Architects are underused in the reinforcement of homes in the earthquake area in Groningen. That writes Francesco Veenstra, the Chief Government Architect Thursday in a letter to State Secretary Hans Vijlbrief (Mining, D66). As a result, the reinforcement task in Groningen does not make any real difference to residents, owners and the government, according to Veenstra. In North Groningen, some 26,000 houses may need to be reinforced.
According to Veenstra, an important role must be reserved for the architecture sector in the recovery operation. He sees great added value in the input of architects because with their expertise they can guide residents and clients “from the start of a design to completion”. Especially in an area, as Veenstra writes, ‘where people build with a past and where the future is being shaped at the same time’.
In the current policy, ‘essential topics’ such as energy transition, the use of sustainable building materials and climate resilience, among other things, are only discussed to a limited extent. Moreover, the emphasis in the recovery operation is now too much on speed and budget. And that is at the expense of the quality and unique character of the area, says Veenstra. On the one hand, he shows understanding for the rush that is being made with the recovery operation. But it would, he says, be a “missed opportunity” if the reinforcement operation is completed in 2028, as the cabinet wants, without improving the quality of life in the area.
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