Heatwaves are no longer rare anomalies in temperate cities; they are lived, negotiated, and unevenly endured. Yet behavioural adaptation—a vital first line of defence—remains underexplored. Drawing on a sequential mixed-methods design integrating in-depth interviews (N = 21) and a nationwide survey (N = 1,849) across Dutch urban density gradients, this study shows that behavioural adaptation is less a matter of individual choice than of social, structural, and spatial constraint. Homeowners leveraged their control over private spaces to adopt both active and passive technological adjustments, achieving higher adaptation scores. Tenants, constrained by housing tenure, disproportionately relied on cultural adjustments rooted in social ties and experiential knowledge. Residents of very highly urbanised areas reported higher indoor temperatures and demonstrated the lowest adaptation scores, revealing density-driven limits to coping capacity. Gender and household composition further influenced adaptive capacity, with women and multi-person households displaying consistently stronger responses. By centring behavioural adaptation, the study identifies key barriers and exposes the mechanisms through which adaptation inequality takes shape in temperate urban settings. ... Read more

Introduction
The first 1000 days of life, from conception to age 2, are crucial for a child’s development, with lasting health impacts. Evidence is growing that environmental and social factors, especially the neighbourhood of birth, play a significant role in shaping health during this period. This study investigates perinatal health disparities in 20 high-risk Dutch neighbourhoods identified by the governmental National Program on Livability and Safety and outlines an initiative to develop tools aimed at reducing geographical health inequalities and improving birth outcomes.

Methods
Using data from the national perinatal registry (Perined) from 2015 to 2021, we analysed perinatal outcomes in 1 118 022 mother–child pairs, including perinatal mortality (24 weeks gestation to 7 days postbirth), small for gestational age (SGA; birthweight <10th percentile, corrected for gestational age and sex) and preterm birth (<37 weeks). Three-step logistic regression compared outcomes across all high-risk areas versus the rest of the country, each high-risk area versus national levels and each area versus its municipality, adjusting for confounders and multiple testing.

Results
We observed that SGA (OR 1.19 (95% CI 1.16 to 1.21)), preterm birth (OR 1.09 (95% CI 1.06 to 1.12)) and perinatal mortality (OR 1.13 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.24)) were significantly higher within high-risk areas compared with the rest of the Netherlands. These disparities persisted across the various comparisons.

Conclusion
Living in high-risk neighbourhoods, as defined by livability and safety parameters, is linked to adverse birth outcomes, underscoring the need for targeted, location-based policies. Our collaborative initiative aims to co-develop a knowledge agenda with key stakeholders to create actionable tools that reduce health inequalities from birth. ... Read more

Urban heatwaves pose significant challenges to public health and well-being. Quantitative approaches focusing on heat hazards dominate the literature, while qualitative studies, particularly in temperate climates, remain underrepresented. Drawing upon the case of Rotterdam, a highly socially and spatially diverse city with a temperate climate, this research investigates residents’ everyday lived experiences during heat events and their underlying coping mechanisms. Employing a hybrid thematic analysis based on 21 semi-structured in-depth interviews, the research discusses residents’ behavioural adaptation, encompassing personal, technological, and cultural adjustments, along with their associated spatial dependencies. Findings indicate that adaptation practices occur across various spatial scales, with personal and technological adjustments primarily reliant on the house unit, while cultural adjustments extend to neighbourhood scales and beyond. Notably, control over the
household unit emerges as a significant factor in shaping spatial dependence, highlighting an often-overlooked aspect of inequality. The study offers a conceptual framework for exploring residents’ behavioural adaptation to extreme heat, facilitating the formulation of equitable and tailored planning strategies for temperate climates. ... Read more

