How boundary objects facilitate local climate adaptation networks: the cases of Amsterdam Rainproof and Water Sensitive Rotterdam

Figures & data

Figure 1. The co-production of social order and knowledge through boundary objects.

Table 1. Comparison of the conceptual boundary object within the Amsterdam Rainproof and Water Sensitive Rotterdam networks.

		Amsterdam Rainproof	Water Sensitive Rotterdam
Conceptual boundary object		Strong brand of ‘Rainproof’ that is positive and opportunity-driven, accessible and urgent Examples: ‘every drop counts’, ‘do what you have to do, but do it rainproof’	‘Water-sensitive’ thinking as practice, which is positive and opportunity-driven, and targeted at the neighborhood level Examples: ‘the water-sensitive city is creative’, ‘the city will only become better and stronger’
Impact on the four functions of a boundary object	Convening	Urgent and appealing (opportunity-driven)	Appealing (opportunity-driven), positioning participants as pioneers
	2. Translating	Creating possibilities to connect climate adaptation to wider urban development and stakeholder interests	Connecting climate adaptation to (stakeholders working on) the neighborhood level
	3. Collaborating	‘Accessible’ framing provides entry points for collaboration, often in pilots	‘Neighborhood perspective’ provides entry points for collaboration, often in pilots
	4. Mediating	Avoided, because discourse targeted intrinsically motivated stakeholders and opportunities were emphasized	Avoided, because discourse targeted intrinsically motivated stakeholders and opportunities were emphasized

Table 2. Comparison of the material boundary objects in the Amsterdam Rainproof and Water Sensitive Rotterdam networks.

		Amsterdam Rainproof	Water Sensitive Rotterdam
Material boundary objects		Corporate identity with own principles, logo, and communication strategy targeted at citizens and professionals Tools: interactive 3 D-maps Repository: website, guidelines for citizens and professionals	Corporate identity with own principles and regular meetings mainly targeted at professionals Repository: website Neighborhood projects as embodiment of ‘water- sensitive’ thinking.
Impact on the four functions of a boundary object	Convening	Distinctive corporate identity helped to reach private actors	Innovative and fresh identity, with which local professionals could identify themselves
	2. Translating	Tools (interactive maps, website) lead to translation in the interactions between water authority and municipality	Tools facilitate translation in the personal interactions in the city-wide community
	3. Collaborating	Tools helped to relate different public interests to each other; artifacts have had less impact on collaborating with private stakeholders	Limited, because developing joint processes received more attention than producing tangible artifacts
	4. Mediating	Tools helped to identify conflicts between land use claims	Absent, because conflicts were evaded