Towards a sense of community Belonging, participation, and spaces of encounter in Dutch urban fringes

This research explores how sense of community (SoC) can emerge through the participation process and the spatial characteristics of neighbourhood design. This argument is tackled by developing and applying a theoretical framework based on a definition of SoC, which is designed to be used in urban studies. Especially focused on Dutch urban fringes, first, the framework was tested in a pilot case study in Kerckebosch Zeist, The Netherlands, and then conducted in the fieldwork in the city of Almere, The Netherlands, focusing on the neighbourhood of Almere Poort. As one of the main cities in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area and amongst the fastest-growing cities in Europe, the development of Almere draws on a polynuclear urban structure of the various neighbourhoods. In this context, Almere Poort represents a shift from the classic top-down approach of suburban expansion to one more led to participatory planning. The research methods included walk-along discussions, semi-structured interviews, mental maps, and art-based and design methods with children, teenagers, and intergenerational groups. The analysis shows the important role that intergenerational spaces of encounter play in facilitating SoC. It also shows that different participatory approaches interact with the specific design features, and in turn lead to distinct community ties. The thesis also brings forward a methodological contribution to engaged urban research: co-design and art-based methods help include different age groups in the planning of public spaces and, in turn, to develop their place attachment, a necessary condition for the Sense of Community.