Project Hek Yes
Flexible public space, within a neighbourhood under construction.
spatial innovation | participation | public space
Clients
Gemeente Amsterdam
EiT Urban Mobility
In collaboration with
University of Amsterdam
Studio Smelt
Featuring Studio
De Alliantie Ontwikkeling
Team
Tessa Steenkamp
Floortje Opbroek
A new residential area in the North of Amsterdam is still under construction, and the public space will not be laid out until 2024. However, the first residents moved in early 2020. Their life and movements on the site are dictated by safety, where walking aisles are protected with fences.
HEK YES gives the first residents tools to temporarily claim public space in the midst of the construction site. Disposed fences and donated materials are transformed into furniture units, such as a ping-pong table, football goals and a picnic table.
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Participatory process
The units of Hek Yes are designed in collaboration with the residents. In workshops, we sketched out the public furniture and their functions together. The sketches were then turned into objects, produced from disposed fences donated by local construction companies.
Now that the mobile furniture is installed, we measure and observe their usage: which units are the most popular, at what times, and where? During a two year period, we learn and provide input for the final design of the neighbourhood's squares and courtyards.
Always space somewhere
Even though the neighbourhood has no allocated space for recreation, there is always space somewhere on the construction site. The objects all have wheels, so that they can easily be relocated. This way, they are never really form an obstruction, but always occupy space for public activities just by being there.
In a place with few spatial design rules, the fences form a tangible negotiation tool between residents and construction workers.
Since 2021, Hek Yes has provided valuable space for growing the local community. There is now a local gardening team, and the furniture welcomed birthday parties and local football tournaments.