Rhythm as the Key to Social Resilience in Urban Environments

In a time when urban communities face increasingly complex challenges, Caroline Nevejan, professor at the University of Amsterdam, along with her team, launched the innovative project Designing Rhythms for Social Resilience (DRSR). This project combines insights from data science and social sciences to develop new design strategies that enhance social resilience in neighborhoods.

The Importance of Rhythm

The DRSR project focuses on examining rhythms in the daily lives of urban dwellers. Rhythm, as Caroline describes, is not merely a pattern of repeated actions but a crucial factor in how communities function and adapt to change. “The challenges of our time are highly complex and require a multidisciplinary approach,” says Caroline. She emphasizes that collaboration between various disciplines is essential to effectively address these complex issues.

Impact of COVID-19

The outbreak of COVID-19 provided an unexpected but valuable opportunity to test the theories and methodologies of the project in practice. The pandemic disrupted daily rhythms in unprecedented ways, allowing the researchers to observe changes in social structures and resilience. “For a rhythm researcher, this is an extraordinary event,” Caroline notes. “The lockdown measures had profound effects on how people stayed connected, resulting in new insights that would otherwise have been difficult to obtain.”

Data and Privacy: A Challenge

A significant part of the research focused on collecting and analyzing data, particularly mobile phone data, to gain insights into people's movements and interactions within urban environments. However, strict European privacy regulations (GDPR) caused significant delays in the research process. “It is essential to engage in dialogue,” Caroline stresses, referring to the challenges with the university's privacy officers. Eventually, the research team overcame the legal obstacles, allowing them to resume their work after a year-long hiatus.

The Foam Index: A New Metric

One of the most significant outcomes of the project is the development of the so-called Foam Index. This algorithm analyzes data to gain insights into community movements within cities and how they change under external influences, such as lockdowns. Caroline explains that the algorithm is based on both ethnographic research and big data analysis, making it possible to identify patterns that would otherwise remain invisible. “We’ve created an algorithm that shows us where the community is heading based on that data,” says Caroline.

The Foam Index not only has applications in crisis management but has also led to new insights in tourist management, as Caroline discovered during presentations of their work in various cities across the Balkans.

New Applications of Rhythm in Urban Design

In addition to developing the Foam Index, the project also explores other innovative applications of rhythm in urban design. One of the most promising uses is rhythm analysis for optimizing urban infrastructure and improving social interaction in public spaces. By studying patterns of human movement and interaction, it is possible to determine where meeting places would be most effective or how traffic flows can be better managed to improve neighborhood livability. Caroline points out that this approach can also be valuable for designing events or managing city parks, where rhythm provides insight into when and where people feel most comfortable and connected.

International Activities in Japan and America

In the final phase of this research, Caroline will further expand her work on rhythm and social cohesion to national and international contexts, with planned activities in the Netherlands, Japan, and the United States. In Japan, Caroline will collaborate with local universities and research institutions to explore how rhythmic patterns can contribute to social cohesion in rapidly aging urban areas. In the United States, Ph.D. candidate Pinar Sefkatli will focus on applying rhythm research within architectural practice. She will collaborate with leading architects and urban planners to explore how rhythmic insights can be integrated into building and public space design.

Future Publications and Implications

While the project has already yielded impressive results, there are still a few steps needed before all findings can be scientifically published. “We have spent a lot of time obtaining and refining the data,” says Caroline, referring to the complexity of collecting, processing, and analyzing the data. “By the end of this year, we’ll also work out a business plan, and Pinar Sefkatli will defend her Ph.D., marking a beautiful conclusion to DRSR,” Caroline proudly concludes.

Caroline and her team have demonstrated that rhythm is not just a theoretical concept but a practical tool. These new applications underscore the potential of rhythm as a powerful instrument for promoting social cohesion and resilience in increasingly dynamic urban environments.

More information:

Rhythm Research Collection - openresearch.amsterdam

Rhythm Amsterdam
image made by project team