Stadsvernieuwing en stads- en dorpsgezichten in de periode 1961-1985

Abstract

Urban renewal and historic urban landscape in the Netherlands, 1961-1985 Many urban sites and rural settlements suffered severely from dilapidation in the Netherlands after the Second World War. Urban renewal focused on large-scale demolition and modern urban development with highways, office buildings and commercial districts in the 1960s and 1970s. Following widespread protest by society, the revitalization of historical areas finally became a primary objective of urban renewal. To what extent and how this was achieved in relation to the 472 protected town- and villagescapes has not yet been studied. The Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands is currently researching the post-1965 era and this has yielded new insights in that respect. Area-based and long-term planning, reviving inner-cities, community participation and the human dimension were key principles in achieving results. The European Architectural Heritage Year 1975 and the Declaration of Amsterdam introducing the concept of ‘integrated conservation’ was considerably influential in this matter. And this approach can still be topical looking at the major urban issues of today. The urban renewal period holds up a mirror to us: how to achieve sustainable urban development that serves an integrated perspective encompassing public, social, economic and cultural goals?