Courtesy in the Amsterdam Night Life

Andreas, Ola, Simon, Ziortza, Thomas, Ana Maria

Case & Question

Case & Question “The case of the city of Amsterdam concerns

the roughening and the lack of courtesy in the city, especially on the Rembrandtplein and Leidseplein during nightlife.”

Question: “How can we reduce nuisance and violence on and around the squares at night?”

Focus: “The participants are urged to look for solutions from within society.”

Analysis Research: asking visitors, bouncers and bar-

owners on the square about their experience.

Vision: Ideal Square

Findings: the ideal square is a combination of a good design and an attractive programme.

What Strategy to follow?

Restrictive measures are more likely to lead to negative responses.

Vs.

We should focus on a positive approach in order to invoke positive responses.

Reframed question How can we stimulate positive behaviour in

order to prevent violence and nuisance on and around the squares at night?

Concept:

Key factor: Enabling and connect people to contribute and make the square a better place

Talking Square concept

TS takes behaviour, experiences and

opinions of all stakeholder/users/visitor

s as starting point

Program is most important

Design/ Maintenance

Which means

Then

Good Design

Proper Maintenance & Safety

Nice Program

Typical Public Domain Talking Square (TS)

Prototype – Offline - Twister

Prototype – Offline – String of Hearts

Proto-type – Offline – Round table

Prototype – Offline – Quotes

Prototype – Offline – Graffiti Art

Prototype – Online

Facebook Fanpage: www.facebook.com/talkingsquare

The first Square on: @talkingsquare

What did we learn? People like contributing in a fun way to a

positive ambiance on the square

People will contribute and connect when enabled to do so

Karma

We need this community to form an immune system that improves behaviour

Recommendations

start building an organization (as in community)

start gathering data on experiences of stakeholder, users and visitors

use a "kwartiermaker" (as in pre-projectmanager) to coordinate start-ups

Short term actions

Set-up research with universities and school on experiences and behavior on Amsterdam squares

Set-up for organization (community) of Talking Square

Set-up for communication strategy on TS Do quick wins (quick fixes) Search for kwartiermaker

Medium term actions Start kwartiermaken Start research on experiences and behavior Fix design and maintenance problems (bike

parking, routings, toilets, garbagecans) Start organization (community) that takes

responsibility on program and activities Start activities wrt TS Start organizing funding (for

program/activities, including crowdfunding) Start communication on TS Start building on common and shared vision of

TS

Long term actions

Fix possible mismatches stakeholders (including municipality) on strategy and actions TS

Present shared vision of TS Enlarge organization (community) Make more program and activities Bring in more funding, also from stakeholders 

So what now?