The region of Dutch Flanders is facing several challenges related to regional imbalances and perception of decline. It is located in between the Scheldt river estuary and the region of Flanders in Belgium which is providing unique opportunities, but also causing frictions and risk. Its peri-urban and urban areas under pressure are located in between the large-scale activities in industry, agriculture and port logistics. These large-scale activities have multiscalar relations, connections and forms of cooperation to which the urban and peri-urban do not seem to be as well connected to. At the same time, the larger functional region of the Scheldt Delta is in need of transition because of economic, environmental and technological changes. The in-between areas could benefit by repositioning their economic, social and environmental role into the larger functional transition of the Scheldt Delta. This study aims to develop a strategy for this regional development as well as developing a policy framework for improving the cross-border relations and opportunities to guide the transition of the Scheldt Delta region.

For many years, the concept of adaptive reuse of buildings has been researched. A focus on heritage and specifically the implementation of circular economy frameworks is however relatively new. Adaptive reuse of heritage is often concerned a circular strategy for its material reuse. However, there are many more dimensions to circularity in adaptive reuse, ranging from socio-economic values in urban environments to buildings facilitating and stimulating the circular economy by their new functions. Urban manufacturing is one of the functions that can benefit of the added values of industrial heritage. In return, urban manufacturing can provide several values to its urban context and contribute to development of the circular city due to ongoing developments in this sector. The next generation of manufacturers can be well integrated in urban areas contribute to realising circular ambitions, but several principles should be applied to realise this and create balanced urban development. To date, integration of circular economy and adaptive reuse of heritage frameworks is limited and fragmented. An overarching conceptual framework for adaptive reuse in a multidimensional way is missing, and current research often avoids practical solutions and guidelines that can be used by developers and planners. This research aims to provide these frameworks to combine the potentials and values of both heritage and the urban manufacturing industry through adaptive reuse. The main research question: ‘How can industrial heritage facilitate the developing urban manufacturing industry?’ is answered by executing a literature review, interviews, a questionnaire, studying different cases of heritage adaptive reuse, and providing a new framework for assessment and development of industrial heritage for facilitating the urban manufacturing industry.

A nationwide program for building one million dwellings aims to relieve the Netherland’s housing crisis: nearly a quarter of this construction will take place in South Holland. Currently, the construction industry needs a huge input of raw materials that is not only causing waste problems but is also decreasing environmental quality. A large part of construction and demolition waste (CDW) is being downcycled, losing economic and material value. This creates not only a need but an opportunity for a construction and demolition (C&D) industry based on circular flows and biobased materials. The goal of this project is to produce a vision with strategies for the implementation of circularity along with the resolution of spatial conflicts in different scales.An overview of the spatial, technical and economic needs of the C&D industry and its externalities in urban environments was made. This resulted in the understanding of the spatial conflicts currently taking place between these two spheres of development and the potentials that circularity will have on jobs and consumption patterns. From this, a proposal for a circularity model with three components was formulated: an open network with a central production hub and peripheric logistic hubs, an open program for these hubs that adapts to current and future needs, and open edges that create interactions with their built and social environment.