and efficiency of LGUs, enabling them to provide high quality and cost-effective services to citizens at the local level through phased decentralization. Local Government Units will be enabled to exercise their role, carry out assigned tasks and obtain entitlements in accordance with provisions of the law.”

The Local Government Reform & Development Program, funded by the Belgian Government, is acting upon this mission statement by striving for small village clustering and inter-village collaboration, local economic development, territorial integration and policy making. To a smaller extent the program also focuses on community participation as the communication plans of the village clusters may be considered as a first step in this direction. Through communication, attention is given to awareness raising, creating citizenship[1], sharing a vision and community participation.

Communication is a participatory process A healthy society can only be achieved through an effective and interactive communication.

This means a two-way process in which information, knowledge and skills relevant for local government development are exchanged between stakeholders and community

members. Indeed, local governance refers to a public action which is “concerted” through a strong participation and a close coordination of all stakeholders in designing, implementing and monitoring public policies and (development) projects. As such, communication is to be considered as a crucial and intrinsic tool in all governance processes and especially in a decentralized institutional framework.

Communication allows to achieve different but complementary objectives and results: to inform citizens and raise their awareness on public issues which leads to understanding; to create a same vision which will boost cultural and socio-economic initiatives; and to organize participation (partnerships) amongst stakeholders to create citizenship and commitment.

Communication is as such used for people’s participation and community mobilization, decision making and action, confidence building for awareness raising, sharing knowledge, and changing attitudes, behavior and lifestyle.[2] The role of LGUs in communicating towards creating citizenship When people of all ages, abilities, and socio-economic backgrounds can not only access and enjoy a place (cluster of villages), but also play a key role in its identity, creation and maintenance, only then we achieved sustainable and effective village clustering. An effective agglomeration process as such, capitalizes on local community’s assets, inspiration, and potential, and it results in the creation of a community that contributes to people’s health, happiness and well-being.

The LGUs are the key actors in enabling a good environment for (local) development. They tackle political, social, economic and cultural matters

in order to create a good living environment for the citizens. However, they cannot provide development by themselves: they need a strong dialogue with different members of the society; both shareholders – who strive for the same goals – and citizens – the beneficiaries – in order to address the communities’ needs. As such development is no longer a one-way matter (strived for by one single actor or agency), but is rather a dialogue between different partners, where all partners cooperate to achieve a shared vision and goal.

In order to enhance the role of LGUs in implementing development projects in local communities, the partnership between the Joint Service Council (JSC), the private sector and community-based organizations should be strengthened. This cooperation will imply sustainable development and promote the principle of social responsibility taken by all actors.

No communication without monitoring and evaluation Participatory communication articulates social change processes. As such, the evaluation should not focus purely on outputs, but rather on the satisfaction of the people. Furthermore, if participation means that stakeholders are partners in the entire process, it means they should also be involved in the monitoring and evaluation phase of a project.

A participatory M&E is a social process which is not a set of techniques to get to know what you want to know, but is more importantly an opportunity for people to express their views, needs and expectations. Also in LGRDP we support an ‘appreciative’ M&E approach through which we want to ask the citizens to examine their present community and living environment, to appoint the assets of the cluster and the inter-village arrangements and to define their community for 2025.

A participatory M&E is no longer a tick list, but becomes a true communication tool. Furthermore, this ‘positive’ approach results in making the community feel proud and positive about their community and their role in this community. The process also leads the community towards transparency, mutual trust, partnering and community institution building. As such, this participatory M&E not only monitors the project, but also enhances the communication, institution building and empowerment which are part of the outcomes of any development project, including LGRDP. In conclusion The idea of participatory communication has considerably gained attention in recent years. Many development agencies and other actors in the field believe that they have found in participatory communication the most appropriate concept to guide their work in the developing world.

However it is a concept that is challenging to implement. Leadership and management are skills that are crucial. Proper application of participatory communication methods are not enough to ensure a project’s success as an enabling context (with stakeholders at local and national level having an enabling attitude) is as important.

LGRDP wants to join the fray of participatory communication. The program supports the LGUs’ staff through concessive capacity building activities, in order to enable them to develop and implement a participatory communication strategy. So far, communication plans have been developed in a participatory way, but now, we want to go a step further. Revising the approach, together with the four communication officers of the targeted clusters, is a first step in the right direction.

Conducting a participatory M&E of the program is a second. Both together will give us insight in how to optimize the communication

strategies at LGU level and how to work together towards sustainable community development, including all outputs of the program; strong local governance, citizenship, territorial integration, etc.

