Maastricht, the “blue zone of the future”
In 2021, the average life expectancy at birth for someone in the Netherlands was 81.4 years. So called ‘blue zones’ are regions in the world where people are claimed to live, or have recently lived, longer than average.
In 2022, Consulting and Engineering organization Arcadis presented the second edition of its Healthy City Index (available here). The index ranks 25 Dutch cities in terms of health. A study by the RIVM examining the characteristics of a healthy city and how the physical environment contributes to health in practice provided the foundation for this assessment. Groningen emerges as the healthiest city, and Maastricht was ranked in 5th place.
We are interested in finding out how Maastricht can be designed and developed in a way that promotes health, high quality of life, and increased life expectancy. What is necessary to turn Maastricht into a ‘blue zone’?
In order to find out, we need to know how different areas in Maastricht currently perform in terms of health, and what factors play into that. We invite you to explore best practices from around the world to see how they can be implemented in Maastricht. An interdisciplinary approach is key to this process: let’s explore how Maastricht can be transformed into a blue zone together!
The outcome of the research is important in our focus on ‘Quality of Life’ and ’Leader for change’; a design process that improves the natural environment by enhancing the quality of life for biotic (living) and abiotic (chemical) components of the environment. The Healthy City design process promotes the pattern of relationships between the physical, built, natural environment and economic benefits.
