Research highlights
The Urban and Regional Studies Institute (URSI) was established in November 1999 to coordinate research projects in the field of urban and regional planning, demography and human and economic geography within the Faculty of Spatial Sciences at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. All research within URSI takes place within our TRACE research progamme, TRAnsformations, Communities and Environments.
Below are some interestng research highlights.
Enhancing Accessibility for All: Insights from the AccessCity4All Project
Enhancing Accessibility for All: Insights from the AccessCity4All Project
Local Project team: Samira Ramezani (PI, Project lead), Ward Rauws (Co-I and local stakeholder coordinator), Felix Pot (Collaborator), Mahdi Rahimi (Postdoctoral researcher), Taede Tillema (Collaborator), Thomas Zaw (Collaborator Province of Groningen)
The AccessCity4All project explores how residents experience accessibility in their neighborhoods, moving beyond traditional planning approaches that focus only on distance and travel time to essential services. While the 15-minute city concept aims to ensure that essential services like shops, schools, and healthcare are within easy reach, real-world access depends on much more than just proximity—it is also shaped by infrastructure (quality), safety, personal needs and desires, and social dynamics.
Findings from the Netherlands highlight that accessibility is not only about physical barriers but also about lifestyles, personal choices, and social environments. Some residents intentionally choose to live in quieter areas with fewer services, prioritizing peace over convenience. However, others struggle with limited transport options, inaccessible pathways, or a lack of community spaces that foster social interaction. By listening directly to residents, AccessCity4All reveals hidden obstacles to accessibility and helps urban planners design and plan more inclusive neighborhoods and services.
Floating Future
Floating Future
Margo van den Brink
The NWO funded Floating Future project (2024-2029) aims to take floating development in the Netherlands to the next level. Examples of floating structures already exist, but mainly on a smaller scale consisting of single family homes, floating solar installations, and individual buildings. The Floating Future project will provide practical and theoretical insights in the fields of governance, technology, and ecology to enable scaling up floating developments in the Netherlands as a space saving and climate resilient solution.
The project includes a consortium of 44 partners and co-researchers from academia, government, civil society, and the private sector. There are five case studies being examined which are in various stages of the design and planning process: a floating offshore multipurpose hub; energy storage in the Port of Rotterdam; and housing developments in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and the Green Heart. Researchers at the Faculty of Social Sciences lead a work package on governance of floating structures, including social, legal, and policy aspects. They are also engaged with coordinating and studying the Participatory Action Research of the project, which will combine scientific knowledge production with practical insights for the case studies.
Michi Noeki
Michi Noeki
Sander van Lanen
To improve the social framework in this neighbourhood, the Municipality of Groningen has decided to set up four so-called Michi-Noekis. These are small buildings, inspired by the Japanese Michi no eki, a resting place at the side of the road. In the Michi-Noeki, you will find a place to sit down and have a cup of coffee and a conversation, ‘because there is always someone there’, adds Van Lanen. The four small buildings will be set up in strategic locations in the neighbourhood. The aim of this project is to reduce loneliness and encourage participation.
| Last modified: | 13 May 2025 10.36 a.m. |