Back to School with… Andrea Prins #1

Affordable homes for all? Social Housing between crisis and creativity

After being ignored for a long time, the lack of affordable, social housing in the Netherlands has become ubiquitous. In the current debate, most of the attention is focused on numbers: too few homes are being built compared to what should be needed. High construction costs are used as an argument to make social housing seem like an unprofitable investment. Moreover, there is a maze of rules that people must navigate to qualify for social housing. This narrowing perspective on numbers and regulations, overlooks something important: the resident and the experience of habitation itself. As a result, many (young) people do not even consider living in a social project. Not only is social housing discouragingly scarce, it also suffers from a negative image. In this series we discuss these issues from different perspectives.  What do decent spatial floor plans look like? What do decent spatial floor plans look like? What could, and should, the term “social” encompass? And why do we know so little about alternatives to home ownership?

On this first evening, we will explore compact, affordable and spatially attractive apartment floor plans with Beatriz Ramo and Fenna Haaksma Wagenaar, thereby countering the pitfalls of unhealthy minimalism. 

Programme 28 January 2025

18:00 - 19:00 Doors open and dinner served

19:00 – 19:20 Introduction by Andrea Prins

19:20 – 20:15 Presentation by Beatriz Ramo on social housing floor plans in Paris + Q&A

20:15 – 20:35 Presentation by Fenna Haakma-Wagenaar

20:35 – 20:55 Presentation by Job Floris

20:55 – 21:15 Conversation with speakers and audience 

21:15 Drinks at the bar

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Back to School with... is a lecture series for which the School invites a professional guest to curate a lecture programme around one topic or question that has their urgent and great interest at this moment and to bring together different speakers to elaborate on the subject in three consecutive evening events. This event is the 1st in a series about social housing, curated by Andrea Prins. More info here.