The rapid upsurge of the platform economy is producing profound changes to the way in which urban areas are functioning. With digital technology putting roots down in the fields of public transport, hospitality and the service industry, it opened up possibilities for new platform economy companies to nest themselves within the activities of these traditional public services. In some occasions serious disruptions of existing systems occur, while in other cases it may unveil opportunities to improve the functionality of public life in cities. Where (local) governmental organizations seem to grapple with policy making to effectively balance the interests of corporate platform organizations and the public good, it is important to critically explore the implications of inadequate regulation vis-a-vis the novel platform economy and the commodification of public space and services. This thesis is an extensive multi-facetted analysis, providing insight in the externalities of flash delivery platforms, as they claim their place in cities and influence urban planning practice. Furthermore, it shall offer design-based interventions to generate synergies between platform services and the traditional functionality of public services to provide creative solutions where policy instruments will fall short. As a result, a more thorough understanding of platform urbanism is acquired and new ways of using platform economies to enhance the lived experience in cities are being presented.

In the past decades, the port of Rotterdam has been considered as one of the main engines of the Dutch national economy, since it is the largest hub for fossil fuels in Europe. The province of South-Holland and the Port of Rotterdam hereby form the heart of the economic centre of the Netherlands, contributing to 21% of the national GDP. However, the economic growth and prosperity of the region is inevitably linked to CO2 emissions and pollution. On the local level, the petroleumscape produces an invasive effect on the livability of its direct environment, exposing the local population to the burdens of the financial gains of the petrochemical industries. Also, we urgently need to transition towards a more sustainable energy system due to growing risks as a result of climate change. This poses a challenge to the region, since the main driver of the current industry is based on a highly centralized energy system. Such systems are not fit to make use of locally perceived potential of renewable energy sources. In the transition towards a distributed energy system, ecologic, social and economic challenges with strong spatial components arise in the region of South-Holland. Therefore, this strategy aims for an approach for giving shape and meaning to the energy transition in the province of South-Holland. Our team explores the way in which decentralization of certain building blocks in the mechanisms of energy production, conversion and storage could deliver a more democratic, self-sufficient and resilient system. Simultaneously, it should empower the local economy. By rearranging and reimagining the configuration of space in the port region, new spatial layers come to existence, which are oriented towards improving social and ecological structures. Once the polluting industries transform into cleaner industries, new spaces and opportunities open up for sustainable redevelopment of the waterfront. Space for recreation, flora and fauna will bring about a more gradual transition from port to city to hinterland. The sum of all interventions will contribute to the global objective of mitigating climate change, while reintroducing spatial justice and creating meaningful connections between industrial, rural and urban landscapes in the region.

The essence of the program and of its articulation resides in the duality which exists between the plinth of the block and the tower. The plinth volume, of a pedestrian scale, dedicated to the productive city and the community facilities, forms a base for the existing building. Small scale production spaces which surround a courtyard, construct the industrial filligree of the city. Simulaneously, by conjoining office space as being the domicile of the 21st century economy with small scale industry, alliances and clusters can be formed. Social housing rises up out of this block, transcending the eyeline of the street. This project, as a work/ live configuration, seeks to mediate between the traditional values of Anderlecht’s urban fabric and the boldness of Les Goujons as a product of Brusselization. The contrast between top and bottom is made even more apparent by their different alignments in relation to the site; the base following the street while the upper (existing) volume breaks ties with it. While the south wing of the building is absorbed into an urban block, the north wing redeems a modernist quality it initially never received. It now surrounds itself with public space - giving the building the notion of air, light and space. In the current situation, the plinth is disjointed from the street and public space, it fails to adress the public. The typical Anderlecht block is a mixture of different functions, volumes, shapes and spaces that address a variety of users and engages with the public realm in different ways. But all typical Anderlecht blocks share one quality: They are prourban and serve the traditional city. They are exploited by the resourcefulness of their residents. By absorbing Les Goujons into a newly established Anderlecht block, it takes advantage from these qualities, while simultaneously offering density and social diversity to the city. The inner spaces in the block will provide users the tools needed to build a community, a place to have a seat and enjoy the weather, as well as a space to have a conversation or a stroll. The intermediate zones become buffers; they soften the edges of public space. Without compromising the dramatic and overwhelming aesthetic of Les Goujons, the renovated facade retains the characteristics of the modernist aesthetic. Reused steel mullions and glass curtain wall panels glitter the mirage of Brusselization. The base volume facades instead delineate the townhouse tradition of 19th century Brussels. With a wink at Brussels’ façadism, These facades correspond to this tradition by reproducing the informal elevation of the street; arrhythmic placement of windows and balconies, altering building heights and detailed expression.