“With grand formats, high-rise buildings can impress, but also overwhelm. That experience plays out especially at street level, where as a passer-by you increasingly find yourself facing a tower. That is precisely where design choices can contribute to a qualitative densification of the living environment. At the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, the Spatial Urban Transformation practical research programme is conducting innovative research into the experience of areas that have many high-rise buildings. Dr Frank Suurenbroek and Dr Gideon Spanjar are authors of the book Neuroarchitectuur. Ontwerpen van hoogbouwsteden op ooghoogte (Neuroarchitecture. Designing high-rise cities at eye level), published in 2023, in which conclusions and recommendations are shared.”

Excerpt from the interview Experience as an instrument (Beleving als instrument) with Frank and Gideon, published in the book City without fear of heights (Stad zonder hoogtevrees) by Emiel Arends. Read the interview in English and Dutch below or order the bilingual book from the publisher.

The interview is published under CC-BY-NC Licence: Attribute to author Emiel Arends and publisher nai010.