Open space and urbanization are often seen as two opposing forces. However, in our urban regions, city and landscape are closely intertwined and part of the same urban system. This offers opportunities for sustainable development where open space can be used as a building block and leverage for future urbanization.

How can the open space be developed in a more ambitious way? What conditions can be created to make room for productive landscapes for food production, energy production, recreation and nature? And how can open space best contribute to, or even guide urban development?

Lecture by Henk Ovink (NL Special Envoy for International Water Affairs, curator 5th IABR: Making City). Debate with Sylvie van Damme (University College Ghent) and Bas Smets (Bureau Bas Smets). The debate will be moderated by Joachim Declerck (AWB).

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 23
Time: 19.00 - 21.00
Location: Atelier Flemish Government Architect, Ravensteingalerij 54-59, Brussels
Language: Dutch
Admission: free. Register via this link.

Designing the Future sessions
This debate is part of the debates program Designing the Future and is organized by AWB and IABR, with the Flemish Government Architect, the Flemish Association for Spatial Planning and the Brussels Government Architect.

Various global and local challenges present themselves increasingly as complex spatial issues: energy transition, the socialization of health care, sustainable mobility, and others. This has resulted in a renewed belief in the potential of design based on the assumption that it can help us realize the future that we want. At this point in time, there is a need to merge the knowledge, insights and experiences that have been produced. What are the lessons learned? And more importantly, what are the next steps? How can we translate intentions into practice? How and with whom do we start? The Designing the Future sessions are devoted to the development of a shared agenda for designing a better future.