Perspectives for an innovation district in Tilburg, The Netherlands

IADP-partner: Zjak Consult

The municipality of Tilburg has adopted the Area Vision Kenniskwartier. This is an area of 100 ha located around the campus of Tilburg University. The proposed development aims to turn this area into a future-proof, lively and dynamic residential and working area. In this way, the plan can easily connect to current trends. After all, people now think differently about jobs, workplaces and working environments than they did a few decades ago. This has led to the emergence of so-called innovation districts, characterised by a certain ‘vibe’, a mix of functions and a network of linkages between companies and knowledge institutes with the aim of taking innovation to a higher level and thereby strengthening and diversifying the local economy. However, such development can only take place if the right conditions are met.

In the context of the Area Vision for the Knowledge Quarter Tilburg, the question is how the concept of an ‘innovation district’ can contribute to the realisation of the plans. The research to answer this question looked at a number of trends that point to an increasing interest in central, inner-city locations among employees as well as companies and institutions. The concept of an innovation district was further explained, partly by means of examples. An overview of important characteristics of innovation districts was used to examine the extent to which the current Area Vision Kenniskwartier addresses these various aspects.