This chapter explores two structural aspects of port-city interaction. First, it studies the evolution of planning policies on post-industrial waterfront spaces in the Netherlands before and after the 2008 financial crisis, focusing on the former shipbuilding company Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij (RDM). The RDM site in Rotterdam is a significant part of the old port area, and its submarine and shipbuilding legacy has always been present in the heads and hearts of the citizens. Second, the chapter explores how reawakening the nautical culture and marine traditions in Rotterdam can also reanimate the historical links between port and city. It briefly analyses the goals, achievements, and effects of a few heritage projects on the port-city interaction and the maritime identity of this global port-city.

The economic growth and the growth of the European urban area was at a particularly high level in the second half of the twentieth century. The public and economic functions, traditionally located in the inner cities, needed more and more space during that period and were re-located. They moved to bigger buildings on more reachable sites, outside the inner cities. At the same time the mobility of people improved steadily and cities increasingly had to compete for the favour of the consumer. "City branding" became a common term in those days. With this in mind, the specific identity of the city is of crucial importance. The area of the old inner city is essential in that context, but in the way it was and not the way it has become. The historic embedded identity forms the counterpoint for the dominant influence of a levelling global culture. The faster society is changing, the more attention for the stability of history, the more popular is the preservation of cultural heritage. On the basis of that, in many European cities plans are made or carried out to restore and maintain cultural heritage in combination with renewal, all integrated in transformation plans for parts of the inner city. The decision process about inner city transformations is based on the economic interests of private as well as local public participants. The costs of restoration of cultural heritage are covered by public and private funds. The historic inner city has gained a unique status and "cultural heritage became business". This research goes explores how and why cultural heritage has gained importance for any city in Europe and considers how that importance can be integrated in profit based urban transformation projects, projects in which the private sector becomes more and more important.

In the 20th century, and especially after World War II, European cities began to grow very rapidly. Historic inner-city areas currently occupy less than 5% of the total urban area of the old cities. This implies that the industrial sites dating from the beginning of the 20th century are no longer situated on urban peripheries, but are to be found in the central areas of cities. A consequence of this growth was that the old city centers became far too small to meet the needs of these enlarged cities, so there was also a growing need to expand the centers.To meet this need, many of the old urban industrial sites in European cities have been transformed into functional extensions of the old inner cities. In some cases, the old buildings and infrastructure have been included in the new plans to retain the historic character of the area; in other cases re-development has brought about a total transformation, making it hard to recognize anything of the historic appearance in the new one.This paper focuses on 's-Hertogenbosch, an old city in the southern part of the Netherlands that gained its charter just before 1200. Close to the city centre there was an old industrial area being transformed into "a monument for the future". It will become a new part of the city centre, providing 1,400 houses and 180,000 m 2 of office space. In addition, 30,000 m 2 of space will be reserved for hotel and catering businesses, retail outlets and culture. This paper tells the story of how this industrial area is being transformed; the vision behind it, the plans, and how they will be carried out. Special attention will be given to how these plans relate to, or ignore, features of the historic site.

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