PANORAMA 2028

Panorama 2028, Inspiration session working group of the Association of Frisian Municipalities

The Frisian municipalities, like other Dutch municipalities, need to decide about the future of spatial quality advice. Therefore, a process started do discuss the options. José van Campen and Sandra van Assen were asked to provide inspiration, together with Harm-Jan de Hoo (municipality of Súdwest-Fryslân) and Jeroen de Willigen (cityarchitect of Groningen). The current spatial quality advice system at local level will legally lapse as soon as the new Environmental Act takes effect. The Frisian municipalities now make use of a central provincial organization for spatial quality advice called ‘Hus and Hiem’. In addition to current (objectrelated) issues, the scope and complexity of spatial issues broadens to address, heath, societal, economic, ecological and environmental issues. This requires a reconsideration of the scope and working method, both at municipal and provincial level. The future spatial quality advisory practice will involve a focus on object quality (narrow approach), spatial coherence (broad approach) and spatial environment quality (integrative approach), or a combination of these.

Bundling expertise is necessary to be able to deliver adequate future spatial quality advice. Independent integral quality advice can connect expertise and the Frisian mienskip (communities / society / residents / politics). Options that were reviewed were a Frisian integrated quality team, a Frisian Planning Agency for the Living Environment, the Atelier city architect Groningen and a Think-tank according to Belgian model. But also proven Frisian innovative methods such as the Sinnetafels, the Energy Mix method, the Nije Pleats, and the ‘soft space’ approach of Places of Hope in 2019. The Frisian municipalities want to investigate all options to be able to tackle issues earlier in processes to ensure a good balance between spatial quality, economic interests and social aspects. The question for the follow-up process will be: which solution suits Friesland best at which scale?