Mapping trajectories of becoming: four forms of behaviour in co-housing initiatives

In order learn about planning in a world increasingly characterised by resource interdependencies and a plurality of governing agencies, this paper follows the processes of becoming for two co-housing initiatives. Self-organisation – understood as the emergence of actor-networks – is the leading theoretical concept, complemented by translation from actor-network theory and individuation from assemblage theory. This theoretical hybrid distinguishes four forms of behaviour (decoding, coding, expansion and contraction) that are used to analyse the dynamics of becoming in the two cases. As a result, information is revealed on the conditions that give rise to co-housing initiatives, and the dynamic interactions between planning authorities, (groups of) initiators and other stakeholders that gave shape to the initiatives. Differences between these actors become blurred, as both try to create meaning and reasoning in a non-linear, complex and uncertain world. The paper concludes with a view on planning as an act of adaptive navigation, an act equally performed by professionals working for planning authorities and a case initiator

Self-organization in urban development: towards a new perspective on spatial planning

To date, participatory spatial planning has produced disappointing results. We argue that one reason is that time and again participatory planning proposals remain controlled by public government, and that public government seems not to be very adaptive to initiatives that emerge from the dynamics of civil society itself. To find out why and how citizens could and would be motivated to contribute out of their own motivation to urban development, we propose turning the focus outside-in, instead of inside-out. In this article, we therefore introduce the notion of self-organization, referring to initiatives that originate in civil society itself, via autonomous community-based networks of citizens outside government control which participate in developing the ‘urban fabric’ too. We discuss some examples of self-organization and draw preliminary conclusions of the concept’s usefulness for the theory and practice of spatial planning

Planning strategies in an age of active citizenship: a post-structuralist agenda for self-organization in spatial planning

Civic initiatives in spatial development are on the rise. They emerge from civil society spontaneously and are unpredictable, dynamic, and multiplicity. Therefore, they are often at odds with the inclusionary and disciplinary confines of participatory planning and existing planning frameworks. Planning strategies that answer to the dynamics of civic initiatives, meeting the complexity of an age of active citizenship, have so far been seriously underdeveloped. Based on empirical studies of 14 civic initiatives in Denmark, the Netherlands and England, and a theoretical hybrid of complexity theory (self-organization), actor-network theory (translation) assemblage theory (individuation), this book argues towards a spatial planning that does fit the age of active citizenship. A spatial planning that focusses on conditions that open up, on navigation and on creating consistency between a redundancy of spatial initiatives. And most importantly, the thesis argues toward a flat ontology of planning, in which there are no a priori differences between the intentions and performed behavior of planning actors – including citizens, entrepreneurs, governments, and many others

Ontological diversity in urban self-organization : complexity, critical realism and post-structuralism

As urban self-organization grows into a key concept in spatial planning-explaining spontaneous spatial transformations-the understandings and applications of the concept divert. This article turns to the ontological dimension of urban self-organization and scrutinizes how a critical realist and a post-structuralist ontology inspire theoretical practices, analytical tendencies, empirical readings, and subsequent planning interventions in relation to urban self-organization. This is illustrated with an example of the self-organized regeneration of a deprived street in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. With this contribution, we aim to create ontological self-awareness among planning scholars in studying urban self-organization and invite them to reflect on how their positions complement, deviate, and potentially challenge or inspire those of others. We argue that by clarifying ontological diversity in urban self-organization, theoretical practices and complexity-informed planning interventions can be further deepened and enriched

Zelfbouw in reflectie: evaluatie SEV-experimenten (C)PO/MO

Dit rapport betreft een evaluatie van circa 60 projecten die de Stuurgroep Experimenten Volkshuisvesting (SEV) in de afgelopen 10 à 15 jaar heeft ondersteund met betrekking tot (collectief) particulier en medeopdrachtgeverschap in de woningbouw. Aanleiding daartoe werd gevormd door de algemene behoefte aan meer keuzevrijheid en meer markt in de Nederlandse woningbouw. Tegelijkertijd werd indertijd verondersteld dat particulier opdrachtgeverschap beter aan zou sluiten bij de behoefte van de woonconsumenten, alsmede sneller en goedkoper te realiseren zou zijn dan de reguliere seriematige nieuwbouw. Als zodanig stonden deze doelstellingen ook centraal in de VROM beleidsnota „Mensen, Wensen, Wonen‟ van 2000. Mede naar aanleiding van de in de Tweede Kamer algemeen aanvaarde motie Van Gent/Duivesteijn, werd zelfs beoogd om vanaf 2005 ongeveer 1/3 van de nieuw te bouwen woningen in particulier opdrachtgeverschap te realiseren. Desalniettemin hebben (collectief) particulier en medeopdrachtgeverschap sindsdien niet zo‟n hoge vlucht gekend als beoogd. Het richtgetal van 33,3% van de totale bouwproductie is bij lange na niet gehaald. Sterker nog, daar waar midden jaren negentig van de afgelopen eeuw 17% van de totale Nederlandse bouwproductie in particulier opdrachtgeverschap werd gerealiseerd, is dit thans nog slechts een ruime 10%. Ook het aandeel van de verhuisgeneigden, die zeggen voor (C)PO/MO te willen gaan is in de afgelopen vier jaar afgenomen van 36% naar 28%