This essay investigates the Iranian encounter with and influence on the international modernist movement. The reception of international modernist discourses and their weaving into Iranian housing- and city-building practices contributed to the formation of a peculiar, alternative, and indigenous version of modernism that took hold in the 1950s. While such practices were clearly part of the international modern movement, they were simultaneously definable as uniquely Iranian. By analyzing the Narmak quarter in Tehran, this paper explores how the production of a middle-class neighborhood became part of a nation-building strategy. Through processes of moderation and appropriation, the idealistic modernist version was made more practical based on pre-existing socio-cultural characteristics and typological elements. Ultimately, this local version of modernism led to the acceptance of modernism, provoked an urban reaction and produced some unexpected social consequences.
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In deze tekst wordt de TWEXX methode, ontwikkelt in de Enschedese wijk Twekkelerveld, geordend, beschreven, geanalyseerd en kritisch doorgelicht. De ondertitel ontwikkelingsgericht participatiemodel is niet voor niets gekozen. Het gaat in deze methode om participatie en ontwikkeling van mensen, sociale netwerken, organisaties en plannen en strategieen. En dat is geen geringe opgave. Het raamwerk van het model bestaat uit vijf samenhangende onderdelen. De Twexx methode is de invulling daarvan toegepast in Enschede. Het model is in principe overal toepasbaar wanneer de principes worden omgezet in maatwerk, gerelateerd aan de lokale context, de mogelijkheden en de ambities. Deze tekst is bedoeld om inzicht te verschaffen in de zoektocht naar een methodische aanpak van bewonersparticipatie binnen de dynamische wereld van het wijkgerichte werken. En vooral hoe, waar en op welke wijze bottom-up en top-down elkaar kunnen versterken.
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Social media and sharing economy platforms do not only disrupt industries. They also bypass democratic institutions. That’s not without risk, because the dominant Silicon Valley based online platforms are designed to create shareholder value, not to strengthen society or democracy. Which is unfortunate, because online platforms – if designed to that purpose – can be uniquely power full tools for organising our networked society.In Amsterdam over 90 neighbourhood networks use online platforms for self organisation. This development accelerated from 2010 on. The networks aim at strengthening social ties and local initiatives and are increasingly involved in some way of democratic innovation. This study is a deep dive into this urban bottom-up-movement. It puts the phenomena of online neighbourhood platforms in a broader societal and economical context. It points at the importance of user owned platforms and data. And it draws conclusions on how society and specifically municipal management can bring this movement to a next level. Ultimately with the potential of growing into an alternative for the Silicon Valley owned online platform ecosystem.
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