In this beautiful photo by Aart Klein from 1959 we see the pits that were often dug against the wind on the beach at the time. It gives a fascinating picture of the way in which people organize their space as they see fit, in search of intimacy and distance. I like to use the image to explain the organic principles of urban planning.
Human behavior is a constant. That is why cities last a long time and that the basics have been fixed in urban planning and architecture since time immemorial. Good designs are not coercive but offer comfort and move with human nature.
I therefore do not suspect that in these corona times, a time when truths are daily rates, anyone seriously thinks that the 1.5m economy is the new normal. It is an unnatural movement. We prefer to use this episode to think about what the world looks like in which everyone can feel free in a sustainable way.
Henk Hartzema, LinkedIn, May 2021. Image: Aart Klein – Strand bij Noordwijk, 1959
