Challenge: Describe your challenge, including all relevant information.

I am a resident of Pension Almonde, a Rotterdam-based temporary social housing project in  Almonde Street. Whilst the Stad in de Maak Foundation has made the street, its apartments and  shops available to Urban Nomads for a fair price, the street will be demolished alongside the  temporary community that was created with it.

For over 1,5 years, Pension Almonde has been home to Rotterdam’s Urban Nomadas. Many  different initiatives have been sprouting from Almonde Street, in part thanks to the social housing  aspects of the project. At the end of October, the street will be demolished, evicting the current  residents, as planned.

Other “Pensions” providing alternatives to gentrification and speculation, face similar issues. As long  as they remain atoms attempting to challenge municipal pressure and market forces, ephemeral  innovation might happen. To make transformative practice happen at scale, these initiatives,  projects and communities need to be networked through collaborative efforts.

On part with a 3-day Slopera (sloper- demolition; opera), involving different networks as well as the  municipality might present a way for residents to self-organise. I have started organising a  hackathon for these different networks to be involved in DE RENOVATIE Hackathon.

Selection: In your own words, briefly describe the tool you selected (e.g., what it is and why you  selected it for your challenge -- including any appropriate video lecture references).

Thanks to the efforts of the Stad in de Maak Foundation in creating Pension Almonde, a community  has sprouted out of Almonde Straat. Whilst being a unique story, by having residents reflecting on  what is their story provides solutions. By using a collaborative and open document, residents have  started to comment and criticize some of the problems and solutions already presented.

As planned, Pension Almonde, its residents and their initiatives will be dislodged at the end of  October. Providing affordable housing to a diverse group of people, the Stad in de Maak Foundation  has made the creation of the Pension Almonde community a possibility. Almonde Street residents  have shown common intentions that go beyond concrete - we care about each other’s neighbours  and we want to see them succeed both in their personal ambitions and in this shared wealth we  collectively designed. Despite the demolition of the street, can our community of intentions remain?  By creating our own story, we can make history and intervene as  one community.

Application: Describe how you applied the tool you selected to your challenge (e.g., what you did  and how the tool was applied effectively or ineffectively).

Challenging my neighbours to participate in a brainstorming session, they have started to recognize  both the problems presented as well as some of the solutions. By starting a co-creation process that  involves storytelling, we have started to come together and define what our community means. This  will allow us to run a coherent and participatory event that can present solutions to our community  and others facing similar situations.

We have started creating a story around this project, to create products and services that both serve  us and can convey solutions to other networks through digital means. We are strengthening a cause  via storytelling. With the Hackathon/Slopera, we will be able to develop and deploy solutions  together.

Insight: Describe the insight you gained from applying the tool you selected to your challenge (e.g.,  how an insight affected your thinking about the challenge and design thinking more broadly).

We have, thus far, found that we are exercising the following rights:

-  The Right to Challenge, that is the provision of services by public or private entities to  society;

-  The Right to Community, that is the right to find common and shared housing solutions and  to community living;

-  The Right to the City, and to the provision of public life to the great city of Rotterdam;

Thanks to these insights, we have concluded that any solution lies in our existence as:

-  As a community of practice;

-  As a network embedded with other communities and initiatives;

-  In a new communal or distributed space or network of spaces;

Unless networked, our efforts affect few people. Thanks to this process, we have already concluded  that we need a wider network of co-creating partners. To keep the Hackathon/Slopera ongoing,  weekly co-creating sessions will be happening weekly to get everyone on the table, regardless of  their background.

Approach: Describe what you might do differently next time -- applying the same tool you selected  or a different one -- and the reason(s) why.

Considering that there are many parallel activities taking place in Pension Almonde, an alternative  approach would have included mind-mapping the existing resources. Whilst not having the same  importance as storytelling, mind-mapping will help in the completion of the project, and assist  people with all the necessary tools to come up with solutions to Pension Almonde and other  networks working on social housing, in addition to including other stakeholders as well as experts in  the process.


