The urban renewal of Gouda-Oost will pick up pace in the next years. Better circulation, a new public square, more sports facilities and a new commercial center will all contribute to improve the quality of living for current and future residents.In the past year, Gouda-Oost had become an (undeserved) symbol of the difficulties in new towns. One Architecture was asked to ‘design an essay’ on this post-war district. In the process leading up to the essay, One Architecture studied the spatial structure, spoke with the locals about the functional and social structures in the district and created several future scenarios. The result is an adaptive ‘open’ plan that will be filled in piece by piece, by involving local authorities, stakeholders and especially local residents. In the next months, One Architecture will work on the first elements of the plan: the new commercial center and the new mosque will form a welcoming entrance to Gouda-Oost.