EXPERTISE
Twan is living in the Euregio Meuse-Rhine where he works – as an urban expert – mainly on cross border cooperation projects like the Avantis, the high-tech cross border estate in Aachen/Heerlen. His expertise has also been utilized on reconversion of a former coalmining estate, set in densely populated area, in transforming it into a multifunctional city quarter with housing, business, public transport, sports & recreational areas. Recently, he published a baseline study for the Vitalcities Project under Urbact in his role as lead expert and contributed to the co-creation of the vision and the integrated multi annual recovery program for the city of Heerlen.
Twan also kickstarted the 1.0 version of the Heerlen “Minewater” project under INTERREG B, extended recently within INTERREG VB NWE into the current 5th Generation district heating & cooling network that is expanding over Heerlen & Parkstad Limburg city region. This as part of the PALET energy roadmap.
While coaching Parkstad Limburg & Heerlen on their EU agenda, he has been involved in over 15 projects in different fields of interest over the last 4 years, see main references on the list below.
Currently he is involved in advising the European Commission on designing the new European Urban Initiative (UIA) for the period 2021-2027.
In the 2000’s he worked a decade in Eindhoven City as the head of the International Office. This office with a branch in Brussels developed the triple helix set by the Brainport Eindhoven agenda and managed the rolling this out through co-created solutions with end users. Hence, he is also experienced in governance aspects of innovation.
PUBLICATIONS
2014
Towards an European Agenda for Parkstad Limburg/Heerlen 2014
2018
‘Vitalcities’ baseline study under the Urbact programme
2018
‘How to promote the people helping people approach” within existing EU city networks, a feasibility study on EU networks
PROJECTS
‘Super Local’ - Super Circular Estate / EU Urban Innovative Actions Programme
City Centre Doctor - Development of the Heerlen city centre / EU URBACT Programme
Aurora flats - Murals for Communities / EU Creative Europe Programme
W(e)SH – We Service Heerlen / EU Urban Innovative Actions Programme
Digital Circular Deconstruction / EU INTERREG VB NEW Programme
I-place - Centrum ontwikkeling Heerlen / EU URBACT Programme
REFORM - Smart Urban Mobility Plans / EU INTERREG EUROPE
Project Heatnet (Mijnwater) – lobby / EU INTERREG VB NWE
Project D2Grids - scaling up of Mijnwater / 5th Generation heating & cooling networks / EU INTERREG VB NWE.
Ad hoc expert in URBACT projects City Centre Doctor, Change, Creative Spirits.
