Thomas Vanoutrive associate professor

Research Thomas Vanoutrive

Research team

Expertise

Thomas Vanoutrive analyses transport policy and related tropics employing a wide range of methods and techniques, including statistical tools (multilevel modelling, spatial econometrics, factor analysis, social network analysis,...), qualitative methods (interviews, document analysis,...) and Geographical Information Systems (GIS). He is also involved in a citizen science project where citizens conduct traffic counts (Straatvinken.be).

How squatters can change the cityscape: an insurgent study on the positive impacts of informal housing in Santo Antônio, Recife. 01/11/2024 - 31/10/2025

Abstract

Due to the clash of the capitalist system with collective interests such as affordable housing, many Brazilian cities currently endure a high housing shortage and, at the same time, high vacancy rates. This produces an inequality that stands at the basis of the emergence of squatter movements; collectives of citizens who take the right to housing into their own hands in accordance with Lefebvre's ideology of the Right to the City. In Recife, a large city in the northeast of the country, these processes come together in the historic urban district of Santo Antônio, where vacancy and homelessness define the streetscape. Organised squatting has only existed here for a relatively short period of time and movements are still searching for the right way to articulate their charges against the system. Urban policies in Recife today are aimed at attracting private investors to the rundown city centre in order to appeal to a new middle class, with gentrification as the result. By using an alternative, insurgent planning approach that contrasts with this classical narrative and departs from the capacities of the local community, this study positions itself at the interface between formal institutions such as the local government on the one hand, and the 'illegal' world of squatters on the other. Through the method of DD-PAR, it empowers marginalized communities to demonstrate their potential to bring about inclusive urban regeneration.

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  • Research Project

Broadening discussions on mobility and accessibility through participatory essay filmmaking with Latin-American migrant women in the Netherlands. 01/10/2024 - 30/09/2025

Abstract

As an alternative for mainstream discourses on mobility and accessibility, this project aims to generate alternative discourses by adding the perspective of liminal subjects. To this end, an audio-visual piece is co-produced with Latin-American migrant women in the Netherlands. Besides the production of video output, reflections made during the process will result in publications on the generation of alternative knowledges and discourses related to mobility.

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  • Research Project

How do people perceive the 15-minute neighbourhoods globally? Investigating public perception across developed and developing worlds (15MINCITY). 01/08/2024 - 31/07/2026

Abstract

Over recent years, the novel concept of the 15-minute city is gaining traction across Europe and beyond due to the numerous benefits that it can yield for local communities. Although it builds upon previous urban planning movements and ideas, repackaging them has contributed to extra attention when re-inventing the desired neighbourhood structure at this time of global resource constraints, climate change, vulnerable settlements, pandemics, and social exclusion. The concept promotes a proximity-based approach in neighbourhoods planning and design by which accessing daily needs for locals is guaranteed in a 15-minute walk/bicycle ride of their home. While the fundamentals of the concepts are promising, a prescriptive nature, like its previous counterparts, does not allow for understanding how popular it is for people and replicable across various contexts. In fact, much less is known about the applicability of this new approach with regard to diverse contexts and clients. The present research project will thus shed light on exploring the way people perceive this novel planning and design approach in various urban contexts worldwide. This research follows a case-study design, with an in-depth analysis of public perception, that is based on a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. The empirical study on context-sensitivity is conducted using predefined developed and developing cities represented by Brussels and Tehran, respectively. These findings contribute in several ways to our understanding of the 15-minute city concept and provide a basis for future applications, having multiple scientific, social, and environmental impacts on global communities in the long term.

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  • Research Project

applying an integrated view on accessibility to the Flemish labour market 01/12/2023 - 31/05/2025

Abstract

This project applies the 'Integral View on Accessibility' methodology to the Flemish labour market. This methodology assesses the accessibility of workplaces for different groups, which differ in terms of income, vehicle availability and home location.

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  • Research Project

benefits on bikes 01/11/2023 - 31/10/2025

Abstract

The Province of Antwerp promotes cycling by expanding cycle routes and infrastructure, with a focus on cycle highways and nodes connecting cycle routes. This project aims to support this promotion by improving user satisfaction through expertise in Product Development and Urban Planning.

