We have translated CityD's mission and vision into five core values. These values are in the DNA of our organizations and are central to everything we do, in contact with customers and partners, in our working methods and in the implementation of our projects.

How can visions and ideas be future-proof in a rapidly changing world?

This is a question that concerns us every day. CityD wishes to provide a long-term perspective that allows public and private actors to prepare their policy or project sustainably and successfully. We base this on, among other things, the current economic tension between supply and demand, but recent years have repeatedly shown that this can change quickly. Thanks to historical insight, a good sense of trends and developments, permanent assessment of the main actors and not least the resident or visitor, we anticipate expected or unexpected developments and trends.

Changed consumer behavior is quickly noticed and interpreted, after which we develop new options for it. We think long term and build flexibility into the plans. In this way, cities and project locations are made more resilient to remain relevant in the face of change. So future-proof.

The demand for research comes from all kinds of actors and there is often a concrete reason to start an investigation. Yet every client benefits from objective advice, devoid of any dogmatic, ideological or biased position. It is up to the client to draw his/her conclusions from this, but this should not stand in the way of an independent investigation.

Knowledge and methods form the logical engine and involvement is the fuel. Our research can only take shape if we fully immerse ourselves in the research question, in the location, in the participation processes that must guarantee a supported result. Involvement through a permanent desire for new insights into spatial-economic themes, for new contacts and networks, where our topics are moulded, discussed, filtered and strengthened. We go on-site, sense core qualities or shortcomings, understand them and get to work on them.

CityD's research and consultancy work can only be successful if we can coordinate the expectations, concerns or suggestions of all stakeholders. The city, city centre or region is made by people and so we take these interpersonal dynamics into account. By seeking confrontation, provoking discussions and offering solutions, we succeed in finding the right connection. The connection that arises creates a fertile climate within which CityD team members formulate clear conclusions and recommendations that all stakeholders can agree with.

The power of imagination is of course determined by the degree of desire and inspiration with which a project is started. But imagination in this case mainly means that we must be able to visualize, project, clearly show and 'depict' assumptions, speak the right language, logically but in an enthusiastic way. We are happy to involve the client and listener in a inspiring process. We have to look beyond the walls of time, location, and circumstance and that is not possible without imagination.

Have you noticed that our five brand values are invariably linked? Because inspiring projections over time 'means' future-proof, looking over the walls does not mean getting stuck in one's own right and therefore requires an independent approach in which we seek support and connection in a committed manner. Just imagine that!