CONTACT US
Share: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn I recommend visiting cushmanwakefield.com to read:%0A%0A {0} %0A%0A {1}
Whats Next agglomeratievoordelen Whats Next agglomeratievoordelen klein

City profiler

Frank van der Sluys • 27/05/2021
Today, we can better see urban policy makers as 'city profilers'. They must make the right connections to arrive at future-proof solutions for our cities in the coming decades.

You can think of them as sheep with five legs that are held responsible for the liveability of our cities and our country as a whole. But can we hold them responsible for this enormous task?

After all, no part of the Netherlands has not been conceived. And our tradition of planning means that in general a good foundation has been laid for our cities. Spatial policy makers played a leading role in this and dictated how we lived in cities. But urban development is under pressure. Not only from an economic perspective or because of the popularity of the cities, but precisely because of their enormous complexity. It has become increasingly difficult to maintain a good balance within the real estate domain between the available functions and the changing needs of people, who have become leading in the way we use cities. The rapid pace at which technological developments succeed each other and the arrival of COVID-19 contribute to this challenge.

Last year, the pandemic accelerated, whether or not by necessity, to a further changing use of space by people and as a result resulted in a changing urban profile of functions. In our country, the need for spatial efficiency in which innovation, social and economic prosperity is facilitated is greater than ever. This is a tricky business. There are functions "disrupted" by a virtual alternative, other functions may be (partly) preserved, but in a different form. We see a lot of change in the retail market and city centers often have a hard time, while neighborhood shopping centers are busy and last-mile delivery is increasing at a rapid pace. The housing shortage remains high, but the demand is changing. New combinations of functions are needed that reinforce and support each other, taking into account changing spatial markets. More than ever, it is important to look 'supra-urban'. There are places in and around the city where a new foundation can be laid for the coming decades in the coming years. By providing insight into where offices can continue to function and where they cannot (anymore), but also where space must be left for green space in the city, now and in the future.

We demand a continuous focus from a city profiler on continuing to improve the basis of existing cities. This is based on an integrated approach aimed at both top-down and bottom-up insights into movements, location choices and needs in the market and with a vision of the supra-urban development based on national frameworks. It is becoming increasingly difficult to look beyond 5 years ahead. A city profiler must keep an overview of what is happening in a city, be able to fathom the current situation, understand macro trends and combine this with lessons from the past. All set from the broader context of surrounding cities, regions, provinces and the Netherlands as a whole.

Fortunately, the availability of data offers the possibility to make these in-depth analyzes, to link profiles of users to them and to understand (supra) urban movements. City profilers can use this to make model-based predictions of developments and apply scenario analyzes to them. This stands or falls, of course, with the quality and availability of data in all shapes and sizes and from a multitude of sources. Let us not underestimate the complexity of our spatial development and the need for true city profilers. And at the same time value the impact and possibilities of data, but also the necessity of it and ensure that we do our urban development on the basis of data-driven decisions. In this way we maintain spatial control, real estate can remain a means and not an end in itself, and together we make the Netherlands a little more beautiful every day with our fantastic cities. 

Every month a column is published on a topic related to the value of the city. This vision is based on internal research and dialogue with internal and external stakeholders, in close collaboration with consultants and analysts from our Real Estate Strategy & Innovation team. More background can be found in our Insight: City Profiler.

Read more - Value Of A City

Lessen uit de woestijn card
Insights

Lessons from the desert

Having a place to live is a right for everyone. Preferably in a nice place in an inclusive environment with room for personal development and perspective.
Jos Hesselink • 16/12/2021
Smart City card
Insights • Technology

The smart Smart City

A fully digital city is like working completely from home due to corona: all spontaneity and creativity disappear like snow in the sun. Living in the city only gives energy when the city is bustling with activity and at the same time provides peace of mind when you need it.
Jos Hesselink • 18/11/2021
Climate risk card
Insights • Sustainability / ESG

Climate risk

Climate risk is now a reality which will impact current and future value of property. When we talk about climate risk, we invariably mean one of two things – the transitional risk of moving towards a low carbon economy or the physical risks associated with climate change.
Lucy Matchett • 29/09/2021
Urban Bike Share Rack
Insights

The City That Moves Stays Healthy

We move too little. Both the city and its inhabitants. While the population density in the cities is growing. 
Jos Hesselink • 27/07/2021
Kalverstraat card image
Insights

Kalverstraat in 2030

The Kalverstraat as the aorta of the new business district that is developing in the center of Amsterdam. Where old business comes back in new form, because the businessman and woman is back in town!
Jos Hesselink • 17/06/2021
City profiler image card
Insights

City profiler

Today, we can better see urban policy makers as 'city profilers'. They must make the right connections to arrive at future-proof solutions for our cities in the coming decades.
Frank van der Sluys • 27/05/2021
De stad na COVID
Insights • Sustainability / ESG

The city after COVID-19

COVID-19 shows our vulnerability. At the same time, it gives us insight into how we should improve the quality of life in our cities in a future-proof way. Anticipating population growth, climate change, health and our continuing need to live, work and stay in cities.
Jos Hesselink • 22/04/2021
De Randstad loopt leeg card
Insights

The Randstad is emptying out

The initial cause of this has everything to do with supply and demand. For years there has been a chronic shortage of affordable housing in the Randstad, the economic heart of the Netherlands. This applies to both starters in the buyers' market and middle incomes in the tenant market.
Jos Hesselink • 25/03/2021
Auto de stad uit card
Insights • Sustainability / ESG

City streets should not have cars

The arrival of the car has radically changed the spatial development of our cities and the infrastructure in the Netherlands.
In order to bring cars and freight traffic safely and quickly from A to B, highways and motorways, bridges and viaducts, traffic lights and pedestrian crossings were necessary.
Jos Hesselink • 25/02/2021
Groene steden
Insights • Sustainability / ESG

A city full of green is not valued enough

A green environment or fresh air is not often a reason to live in a city, rather the opposite. It is often a reason to escape the city at the weekend and visit nature, or even to live elsewhere.
Jos Hesselink • 04/02/2021
Ruimtelijke ordening
Insights

The future-proof city

The value of the city lies in its future-proofness. In order to be able to anticipate the needs of the time, vision and ambition are needed as guidelines for strategic area development.
Jos Hesselink • 09/12/2020
Ode aan de woningcorporaties
Insights

Ode to the housing association

We are faced with a major challenge to ensure that living in the city remains affordable and thus retains its soul and that we feel connected to the city in which we live.
Jos Hesselink • 12/11/2020

CAN'T FIND WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR?

Get in touch with one of our professionals.
With your permission we and our partners would like to use cookies in order to access and record information and process personal data, such as unique identifiers and standard information sent by a device to ensure our website performs as expected, to develop and improve our products, and for advertising and insight purposes.

Alternatively click on More Options and select your preferences before providing or refusing consent. Some processing of your personal data may not require your consent, but you have a right to object to such processing.

You can change your preferences at any time by returning to this site or clicking on Cookies.
MORE OPTIONS
Agree and Close
These cookies ensure that our website performs as expected,for example website traffic load is balanced across our servers to prevent our website from crashing during particularly high usage.
These cookies allow our website to remember choices you make (such as your user name, language or the region you are in) and provide enhanced features. These cookies do not gather any information about you that could be used for advertising or remember where you have been on the internet.
These cookies allow us to work with our marketing partners to understand which ads or links you have clicked on before arriving on our website or to help us make our advertising more relevant to you.
Agree All
Reject All
SAVE SETTINGS