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  • Research Project

Citizen Science project 'De Oorzaak' 01/08/2023 - 30/06/2025

Abstract

From noise-sensitive areas to oases of silence: with the large-scale citizen science project De Oorzaak, De Morgen (DM), the University Hospital Antwerp (UZA) and UAntwerpen are focusing on noise and noise perception in an urban environment. In 2024-2025, we will investigate how residents of different neighborhoods in Antwerp, Ghent and Leuven appreciate the environmental noise present. By means of questionnaires (subjective), smart sound sensors (objective) and medical research (UAntwerpen and UZA) we will classify which sounds are heard, what sound level these sounds have, how these sounds are experienced and what impact they have on health, stress, sleep and quality of life.

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  • Research Project

Tracking the growth and impact of the ready-to-eat meal delivery system in Belgium. 01/01/2023 - 31/12/2026

Abstract

Over the last decade, the food market has shifted with ready-to-eat meal delivery services infiltrating many major cities although the widespread proliferation in Belgium is relatively recent. There is a real risk that the current meal delivery system may increase many dietary (and subsequently health) risk factors, have negative consequences for local retailers, and lead to a widening of inequalities (e.g. for consumers through dietary outcomes and for neighbourhoods through local food supply). This project will investigate the ready-to-eat meal delivery system focusing on drivers of and the implications for consumers and local food retailers. Recognising that meal delivery services will become ever present in the future, the knowledge generated will be used to develop solutions to ensure positive changes such as ease of ordering healthy meals and profitable business opportunities for local retailers. We will utilise a systems sciences perspective with a critical focus on ensuring that the ready-to-eat meal delivery system is not widening dietary inequalities.

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  • Research Project

Transit Oriented Development (TOD) for Inclusive and Sustainable Rural-Urban Regions (TOD-IS-RUR). 01/01/2021 - 30/04/2025

Abstract

TOD-IS-RUR focuses on Transit Oriented Development (TOD), conceiving public transport as a backbone for socially Inclusive and environmentally Sustainable urbanisation in European Rural-Urban Regions (RURs). If Europe is to make a transition to inclusive and sustainable urbanisation, this extension of TOD to RURs is essential, as most Europeans live in RURs, not just in urban cores. TOD-IS-RUR sets up an interdisciplinary, international and intersectoral network to analyse, develop and test-case innovative approaches countering sprawl in RURs by bringing in expertise from urban studies and drawing on a wide-range of European contexts. The 9 Beneficiaries and 12 Partner Organisations create a unique platform for 10 Early Stage Researchers (ESRs), providing expert-level training in analysing and improving TOD for RURs.

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  • Research Project

The road to street data. 01/12/2021 - 30/11/2023

Abstract

Since 2018, the citizen science project Straatvinken generates data on traffic and liveability in streets in the region of Flanders. This has resulted in several rich databases. The aim if this project is to valorise these data for societally relevant research. First, the data collection and cleaning procedure of the yearly traffic counts will be optimised. Second, data from a vehicle classification survey (n = 1,000) will be analysed to investigate data quality, and third, the data will be used to explain differences in the number and share of transport modes across streets in a variety of geographical contexts.

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  • Research Project

Assessing and improving TOD projects in Belgian and Swedish RURs. 01/10/2021 - 30/09/2024

Abstract

The research project aims to develop novel understandings of the interaction between generic, urban TOD models and the pre-existing social and spatial contexts of RURs in which TOD projects are undertaken. The project focuses on (i) who is developing specific TOD projects for which reasons and with which social and landscape impacts; (ii) frictions between the pre-existing social and landscape context of RURs and the imaginaries of TOD development plans. Cases examined are TODs in the RUR of Antwerp and Stockholm/Uppsala.

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  • Research Project

a healthy and sustainable food environment 01/02/2020 - 31/07/2020

Abstract

On the basis of a literature review, a conceptual model will be developed which explains how policies at the regional and local level might have an impact on the healthy and sustainable character of the food environment of citizens.

