Date of Award
2022
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelors
Department
Social Sciences
First Advisor
Brain, David
Area of Concentration
Urban Studies
Abstract
The Dutch woonerf is a concept born out of the necessity to prevent the incursion of the automobile on residential streetscapes. However, the woonerf is an outlier when it comes to urban planning, as the automobile has come to be a dominant force in many cities. North America was at the forefront of auto-centric planning, which had many ramifications for its cities. Between the demolition of housing to build new highways, to the car-centric street design in dense urban centers, people have been pushed out one way, or another. Amsterdam, a model city of modern urban planning, was on the path that many North American cities went down. However, Amsterdam’s path was changed in response to resistance from people who wanted to keep their space. Both people, and planners, were against the idea of allocating more space to the automobile, as it would require whole blocks of housing to be demolished. With a housing crisis at hand, and pressure to build more automobile infrastructure, Dutch planners had to think outside the box. This thesis analyzes North American efforts to learn from the Dutch example, to find what works and what does not.
Recommended Citation
Menendez, Tyler, "HOW THE DUTCH WOONERF CAN INSPIRE BETTER STREETSCAPES IN NORTH AMERICA" (2022). Theses & ETDs. 6270.
https://digitalcommons.ncf.edu/theses_etds/6270