Towards a sustainable transformation of the detached houses in peri-urban Flanders, Belgium

This paper takes the search for sustainable housing in existing residential neighbourhoods made up of detached dwellings as a central problem. This problem is defined by the gap that currently exists between three points of departure, being primarily, the everyday reality of the Flemish residential landscape and housing model which developed as a result of a laissez-faire policy and is currently rather inert; and secondly, concrete spatial concepts to adaptively re-use low density residential neighbourhoods, which can be linked to contemporary theoretical concepts in urbanism and planning. To enquire into this problem, this contribution revolves around the following central questions: In the perception of home owners, which qualities of their residential neighbourhood are inextricably tied to the character of the neighbourhood, and which aspects could be altered? Which common perceptions can be found in this distinction that could form the basis for consensus building and respond to NIMBY-ism with regard to transformation of these residential neighbourhoods?

Jaar van publicatie:2014

Trefwoorden:housing, spatial planning, sustainability, overhousing, adaptive re-use