Anique Hommels receives €1,000,000 grant to coordinate international project on resilient neighbourhoods

Prof. Anique Hommels has been awarded €1,000,000 through the Driving Urban Transitions (DUT) Partnership, a European research and innovation programme supported by Horizon Europe. The funding enables Anique to coordinate the international research project INGRAIN (INtegrating GReen and sociAl Infrastructure for resilient Neighbourhoods).

The three-year project brings together researchers, municipalities and societal partners from the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and Portugal to investigate how former industrial areas can be transformed into greener, more inclusive and more resilient neighbourhoods. Case studies will take place in Maastricht, Stockholm, Zürich and Lisbon.

Across Europe, former industrial sites are increasingly being redeveloped into residential and mixed-use neighbourhoods. While these transformations create opportunities for greener cities, they also raise important questions about social inclusion, accessibility, governance and environmental sustainability.

INGRAIN will examine how green spaces and social infrastructure can be better integrated in urban redevelopment. Working closely with local governments and community partners, the consortium will develop practical tools and policy recommendations that help cities balance environmental ambitions with social needs. The project will also focus on improving collaboration between different municipal departments and ensuring that vulnerable groups are better represented in redevelopment processes.

About the grant

The Driving Urban Transitions (DUT) Partnership supports international collaborations that help cities become more sustainable, resilient and liveable through research and innovation. It is co-funded by Horizon Europe and national funding organisations across Europe, such as NWO.