Wetenschapswinkel WUR
Het Platform Stadsgracht Wageningen heeft de Wetenschapswinkel van de WUR onderzoek late doen naar het belang van de stadsgracht. Het onderzoek richtte zich onder andere op de relatie tussen het historische karakter van de stad en de aantrekkelijkheid van de stad voor bezoekers en winkelend publiek.
Eindrapport Versterking van het vestingkarakter van Wageningen, Verkenning van de mogelijkheden voor herstel van de stadsgracht
Een versterkt vestingkarakter van Wageningen is belangrijk voor de lokale economie en de aantrekkelijkheid van de binnenstad. Investeren in herstel van stadsgracht loont, en draagt bij aan de herkenbaarheid en gezelligheid van de binnenstad voor het winkelend publiek.
Cluster 1. Identity and spatiality
Does Wageningen has a fortress identity like other fortified towns such as Amersfoort, Den Bosch, Groenlo, Zaltbommel? What do citizens think of the identity of the city? What features of a fortified city centre contribute to the appreciation of superficial observers like shopping families? Is there a (growing or declining) niche for historic fortified city centres with regard to shopping activities.
Cluster 2. Benchmarking identity construction and city management
What fortified towns are comparable to Wageningen and how do these promote their identity and how do they manage the city dynamics of building replacement, restoration or specific space use. What can be learned from their experiences and should be incorporated in the inner city development policies of Wageningen itself.
Cluster 3. Valorisation and trust in public private partnership
What projects are deemed successful or unsuccessful in public private project development in historic city sites? Where can Wageningen find good practices? On what basis are public private partnerships in historic city development qualified a success: financial arguments or arguments, design outcomes or citizens involvement and satisfaction? What amounts of public and private money is involved and how do the partners account their return on investment?
Cluster 4. Enhancing fortification identity
What should Wageningen do to promote and enhance its historic fortification character? How can Wageningen develop its identity on the long term? Answering this question requires both a map of expected city transformation (the renovation and redevelopment areas in the next 50 years) and a historic analysis of how the fortification structures developed in different periods in history.
Cluster 5. Design alternatives
What comments and suggestions can be given with respect to the project developers plan? Is the project developers proposition fair, seen from an economic perspective and compared with the good practices explored in cluster 3? How can the former canal structure be restored in such a way that it fits in a long term perspective on enhancing and promoting the fortification structures of Wageningen inner city in such a way that meets the future requirements of its shopping industry and housing. In this phase a design oriented study is needed.
Basis
Exploring and mapping the future dynamics of Wageningen inner city
On what methodological basis and with which mapping techniques can the future dynamics of the inner part of Wageningen city be presented?
Social Media for Wageningen fortification identity
Exploring the possible use of social media for consulting the citizens of Wageningen about their knowledge, ideas and opinions on the fortification identity
Investing in future and history of Wageningen
Clarify the relationships between investing in the restoration of historic fortification structures and its beneficial effects.