[1] Citizenship means people think of themselves as active citizens, willing and able to have an influence in public life and their local communities. [2] M.O. Adedoku, C.W. Adeyemo and E.O. Olorunsda; The impact of communication on community development; Kamla-Raj, 2010

Palestinian Territory

Regenerating historic centers to improve social, cultural and economic development A joint effort of national and local authorities, citizens and other institutions to revive abandoned historic centers.

Regeneration of Historic Centers Belgian Development Agency (BTC - CTB) The Palestinian Territory has a rich history which can be witnessed through a lot of historic sites, landscapes, archaeological remnants, vernacular buildings and compounds, etc.

However, for various reasons, the value of this heritage has not always been recognized.

The historic sites and areas are often abandoned due to a lack of interest; urbanization processes that do not consider traditional structures; and Palestinian laws for the protection of historic buildings that are ineffective. Furthermore, Israel continues to occupy the Palestinian Territory, leading to destruction and to the fragmentation of the territory (Area A, B and C) and the planning power.

Today, the historic centers in Palestine and their residents are too often perceived poor; places with no social or cultural life, and people who don’t have the means to move to modern cities or urban extensions. Due to all reasons above, a vast amount of heritage has already been lost and the remaining heritage is threatened - and therefore decaying - by natural forces (wind, rain, vegetation, etc.)

It should be the goal of all stakeholders; local and national authorities, NGO’s, public sector, etc. to change the sometimes negative perception with regards to ancient structures and to show the people the possibilities to adapt historic buildings to the needs and requirements of today and tomorrow with respect for the historic values and local identity.

After all, people have always felt the need to refer to their history to identify themselves.

Heritage is a witness of our common identity and makes it possible for communities to show their uniqueness to the world. This is more than ever true in Palestine. As such, by preserving this heritage, one preserves a collective memory and identity.

Palestinian Territory

Regeneration Furthermore, the preservation, restoration and revitalization of heritage is also a crucial dimension in state and nation building as, when properly valorized and promoted, heritage could play an important role in tourism and tourism related activities. Tourism in turn is a potential source of many types of financial gain, and a catalyst for local, regional or territorial development.

In light of this, Belgium, through the Belgian Development Agency (BTC) and the Palestinian Authority, through the Ministry of Local Government (MoLG) have agreed upon cooperating in the project called ‘Regeneration of Historic Centers’ (RHC) which aims at revitalizing Palestinian historic centers. The RHC project has as general objective to improve the social, cultural and economic development of Local Government Units and Municipalities in the Palestinian Territory, with a specific objective to enhance Local Governments’ capacity to regenerate their Historic Centers and support sustainable local development in these areas.

The RHC project supports six (small and medium) LGU clusters in the West Bank. The 6 clusters contain 12 localities (from north to south): Arraba, Anabta, Burqa, Sabastiya, Assira Ash Shamaliya, Deir Istiya, Bani Zeid, ‘Abud, Ni’lin, Bani Na’im, Adh Dhahariya, and As Samu’.

to bring life back to the historic centers of Palestinian villages

Preserving the Palestinian identity through restoration, rehabilitation and urban regeneration.

Actively involving all stakeholders throughout the entire process.

Integrating regeneration in the planning and regulatory framework.

Developing the local economy to improve the communities’ quality of life.

Most people today don’t want to live in houses made out of mud, stone or wood, but rather aspire to live in the concrete and steel residences provided in the cities. All over the word, people are migrating from the rural areas towards the cities. Economic reasons are often the base for this migration, but the city also attracts people for its social and cultural life.

Also in Palestine people move out from the rural areas towards the bigger cities, leaving the often historic valuable centers abandoned.

Most residents still living in the historic centers are poor. They are often tenants, perceived by the general public as those who don’t have the means to move to modern cities or urban extensions, reinforcing the idea that historic centers and people living in them are backward.

The RHC program aims to change this perception and to bring life back to these historic centers by focusing on their social, cultural and economic development. Four key aspects of the program here for are; The regeneration program goes beyond rehabilitation. Reviving, revitalizing, regenerating the historic centers needs more than stones and mortar. It is not by rehabilitating the historic buildings that people will be attracted to live or visit the historic center. When looking for a place to live, people are looking for affordable housing, job opportunities, social interaction, good public services, etc. A regeneration project answers to all of those dimensions.

Regeneration needs people. The presence of people (inhabitants) is crucial for an effective regeneration. Without people to use the rehabilitated spaces (buildings and open spaces), each and every regeneration project is doomed to fail. A good balance between the rehabilitation of historic buildings for socio-cultural or socio-economic

use and the rehabilitation for housing purposes is as such fundamental.

Regeneration projects don’t follow a linear trace, but are rather a multiactor and multi-dimensional process that are characterized by having different linked processes running in parallel. While processes at the national level initiate policy making processes and encourage the development of laws and by-laws, processes at the local level focus on capacity building of the municipal staff to strengthen their heritage management skills. At the same time, participation from the community is ensured through community envisioning, memory mapping, community activation initiatives, etc. at different stages of the program.

