Blueprint vs. zoning planning - Video conference #2 - 24.05.11

‘We have to move from blueprint to zone planning’ (Amsterdam)
‘We want to go more from zoning to overall vision planning’ (Recife)
 
The second conference started with a presentation by the students on the Via Mangue project. The students approached the Via Mangue from the themes heritage, water and mobility. Challenges are: integrate borders, create a complex totality, integrate natural and built heritage, transform a freeway into an avenue park, create open spaces for social interactions and integrate the mangrove, the river and the ocean. The fact that the Via Mangue seems a purely infrastructural project makes it difficult to find integrated solutions. The Amsterdam side wonders if there is a basic vision from the government on the future of Recife and how the Via Mangue project fits in. The Recife team explains there is no overall strategy like the Structural Vision 2040 in Amsterdam but that they use a zoning plan: Plano director: http://www.recife.pe.gov.br/pr/secplanejamento/planodiretor/. 

 
Foto: Meriam de Lange

The infrastructure and water situation in Recife are pretty dramatic and because the ecological situation is very different from Amsterdam, cases are hard to compare. Waternet remarks that in the sixties the Amsterdam canals were also very polluted, but that this doesn't mean it cannot change. 

Despite the challenges, a lot of projects are realized in Recife. Big infrastructural projects are implemented by the government and building projects on a smaller scale are initiated by private parties. This market oriented way of building incorporates a high level of flexibility that Amsterdam envies. Recife on the other hand admires the strong planning tradition in Amsterdam. Although the Recifian municipality has suggested some long term visions for certain areas (like the former harbour area in de Bairro do Recife) these are difficult to 
implement. 

The discussion shifted to the fact that Amsterdam is turning its face towards the water again with the development of the Northern and Southern IJ banks. In Recife a similar trend is visible, although the public still doesn’t value the water as highly because of the poor conditions. How could things get better?

Flora van Gaalen