HvA Examins and Educates the City

The Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (HvA) is hard to overlook in the city, with its more than 45 thousand students. Even more so since HvA chose the City as a major theme for education and research, a few years ago. HvA will function as a programme partner on the big urban and societal issues at WeMakeThe.City, with disciplines such as Urban Management, Urban Vitality, Urban Technology and Urban Analytics, and several research fields of the lectors.

A large group of students of HvA will visit the neighborhoods and boroughs on Wednesday, June 20 for a WeMakeThe.City survey, posing the key question: What kind of city do we want to live, reside and work in? Students will also take part in all of the theme and area programmes on Thursday 21 and Friday 22 June. The lectors and researchers contribute to the theme programmes with their specific tasks and will present research findings of projects and living labs.

We Charge The City

More and more people are living in and around the city, putting pressure on our cities. We face the challenge of keeping and making our cities livable, healthy and sustainable – now and in the future. For this, we need creative and innovative solutions. The creative industry and the world of science are offering just that: possibilities and new insights which we can use to bring the future here.

Scientists and entrepreneurs will present their vision of the future city at CHARGE, organized by CLICKNL, in collaboration with the Amsterdam Creative Industries Network. Do you want to know the future of energy, behaviorism and the smart livable city? Would you like to find out how you can connect with the frontrunners as a creative professional, scientist or policy maker? Come to the Parool Theater on the Knowledge Mile on June 21, get inspired by keynotes and experts and connect during an afternoon and night of madness.

ABN AMRO Pushes Circular Economy

As a lead partner on the topic of Circularity at WeMakeThe.City, ABN AMRO has the opportunity to share their knowledge and expertise with a broad target group: on circular building, circular procurement and all the effects formulated in our ambitions of Mission 2030. In addition, they present a broader vision of circularity on the issues that have arisen as a result of, among other things, the growth of the world population and climate change.

ABN AMRO wants to be the action leader and initiate change in these companies through leading by example. With the construction of the circular pavilion Circl at the bank’s headquarters in Amsterdam, ABN AMRO has gained hands-on experience in circular construction and sustainable use of real estate. Building Circl has also changed ABN AMRO’s procurement processes. Within the Procurement Department, the bank is now more focused on circular procurement.

 ABN AMRO wants to guide the transition to a more circular economy. Companies taking the plunge and adopting a circular business model will be provided by the bank with support and new financing models. By 2020, the bank wishes to finance circular business assets of one billion euros through at least 100 deals across all sectors. The total reduction of emissions is to be at least one million tonnes of CO2.

By connecting and sharing knowledge to create an impact with clients and interested parties. By doing so, ABN AMRO helps Dutch companies make the most of the opportunities the circular economy has to offer. ABN AMRO experiments with circular projects, funding, business models and pricing. The bank connects various parties and shares its knowledge by means of industry publications, whitepapers, client workshops, events and tours at the Circl.

The circular pavilion CIRCL on the Gustav Mahler square will be the festival center at the Zuidas. On June 21, it will host the conference The City As a Source and The City As a Service as well as a programme on circular building and buying. Friday, June 22 companies and locals will meet to discuss the future developments at the Zuidas, the opening of the art route GET LOST will take place and there will be late night dancing at the green roof of CIRCL during the ROEF festival. The weekend’s packed with public activities, such as screenings on sustainability, a programme for the youth, architectural cycling tours and art walks.

‘Close to Reality’ at NDSM

‘Close to Reality’ exhibits 50 scale models – from regional scale to actual building, from concept to final design, from urban design to architecture, and public space design.

These models contain all aspects of urban planning and architecture. The exhibition shows the tremendous efforts required to get to a final design and creates an opportunity for the audience to both imagine and discuss future challenges of city planning. The models present an overview of future developments and place design as they create a broader context to inspire, discuss, criticise and focus on future challenges.

István Kenyeres

István started his career as a researcher at the Budapest Technical University, focusing on bioreactor and artificial ecosystem design and bio-refinery processes. After 15 years he left academia, founded and led several successful companies, including Organica Water Inc., which – having introduced an entirely new paradigm to the industry based on his inventions – has become a global player at the cutting edge of the water treatment market. He holds the Silver Merit Cross of the President of the Republic of Hungary for his contribution to the modern environmental industry in Hungary. István closely collaborates with the European Space Agency in its Melissa project, a key initiative to develop closed habitat life support system alternatives both for space and terrestrial applications. His experience in water recycling, resource recovery, and engineered ecosystem design is instrumental both in developing innovative solutions and in the mentoring of the project’s ecosystem design community.

Nuon Creates an Energetic City

Nuon will join WeMakeThe. City as a principal partner! Nuon, part of the Swedish Vattenfall, has set a goal to make the city better by contributing to an enjoyable living environment. It is expected that three-quarters of the world’s population will be living in cities by the year 2050. This calls for innovative energy solutions; How do we keep city life comfortable for everyone, without exhausting our natural resources?

Nuon aims at a fossil-free supply of energy within one generation. We look forward to showing you how we strive to reach this goal during WeMakeThe.City.

Amsterdam City Event: a Knowledge Day for the Civil Servants of Amsterdam

Amsterdam City Event (ACE) is a knowledge day for civil servants of the City of Amsterdam. Around 1,100 civil servants share their knowledge and expertise through workshops, excursions, and lectures, and gain inspiration from outside their organisation. This year the ACE will focus on ‘building communities’. How do we ensure the rapid growth and development of Amsterdam contributes to a meaningful connection between the old and the new neighbourhoods, and between the new and existing communities? How do we organise public support, participation, contradictions, and involvement? And how can digitalisation and circular thinking contribute to this?

Amsterdam City event is a knowledge day for civil servants. If you have any questions please send an email to ci­ty­e­vent@am­ster­dam.nl