Urbanization & Transition of Cities

With their (ecological) footprint cities have a huge effect on the entire ecology of the planet. Their scale creates new dynamics, new complexity and new simultaneity of events and processes – physical, social and economic. With this website I would like to contribute my ideas about complex adaptive urban systems, ecologic sustainable urbanisme and social, cultural and economic urban development. Today there’s still time to share knowledge and ideas. Tomorrow it’s time to act.

Background

Arie Voorburg, consultant and (guest) lecturer & researcher at several universities. Traveled and gained life experience as an officer in the (merchant) navy. Once ashore, he immersed himself in studies of system ecology (co-evolutionary  complex systems, quantum biology), biophysics and philosophy and became fascinated by the urban phenomenon; the city in all its facets. Active for 30 years in the fields of ecology, biodiversity, sustainable development and complex –urban- systems.
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As cities expand in a transnational economy driven by interrelated dynamics (social, economic, financial, formal and informal, cultural, etc.) and through a continuous exchange of materials, energy, knowledge and abilities, they reconstruct ecological systems. Their scale creates new dynamics, new complexity and new simultaneity of events and processes – physical, social and economic. They host intense and complex interactions between different demographic, social, political, economic and ecological processes.
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Lectures & Research

Bio-ecologic inspired design principles (Biomimicry and bioclimatic design), Evolving Economy (Biobased, Circular, Inclusive Economy), Talent development (education and 21st century skills), Disruptive Technologies and new finance models.
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Drive

Globalization 4.0 has only just begun, but we are already vastly underprepared for it. Clinging to an outdated mindset and tinkering with our existing processes and institutions will not do. Rather, we need to redesign them from the ground up, so that we can capitalize on the new opportunities that await us, while avoiding the kind of disruptions that we are witnessing today.
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Staying optimistic?

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Staying optimistic in today's world can feel like a Herculean task. Societies and their organizational structures and systems are increasingly exposed to disruptive events. Variability and randomness are the rule in our complex world leading to deep uncertainty, often caused by the accumulation of a number of factors. The future, with its inherent unpredictability, can seem daunting, making it hard to envision a brighter tomorrow. Trespassing geobiophysical planetary boundaries, increasingly social inequality, demographic and cultural shifts, unequal distribution of health, income and wealth in a continuously globalizing world are interconnected and disruptive. Due to the growth of the world’s population, continued…

Complex en fascinerend

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Het leven is een complex en fascinerend fenomeen dat ons al eeuwenlang bezighoudt. De zoektocht naar de betekenis van het leven en de betekenis in het leven zijn twee fundamentele vragen die vaak met elkaar verweven zijn, maar toch verschillende perspectieven bieden. De vraag naar de betekenis van het leven is een filosofische en existentiële kwestie die zich richt op het doel en de zin van het bestaan. Verschillende culturen, religies en filosofieën hebben uiteenlopende antwoorden gegeven op deze vraag. In religieuze contexten wordt de betekenis van het leven vaak gekoppeld aan een hogere macht of goddelijke bedoeling. Filosofen zoals…

Current geological age

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The Anthropocene, a term to describe the current geological age, is characterized by the significant impact of human activity on the Earth's ecosystems and geology. This era has prompted a re-evaluation of humanity's role in the world, leading to the emergence of posthumanism as a critical framework for understanding our place in the universe. The Anthropocene marks a departure from the Holocene, the epoch that began approximately 11,700 years ago. It is defined by the profound and often detrimental effects of human actions on the environment, including climate change, biodiversity loss, and widespread pollution. The recognition of the Anthropocene underscores…

Tussentijd

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Uit mijn lezing ‘time between worlds’ van 19 september jl. kan afgeleid worden dat we in een tussentijd leven. Een heden tussen verleden en toekomst, oftewel tijd is creatie– en anders is hij helemaal niets. De ervaring van het procesmatige, temporele en steeds veranderende karakter van de werkelijkheid. In een wereld waarin gefixeerde structuren en concepten onder druk komen te staan en ons leven steeds meer door het hebben van ‘geen tijd’ wordt bepaald is het noodzakelijk gestolde en verouderde concepten, denkwijzen en manieren van waarnemen te doordenken en te vernieuwen. Als je jezelf geen tijd gunt en daarmee het…