What if we stopped thinking of cities as collections of buildings and streets, and started seeing them as canvases for culture, identity and connection? That’s the perspective driving a powerful new research initiative led by Peter van der Aalst, Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUAS), under the guidance of Greg Richards and Jeroen Klijs. The focus: how street cultures and sports can help create more inclusive, sustainable cities.
The project, currently rooted in cities like Breda, Rotterdam and Tilburg, collaborates with local networks to uncover the social value of urban sports. At its heart lies a desire to foster creative, community-driven projects that resonate with real people, not just planners and policymakers. This isn’t about parachuting in polished strategies from above. It’s about listening to what the streets are already telling us.
Placemaking, the process of creating meaningful public spaces, is often hailed as a cornerstone of successful urban development. But what does it really take to build spaces that matter? Peter’s research brings in thinkers like Jane Jacobs and Richard Florida to explore the idea that cities thrive when they’re shaped by the communities that live in them. Meaningful public space, it turns out, isn’t something you design for people; it’s something you create with them.
That’s especially true when it comes to street culture. From skateparks to graffiti walls, from dance crews to BMX riders, these forms of expression are often born in the margins but they carry enormous value. They provide young people with identity, with platforms for creativity and with safe, accessible ways to connect and grow. The challenge, as Peter explains, is to nurture these cultures without flattening them into formalized programs that lose their edge and authenticity.
His research is already uncovering deep insights. A survey of 303 respondents, 42% of whom were under 20 years, revealed how strongly youth identify with street sports. Not just as a hobby, but as a lifestyle. While older participants tended to view activities like skateboarding or street football as “sports,” younger voices described them as subcultures. They talked about how these spaces helped build self-confidence, spark creativity and foster social bonds. The message was clear: streetsport isn’t an add-on to urban life; it’s at the heart of it.
Alongside quantitative surveys, Peter conducted 18 in-depth interviews and 4 focus groups with practitioners, youth workers, community leaders, policy makers and facility operators. The takeaway? When street cultures are supported rather than controlled, they generate social capital, entrepreneurial energy and vibrant local scenes. But it requires balance. Over-regulation and top-down structures risk killing the very spirit that makes these cultures thrive.
Peter uses the concept of “creative ecology” to explain the interplay between different layers of the city. At the base is the underground: grassroots communities and informal networks. In the middle is the middle ground: bridge builders, connectors, facilitators. At the top is the upperground: policymakers, funders and institutions. For real progress to happen, these three levels must work in sync. Street culture, in his view, is a living system that needs air, light and space: not concrete blueprints.
“When street cultures are supported rather than controlled, they generate social capital, entrepreneurial energy and vibrant local scenes.”
Examples across the Netherlands show the potential of this approach. In places like Den Bosch, Pier15 in Breda, Hall of Fame in Tilburg, Skateland Rotterdam and Studio Noord, local communities have co-created hubs of creativity, resilience and play. These are not “projects” with start and end dates; they are evolving spaces where culture breathes and adapts.
Still, challenges remain. Urban development often moves faster than community collaboration. Space is scarce, funding is complex and safety concerns can limit spontaneity. That’s why Peter’s research calls for cities to simplify access to funding, reduce bureaucratic hurdles and invest in human relationships. Empowering local leaders and allowing initiatives to flourish organically isn’t just good policy, it’s essential to preserving the soul of urban life.
Next steps in the research include a focus on city outskirts, further expert interviews and exploration of international best practices. An exciting experiment in Tilburg is also underway, looking at night culture and how it intersects with youth engagement and creative use of space. Throughout, Peter is committed to presenting and discussing its findings with cities across Europe.
Peter van der Aalst, whose presentation added critical depth to the project’s direction, emphasized that we are not just researching what happens in the city. We’re shaping how cities can feel. His approach blends rigorous data with real human stories, drawing on street interviews, community workshops and lived experience. Whether it’s the way young people repurpose a concrete square into a dance floor or how a DIY skatepark becomes a hub for neighborhood connection, his message is clear: culture lives in the details.
So what can other cities learn from this work? First, that inclusion and innovation are not opposites. Streetsports and creative urban cultures aren’t fringe, they’re frontline. Second, that meaningful change starts with trust: trust in communities, in young people and in the power of place. And finally, that the city doesn’t always need to speak the loudest to be heard. Sometimes, the most important voices are already echoing in the alleyways, skatebowls and basketball courts.
The streets have a lot to say. The question is: "are we listening?"
Peter van der Aalst management team member & professional doctorate candidate @ Breda University of Applied Sciences