Pleijadenplein is amazing: it’s fresh, calm, relaxing, the water is for all, infrastructure is welcoming (water fountains, toilets, security), even an ice-cream truck is present! The swimming pool at the centre of Tuindorp Oostzaan and of Plejadenplein is definitely a public service worth copying. Why, then, change it? Because what is visible does not reflect what takes place underneath, nor the issues faced outside this square, in particular, the multiple climate and water-related risks, from house mould to pluvial flooding, threatening residents already facing poverty and health issues.

This is why Ground for Well-being (GfW) will combine social, spatial and ecological measures to design two public spaces, the Plejadenplein and Meteorenweg and their subsurface altogether through a Soil and Water Sensitive Urban Design (SWSUD) approach. The project, funded through EUI, will also engage residents in implementing green measures in and around their homes.

This first chapter of the Urban Diary sets out the scene, and in particular: the context for this project, its details, the partners and the reasons they joined the project, as well as the main foreseen impact and challenges. Continue reading →