What do you do when you want to make your dream come true while you’re hesitant to leave your full-time job behind? Exactly, you pitch it in the best way possible to your boss and hope for his support.
This happened to me two days before Chinese New Year 2014, the year of the Horse, when I sat down with my boss and shared with him my dream. After our 2 minute conversation he said: ‘let me see how I can support you’ which is the most incredible response to receive.
Four months later I was one of the RTKL ‘Kagan People’s Choice Fellowship’ winners resulting in a) making a dream coming true (driving from China to Holland) while b) being able to professionally further developing myself by writing a book about urbanization along the former Silk Road.
THE PROJECT: PERSPECTIVES ON A GLOBALIZING WORLD
Cities are among the most enduring and remarkable of all human activities. They are built to withstand time and city planners are trying every day to adapt to societies changing needs. In a globalizing world, whereby everything is connected and interrelated, how are our cities preserving their history and face? How do planners, city officials and inhabitants build great places that go beyond their own legacy? How do we make sure that future generations can enjoy the same level of comfort as we do?
How do planners, city officials and inhabitants build great places that go beyond their own legacy? Maren
On Saturday July 26th I departed with my travel companion by car on a 3 months journey from China to Holland. The result of this journey is a book:
‘PERSPECTIVES ON A GLOBALIZING WORLD – A journey from an urbanizing China to an urbanized Europe’
Eight cities are selected to provide their perspectives on being a competitive city in a globalizing world. In these eights cities I will interview professionals in the field of urbanization on specific issues related to that city:
In eight cities I will interview eight professionals in the field of urbanization on specific issues related to that cityMaren
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Would you know anyone in the cities that I am visiting in the field of urban planning, design, environment, infrastructure development, architecture or heritage preservation? Or do you know any of the latest ‘great urban projects’ that is (being) developed? Feel free to drop me an email at maren@brandnewchina.net
Nanchang Qingshan Lake Masterplan, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China – RTKL
LA Live, Los Angeles, California, USA – RTKL
About RTKL and ARCADIS
One of the leading urban design and architecture practices in the world, RTKL joined the ARCADIS network in 2007. Based in Amsterdam, ARCADIS is a global company providing consultancy, design, engineering, and management services in infrastructure, water, environment and buildings. ARCADIS enhances mobility, sustainability and quality of life by creating balance in the built and natural environment. ARCADIS develops, designs, implements, maintains and operates projects for companies and governments. With 23,000 people worldwide and € 2.4 billion in revenues, ARCADIS has an extensive international network that is supported by strong local market positions.
About the RTKL KAGAN Fellowship
The Leonard Kagan Design Fellowship honors the legacy of RTKL’s Leonard Kagan and the huge contributions he made to the firm in the area of design. The Kagan Fellowship was conceived to celebrate the spirit of exploration as an integral part the creative process.