Zaanstad places

Zaanstad

Place Game | Cliënt: Gemeente Zaanstad

On June 17th 2014, the City of Zaanstad, together with Placemaking Plus and Stipo initiated the idea to do a community placemaking workshop at the area of De Burcht and the Sluiskwartier (historical area). The workshop was guided by Fred Kent and Kathy Madden from Project for Public Spaces. Just below 30 participants from local businesses, residents, institutions and government officials participated.

The local, very active community envisions their area as a network of places that will transform from a shredded, not-so-used system of public space into Zaandam’s waterfront; a well-bonded, diverse, dynamic, exciting and community-driven place, where people will enjoy it on a daily basis, all year-round.

For us, this project is a great example of how a group of “zealous nuts” can push things further, and actively change their living habitat; by transforming  from “thinkers” and “tellers” into “doers”.

In the case of De Burcht, the community was implementing a number of quick wins, like the escorted walk of the neighborhood (September 14, 2014) and pimping a number of benches and flowerboxes near the river Zaan.

You can find the full report of the Placegame here.