How do you address urgent spatial challenges in a region where city, coast, and landscape converge? In collaboration with VINU, we examined this question on behalf of the Holland Rijnland Region and five municipalities (Katwijk, Leiden, Oegstgeest, Noordwijk and Teylingen), as part of the livability study for the N206 Corridor.
The N206 Corridor encompasses the western flank of the Katwijk-Leiden-Alphen aan den Rijn development axis and the southern part of the Dunes and Bollenstreek Region. The goal of the study is to investigate what unique narrative connects this region, provides direction for future developments, and aligns with national priorities.
The study builds on earlier insights from the Regional Investment Agenda and Regional Environmental Agenda for Holland Rijnland, in which the corridor emerged as an area where housing, the economy, accessibility, and livability are increasingly converging. To make well-informed decisions in this regard, we began by mapping out the existing situation. This included concrete and conceptual housing plans, the degree of densification, the number of homes projected by 2040, and the relationship with surrounding projects.
In this initial phase, our Digital Cities team translated this into a series of GIS analysis maps and ultimately a joint bottleneck map to answer the question: what is the impact of these plans on the quality of life of current and future residents?
Broad prosperity and healthy urbanization served as an important source of inspiration. We looked not only at space and infrastructure, but also at the effect on residents and their living environment. To this end, we developed a data-driven methodology:
- a 500x500m grid as the basic agglomeration unit
- a set of 14 KPIs and indicators as a baseline measurement
- a four-level scoring system based on universal benchmarks (such as WHO and RIVM) and regional policy goals
All analyses were conducted in Python. This allowed us to quickly test assumptions, adjust indicators, and regenerate maps as our questions evolved during a collaborative design-based research process.
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Quality of life was central to the assessment framework. We examined factors such as proximity to amenities and work, healthy mobility and walkability, as well as the quality of the living environment, sustainability, safety, nature, and social communities.
By bringing these layers together, we gained insight into where opportunities and bottlenecks are concentrated. Although the region generally scores positively on nearly all quality-of-life indicators, there are a few areas where we see room for improvement: barriers caused by infrastructure and large business parks, resulting in limited access to many surrounding landscapes and a low proportion of green space in residential areas.
This analysis forms the basis for the next step: developing building blocks, core values, and ultimately spatial scenarios for the region’s future. It was precisely the continuous feedback loop between data, analysis, and design that made it possible to deepen insights step by step.