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  • Research Project

expert advice: Quality of Place and Livable Streets 01/01/2020 - 29/02/2020

Abstract

The Environmental Department of the Flemish government is developing a vision on Quality of Place. The UAntwerp drew up a text which makes use of the concept of 'livable streets' to discuss the draft vision of the Department.

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  • Research Project

Predicting Pedestrian Traffic at Street Level. 01/07/2019 - 31/12/2020

Abstract

Pedestrian traffic is often treated as a taken for granted way of travelling by both researchers and policy makers. However, recent studies have highlighted that walking deserves more attention since it is a healthy, sustainable mode of transport that contributes to the liveability of streets and neighbourhoods. This project contributes to the literature on walking by means of a quantitative analysis of pedestrian traffic at the street level.

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  • Research Project

Citizen Science Project 'Straatvinken' 23/04/2019 - 01/05/2020

Abstract

Straatvinken is a citizen science project centered around citizen-generated traffic counts. The subsidy supports the May 2019 counting event. Supported activities include a survey on traffic livability, and the processing and communication of the data.

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  • Research Project

A transportation justice perspective on accessibility poverty in the urban periphery. 01/10/2018 - 30/09/2021

Abstract

This project aims at a better understanding of accessibility poverty in the urban periphery in order to refine and redirect justice-inspired theories of transportation planning. In line with the literature on transportation and social exclusion, transportation justice theory sees transportation poverty and a lack of accessibility as the main problems to be addressed by transportation policy since people need a sufficient level of accessibility to participate in society. In this project, three urban peripheral cases will be analyzed to complement the literature with an internationally diverse view on insufficient accessibility and related concepts. Or in other words, these cases will improve the knowledge to deal with what can be considered the central question in justice-inspired transportation planning: how much accessibility do we owe each other? After an assessment of the main theory of transportation justice, three issues were identified that deserve further attention: paternalism, production and individual rights, and the research project is organized on the basis of these three issues and three selected cases.

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  • Research Project

Green-blue networks in Flanders 19/10/2017 - 18/10/2019

Abstract

The aim of the assignment is firstly to define, on the basis of sound scientific argumentation from literature, a definition of the concept of green-blue networks supported by all partners, based on the objectives of biodiversity, climate and quality of life. Based on this definition, the existing green-blue network and the potential for expansion and qualitative reinforcement will be mapped and visualised. The final part of the assignment consists of research by design, in which the elaboration of concrete cases, aims to put the theory into practice.

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  • Research Project

What do we owe each other in terms of accessibility? 01/07/2017 - 31/12/2018

Abstract

The concept of accessibility links urban planning with transport policy, and a common premise in accessibility studies is that access to activities and facilities is essential to participate fully in society. Access barriers can be financial or organisational, but our focus is on the transport dimension. Qualitative research will be carried out to better understand what transport poverty means, and to explore the question, 'What do we owe each other as citizens in terms of accessibility?'.

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  • Research Project

Analysis of Building Permits in the region of Flanders (Belgium) 01/10/2016 - 05/12/2017

Abstract

The research encompasses a quantitative analysis of the Flemish building permits database. A variety of statistical techniques will be employed to explain evolutions caused by changing legislation and societal trends and transformations.

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  • Research Project

Public transport policy: discourse, accessibility and alternatives. 01/10/2015 - 30/09/2016

Abstract

This project is on why transport policy is the way it is and does what is does, or in more dramatic terms: why does transport policy fail? A variety of opinions exist on the shortcomings of public transport policy. These viewpoints are part of discourses which contain particular views on the problems and solutions, and transport policy can only be understood properly as the result of strategies and their eventual implementation. Public transport was chosen as the central topic since it touches upon many key issues in mobility such as congestion, pollution, equity and fairness. Besides an analysis of the discourses of transport economists, sustainable mobility proponents and other relevant actors, the impact of policy on the daily life of people will be investigated. In particular changes in access to normal activities and opportunities (e.g. work, shopping, healthcare) will be the subject of the investigation. In a final stage, the transport alternatives put forward by a variety of actors will be discussed. Although the focus is on how we think about public transport, the aim is to better understand transport policy and its impacts in general.

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  • Research Project