The last Monday of November was a supper with guests from Groningen. We ate at restaurant Huson in Rotterdam with architectural historian Cor Wagenaar (University of Groningen) and art and architecture historian Peter Michiel Schaap (Platform Gras).

Cor lives in Groningen and is professor History and Theory of Architecture and Urbanism, Head of the Expertise Center Architecture, Urbanism and Health (a-u-h.eu) and Professor Thomassen à Thuessink Chair (Architecture, Urbanism & Health). Peter Michiel Schaap also lives in Groningen. He is coordinator at Platform GRAS. project manager, essayist and editor. He is the initiator and organizer of the large Building the Future of Health conference.

Both men know a lot about the relationship between architecture, urban design and health. But they also know a lot about the city of Groningen. With the Chief architect of Groningen at the table, the topic of conversation alternated between the healthy city and the emotional city. We did not stop talking. The evening ended in café Piek.

Daan Bakker (Daf-architecten), Jeroen de Willigen (DeZwarteHond), Jasper de Haan (architect) and I invite each month a number of colleagues to eat, drink and discuss about our profession, the city of Rotterdam and related matters.

On Monday October 29, we ate with Margot Smolenaars (freelance journalist & editor-in-chief) and Bas van der Pol (director AIR) at restaurant Oliva in Rotterdam.

Margot investigate as research journalist for Vers Beton the Rotterdam construction and real estate world. The series of articles under the title De Bouwende Macht give a clear picture of which parties rule and control of this world

Bas is director of the Architecture Institute Rotterdam. With his activities, Bas follows the discourse in the field of urban development, urban planning and architecture in Rotterdam. AIR consciously seeks a good relationship with market parties and the municipality to embed its activities broadly.

With Margot as an outsider and Bas as an insider of the Rotterdam construction and real estate world, we had an interesting evening.

The last Monday of September two climate men were guests. Jan Rotmans (Professor of Transitions and Transition Management at the Erasmus University Rotterdam) and Hans Bolscher (advisor and director at various initiatives in the field of climate, new energy and green financing) gave us insight into the field of influence of a changing society.

The agendas of Jan and Hans are the same: we have to go to a healthy, honest and more sustainable society. Jan and Hans, however, think completely differently about how we should achieve this and how fast this can be done.

Hans, ex-doctors without borders, ex-director Max Havelaar, former director of IND, ex-director of Climate at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and now full-time climate consultant at Trinomics is looking for solutions that produce immediate results. Such a solution is not necessarily interesting for the longer term, but it moves things and makes things happen. Communicate, investigate and fine-tune a problem and a solution and then tackle the next problem again is the way of working.

Jan, originally a mathematician, analyse quickly and carefully and substantiates his ideas with models. These cannot simply be disproved. He only goes for a solution that also has a long-term value. No intermediate solutions, but immediately the right solution for the right problem. He starts research centres at various universities, is involved in movements such as the Nederland Kantelt and Urgenda and is partner at a new health insurance company. In this way he is not only a preacher of a new era, but also as a researcher, networker and entrepreneur looking for new knowledge and (business) models.

It was a very pleasant evening at restaurant Huson. The force field in the energy, food, building and care sectors, for example, slowly became clear to us this evening. Complex problems were explained to us with enthusiasm. Possible (directions of) solutions were even more enthusiastically shared by our guests. Transition is fun!

Entrepreneur Sabine Biesheuvel (algemeen directeur Bluecity) and wetenschapper Jan Willem van der Schans (Wageningen Economic Research) joined us at restaurant Huson in late August.

Sabine studied anthropology at the UVA and then worked as a senior social business consultant. She is one of the initiators and managing director of Bluecity 'a swimming pool full of possibilities, a playground for circular companies, where we head off with brains, balls, guts and fun on an economy in which waste does not exist'. She has enormous experience in setting up structures that increase social impact and lead to an interesting business.

Jan Willem studied at Erasmus University Rotterdam and at The London School of Economics. He is a senior business researcher at Wageningen Economic Research (the former Agricultural Economics Institute). Jan Willem combines scientific knowledge with practical projects and vice versa. He often works with policy officials at local and provincial level, but also with entrepreneurs in the food network from producer to consumer to shorten chains and make it more on demand.

Ideology, science and business alternate in the conversation in relation to circular economy, sustainability, food and urban development. Willem told us that scientists and entrepreneurs have trouble with each other. He functions between these areas. He must always be accountable on both sides. New developments are emerging, but it takes a long time. Sabine proves that ideology and entrepreneurship go well together. Bluecity is a smart concept with a careful execution and, not unimportant, the pleasure that the people involved have with the project. Intelligence, perseverance and patience are the three most important qualities of Sabine and Jan Willem.

Landscape architects Deborah Lambert (Felixx) and Harro de Jong (Buro Harro) visited us at the end of June.

With landscape architects you already have a good evening in advance. They are broadly oriented, intelligent and incredibly nice. Deborah and Harro confirm this picture and in restaurant Huson we have a nice conversation at a nice dinner.
The approach of both studios differs greatly. Felixx is very internationally oriented. Deborah often participates with its agency in international design teams. They also win a tender with some regularity. They tackle large themes such as energy and the water issue with ambitious design solutions. They investigate landscape architecture as a pragmatic utopian practice

Harro works with Buro Harro just (almost) only in the Netherlands and he is more of the action in the here and now. After a sharp analysis and a clear concept, he prefers to immediately start creating places that give more meaning to the public domain or a private living environment. His involvement with his projects goes far. With a lot of energy and enthusiasm he also initiates his own projects in and around his home base Arnhem.

In our urbanizing world, the significance of a landscape architect is increasing. It was interesting to hear how Deborah and Harro convincingly claim this role with sustainable, functional and beautiful living environments.