Abstract

The region of Parkstad in the south of the Netherlands belongs to the cross-border geography of Germany to the east and Belgium to the south. A once-flourishing mining area, the region today faces economic and structural difficulties, an aging population, and youth migration, all symptoms synonymous with urban shrinkage. However, Parkstad appears to have partially accepted that shrinkage has to be strategically addressed, but planning for decline is a time-consuming process. This article positions bottom-up strategies as alternatives to formal planning when coping with urban shrinkage. By first conducting a literature review of bottom-up measures taken to counter urban shrinkage in Western Europe, we show the validity and prevalence of these methods. Second, the role of existing bottom-up strategies within the region of Parkstad is analysed. Third, we expand upon the role of IBA Parkstad as a possible public/private coalition-building exercise for the engagement of inhabitants and the legitimization of various bottom-up activities. Based on these findings some preliminary conclusions are drawn on how shrinking is accommodated through bottom-up strategies, and the concept’s linkages to the theory and planning of urban shrinkage.