OKRA’s strategic vision towards the “healthy city“
Social inclusion, climate resilience, sustainable mobility. Martin Knuijt proposes his vision for the healthy city of the future.
Martin Knuijt, founding partner of OKRA, has been leading the Utrecht, Netherlands-based firm since 2016 in defining the strategy for a healthy city.
Three pillars guide OKRA’s work in urban design: water and heat stress management for adaptation to climate change; priority for cyclists and public transport; and thirdly, public space as a lively social environment.
All three aspects are reflected in the Merwede Canal project, where space for cars is very limited, with fewer parking spaces and less infrastructure, to the benefit of plants and trees that change the landscape of Utrecht.
Among the many successful projects adopting the healthy living approach, Knuijt has also realised 19 km2 of the Shenshan coastal area in China, implementing nature-based solutions and water strategies already adopted in the Netherlands.
At Utopian Hours 2023 the story of how planning, design and connection with local communities come together for a new urban sustainability.
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