Challenge : Describe your challenge , including all relevant information . I am a resident of Pension Almonde , a Rotterdam - based temporary social housing project in Almonde Street . Whilst the Stad in de Maak Foundation has made the street , its apartments and shops available to Urban Nomads for a fair price , the street will be demolished alongside the temporary community that was created with it . For over 1,5 years , Pension Almonde has been home to Rotterdam ’s Urban Nomadas . Many different initiatives have been sprouting from Almonde Street , in part thanks to the social housing aspects of the project . At the end of October , the street will be demolished , evicting the current residents , as planned . Other “ Pensions ” providing alternatives to gentrification and speculation , face similar issues . As long as they remain atoms attempting to challenge municipal pressure and market forces , ephemeral innovation might happen . To make transformative practice happen at scale , these initiatives , projects and communities need to be networked through collaborative efforts . On part with a 3 - day Slopera ( sloper- demolition ; opera ) , involving different networks as well as the municipality might present a way for residents to self - organise . I have started organising a hackathon for these different networks to be involved in DE RENOVATIE Hackathon . Selection : In your own words , briefly describe the tool you selected ( e.g. , what it is and why you selected it for your challenge -- including any appropriate video lecture references ) . Thanks to the efforts of the Stad in de Maak Foundation in creating Pension Almonde , a community has sprouted out of Almonde Straat . Whilst being a unique story , by having residents reflecting on what is their story provides solutions . By using a collaborative and open document , residents have started to comment and criticize some of the problems and solutions already presented . As planned , Pension Almonde , its residents and their initiatives will be dislodged at the end of October . Providing affordable housing to a diverse group of people , the Stad in de Maak Foundation has made the creation of the Pension Almonde community a possibility . Almonde Street residents have shown common intentions that go beyond concrete - we care about each other ’s neighbours and we want to see them succeed both in their personal ambitions and in this shared wealth we collectively designed . Despite the demolition of the street , can our community of intentions remain ? By creating our own story , we can make history and intervene as one community . Application : Describe how you applied the tool you selected to your challenge ( e.g. , what you did and how the tool was applied effectively or ineffectively ) . Challenging my neighbours to participate in a brainstorming session , they have started to recognize both the problems presented as well as some of the solutions . By starting a co - creation process that involves storytelling , we have started to come together and define what our community means . This will allow us to run a coherent and participatory event that can present solutions to our community and others facing similar situations . We have started creating a story around this project , to create products and services that both serve us and can convey solutions to other networks through digital means . We are strengthening a cause via storytelling . With the Hackathon / Slopera , we will be able to develop and deploy solutions together . Insight : Describe the insight you gained from applying the tool you selected to your challenge ( e.g. , how an insight affected your thinking about the challenge and design thinking more broadly ) . We have , thus far , found that we are exercising the following rights : - The Right to Challenge , that is the provision of services by public or private entities to society ; - The Right to Community , that is the right to find common and shared housing solutions and to community living ; - The Right to the City , and to the provision of public life to the great city of Rotterdam ; Thanks to these insights , we have concluded that any solution lies in our existence as : - As a community of practice ; - As a network embedded with other communities and initiatives ; - In a new communal or distributed space or network of spaces ; Unless networked , our efforts affect few people . Thanks to this process , we have already concluded that we need a wider network of co - creating partners . To keep the Hackathon / Slopera ongoing , weekly co - creating sessions will be happening weekly to get everyone on the table , regardless of their background . Approach : Describe what you might do differently next time -- applying the same tool you selected or a different one -- and the reason(s ) why . Considering that there are many parallel activities taking place in Pension Almonde , an alternative approach would have included mind - mapping the existing resources . Whilst not having the same importance as storytelling , mind - mapping will help in the completion of the project , and assist people with all the necessary tools to come up with solutions to Pension Almonde and other networks working on social housing , in addition to including other stakeholders as well as experts in the process .