On Thursday, July 3rd, the best-attended, 4th edition, of the Dag van de Ontwerpkracht (Day of Design Power) took place in The Hague. With this year’s theme “Connected and Interwoven”, Platform Ontwerp NL emphasises that today’s spatial issues are layered and intertwined. Design and imagination are needed to connect all issues – across scale levels, interdisciplinary and with an eye for social and societal cohesion. More than five hundred spatial designers, researchers and policymakers, developers, administrators, students and consultants immersed themselves in eighteen master classes on spatial issues.

In the Vitruvius Lecture, Chief Government Advisor Noël van Dooren mentioned, after 100 days in the Chief Government Advisor’s office, research into a new economic model for post-growth in the region, with new collaborations between government and residents and entrepreneurs, or research into how the energy system of the future can truly be a joint construct. He stated that issues around agriculture, water and nature, especially drinking water, are high on the agenda. Chief Government Advisor Thijs van Spaandonk argued that “Community knows best”: when residents and communities are trusted and asked the right questions, this almost always leads to valuable developments. Planners should actively participate in the community to bring about developments that enhance cultural, social, economic and ecological values.

NVTL organised two in-depth master classes:

• Young NVTL: Designers of the 22nd century

In this masterclass, young designers explored their future role. With pitches from Catherine Koekoek – IABR and Peter Pelser – TU Delft, a design deliberation on work culture, profiling and responsibility began. A critical dialogue on behalf of the generation shaping the future.

• New building culture: nature in the city as ‘the new normal’

Nature-inclusive design: from ambition to reality. Green ambitions abound, but how do you make them a reality in design and implementation? The master class explored how to maintain nature inclusiveness from programme of requirements to implementation and management. With our board member Shera van den Wittenboer, Marijke Dijkshoorn, Gideon Spanjar, Suzanne in ‘t Veld, Jannemarie de Jonge and Lian Blok.