Romy Esmée van den Berg

Goed wonen moet je verdienen

Good housing must be earned
About challenging the stigma of social housing
 

‘Goed wonen moet je verdienen’ (Good housing must be earned) is about the stigma of social housing within our Dutch housing system. I grew up in social housing myself and have lived in this house almost my entire life. I was never aware of the stigma that rests on social housing. That changed when I started working in the field of urban planning. To my surprise (read: shock) I was confronted with prejudices and negative associations regarding social housing and its residents. This is where my fascination for this subject started. 

When I started this 'project' my focus was on 'why is social housing so clearly recognizable?', which is mainly an aesthetic issue. I soon realized that this was not the core of my story. That core is more deeply rooted, it goes back to the origin of social housing and to what social housing has now become. The stigma goes much further than outward appearance, it is about people, values, and about the spatial inequality within our housing system. It is not merely an architectural task, it starts with urban planning! 

I have examined the history and policy of Dutch social housing, which has a clear link with  politics. Stigma from society and demographic changes also play a role. I then mirrored my findings with the well-known housing system of Vienna. With the aim of showing that another housing system is in fact possible! 

After all, everyone deserves good housing - healthy, affordable, qualitative and free of stigma - regardless of background or financial status. 

The title of this graduation project is intended to provoke a counter-voice and start a discussion. I solemnly hope that anyone who reads "housing must be earned" will immediately think to themselves "what a nonsense [everyone deserves good housing]!" 

 

Graduation date: 25 March 2025
Graduation committee: Martin Aarts (mentor), Pepijn Bakker, Sander van der Ham
Additional members for the exam: Riette Bosch, Sebastiaan van Berkel