Keywords: Densification, Public spaces, individual reactions, Quality of Life,
physical environment
The Netherlands faces a major housing challenge. A large number of
housing units must be built, due to the predicted substantial housing
shortage by 2025. One of these large-scale housing sites is the existing
urban area of Eindhoven, which has to realize approximately 30.000
housing units. This residential densification causes rapid population
growth, where urban (green) public spaces come at the expense of these
urbanization processes. This growth leads to changes in the physical
characteristics of cities to accommodate all these new residents
and puts increasing pressure on public spaces. While public spaces
function as the heart of a city and contribute to the urban image, the
need for new buildings results in changes in the overall amount and
use of public spaces. This paper investigates the relationship between
the quality of public space, in the context of a densifying city, while
stimulating positive individual reactions and quality of life. An overview
of the possible urban interventions and their particular stimulation
of an individual reaction is conducted through a systematic literature
review and eventually translated into a guiding toolbox. A critical policy
analysis is executed to gain insights into the current regulations and
perspectives of the municipalities. Based on the spatial mapping a
neighborhood is chosen that is suitable for designing a densified place
with high-quality public spaces, while still preserving and improving
the quality of life for inhabitants. The combination of research, analysis,
and design illustrates how the toolbox can be implemented within
design processes to create a high-quality (multi-scale) public space to
stimulate positive individual reactions.