Meanwhile, socio-economic, spatial, and architectural analysis, prefeasibility studies and business models are prepared to serve as a base for the rehabilitation designs. And finally rehabilitation projects are designed and implemented.

And finally, Regeneration doesn’t stop after the rehabilitation. The RHC program goes further; the operators of the newly rehabilitated buildings are supported through on-job training, IT support and capacity training on marketing while local and national staff are continuously supported to fulfill their role and responsibilities.

Summer School (RHC program) Raising awareness among architecture and planning students

In order to create awareness about the importance of regeneration and to create capacity building, the Belgian Development Agency (BTC) and the Ministry of Local Government, in cooperation with Hydea (international consultants) and 3 Palestinian universities, have organised a Summer School for students in urban planning and architecture.

The Summer School was a concrete exercise in spatial planning / urban regeneration / historic buildings rehabilitation in selected villages, developed as a “training-on the job”. It was held in parallel in three different locations in the North, Centre and South areas, with around 15 trainees for each location (45 in total), under the responsibility of a supervisor and the teaching staff of respectively An-Najah National University, Birzeit University, and Palestine Polytechnic University.

The Summer School was strongly project-oriented, and conducted as a “workshop” with the contribution of ideas and elaborations of experts, trainers and trainees. The approach to the urban regeneration exercise included the following steps: • The analysis of the historical evolution of the specific project area or site (territory, urban center, building ensemble); • The accurate documentation of the existing structures, the evaluation of their heritage value and state of conservation; • The evaluation of previous and on-going rehabilitation / regeneration policies and projects in the study area; • The development of planning and design proposals based

on the assessment of the opportunities and potential of each specific area, avoiding the simple application of preestablished models and standard solutions.

The summer school has two main objectives: 1. To support universities in enhancing long term sustainable capacities, this is under the institutional capacity building activity of the RHC project.

2. The summer school workshops were given as knowledge transfer sessions (i.e. frontal lectures, workshops and learning by doing exercises,...) and were implemented with the support and supervision of the International Consulting services contract with Hydea. Its outputs will be helpful in developing a handbook for preservation and development that will be the guidance for preparing the detailed plans and urban design projects in the historic centers.

Built up area in administrative boundaries

Output An Najah Univeristy To regenerate this area, we present Sabastiya as the catalyst and attractor for the entire area. Through improving the connections with the other villages and enriching the existing cultural and economic heritage we encourage visitors of Sabastiya to discover the surrounding villages. As such emphasis is put on both; the spatial –roads and hiking trails – and the visual connections between villages, historic and archeological sites, different landscapes, and viewpoints.

Built up area in masterplan boundaries

Area A - B - C

Concepts conectivity

Connectivity - Hiking trail - activities

Ecuador Habitat III Belgian Development Agency (BTC)

Quito, Ecuador

Habitat III Conference Quito, Ecuador Belgian Development Agency (BTC) Habitat III is the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development, and took place in Quito, Ecuador, on 17-20 October 2016. The conference’s goal was to agree on a New Urban Agenda which focusses on sustainable urban development. This high-level conference is the third one organized by UN Habitat, the UN agency for Human Settlements.

Urbanization is an unprecedented challenge. By the middle of the century four of every five people might be living in towns and cities. Urbanization and development are inextricably linked and it is necessary to find a way of ensuring the sustainability of growth. Urbanization had become a driving force as well as a source of development with the power to change and improve lives. The Habitat III Conference therefore has, as its mission, the adoption of a New Urban Agenda an action-oriented document which will set global standards of achievement in sustainable urban development, rethinking the way we build, manage, and live in cities through drawing together cooperation with committed partners, relevant stakeholders, and urban actors at all levels of government as well as the civil society and private sector.

30

The Conference was composed of eight plenary meetings, including Opening and Closing ceremonies, six high-level roundtable sessions, and a wide range of events including special sessions, dialogues, stakeholders roundtables, networking, side and training events, cultural activities, an urban journalism academy, among others.

I could follow different side events, dialogues and urban talks on different topics which were (partly) related to regeneration in Palestine. Amongst others I attended lectures on: • Cultural Heritage and Creativity as a Driver for Urban Social Cohesion, Inclusion and Equity

• • • • • •

Culture urban future Preserving the Historical Heritage in Urban Areas Urban-rural linkages Planning for public engagement Local Economic Development Urban Talk on Designing the Urban Age (speakers: Joan Clos, Richard Burdett, Richard Sennett and Saskia Sassen)

In addition I was co-hosting the Belgian stand in the Habitat III Exhibition.