Design principles are widely used in the design field, yet some remain visionary rather than grounded in real-world applications. Assessing their effectiveness is therefore essential before implementation. This study focuses on a set of visionary design principles intended to promote the flexible use of railway station areas: (1) Ensuring event visibility by aligning paths and spaces; (2) Incorporating reconfigurable elements and reconfiguration-supportive layouts; (3) Establishing high-quality connections at different scales; (4) Adopting scattered layouts for high capacity or vibrancy; (5) Prioritizing core spaces for humans instead of vehicles. This study aims to address the gap in validating these design principles. Recognizing the potential of jointly employing research-by-design and agent-based simulation, this study presents a major research question: How effective are these design principles, as demonstrated through research-by-design (RbD) and agent-based simulation (ABS)? Methodologically, it first applies the design principles to Station Xtreme and generates multiple design proposals, then simulates the generated proposals, followed by assessments and reflections. The results suggest that the principles are generally effective, though limitations emerged: for example, quality connections may demand greater investment and space, while scattered layouts can increase wayfinding difficulty and operational complexity. This study contributes to the growing body of design knowledge by validating these flexible-use principles. It also introduces a transferable conceptual framework that integrates RbD and ABS, offering a novel methodological approach for testing other visionary design principles. ... Read more

As heatwaves in cities intensify, understanding how urban residents adapt to extreme heat is critical. Yet, climate literature predominantly focuses on exposure-centric, spatial approaches, while bottom-up, people-first perspectives remain underrepresented. This study employs a sequential mixed-method approach to investigate behavioural adaptation practices among urban dwellers in the Netherlands.

In the first phase of the study, semi-structured, in-depth interviews (n=21) identified key themes that informed a Likert-scale survey instrument employed in the second phase to test a set of hypotheses. Subsequently, in phase two, a nationwide survey (n=1,849) across three urban typologies—Extremely Urban, Strongly Urban, and Moderately Urban—captured perceptions and behavioural practices related to heatwave adaptation.

Findings indicate that residents in highly dense, extremely urban areas have a lower behavioural adaptation score compared to the other two urban types. Additionally, ownership emerges as a key factor in the adaptation process; where homeowners prioritize technological adjustments, renters rely more on personal and cultural adjustments. In terms of risk perception, statistically significant differences exist between adults living alone and those living with a partner or family.

The tested hypotheses provide a nuanced understanding of specific vulnerability to heatwaves in the Netherlands, offering insights that can inform targeted urban design and planning strategies at the local level. ... Read more

The first 1,000 days of life are a vital period for growth and development, with lasting effects on health and well-being. There is growing recognition of the importance of environmental and societal exposures, like the neighborhood a child is born into. This supports a ‘Health in All Policies’ approach, acknowledging that health is shaped by decisions beyond the healthcare sector. This study explores inequalities in perinatal health across high-risk neighborhoods in the Netherlands, as identified by the Dutch National Program on Safety and Livability (NLPV), focusing on the neighborhoods’ classification rather than their health outcomes. We used nationwide data from Perined (2015-2021) to compare perinatal outcomes among residents of 20 designated NLPV focus areas to other regions (n = 1,118,022 births). Outcomes included perinatal mortality (death from 24 weeks gestation to 7 days after birth), small for gestational age (birthweight <10th percentile), and preterm birth (before 37 weeks). A three-step logistic regression approach was applied: (1) comparing all focus areas combined to the rest of the country, (2) each focus area to the rest of the Netherlands, and (3) each to its municipality. Perinatal mortality (OR 1.13, 95% CI: 1.02-1.24), small for gestational age (OR 1.19, 95% CI: 1.16-1.21), and preterm birth (OR 1.09, 95% CI: 1.06-1.12) were all significantly more prevalent in designated focus areas compared to the rest of the Netherlands. Similar patterns were observed when comparing each designated focus area to other areas as well as to its corresponding municipality. Living in a high-risk neighborhood - defined by safety and livability - is associated with adverse birth outcomes. These findings highlight the need for place-based policy actions to reduce health disparities from the earliest stages of life. Future research will investigate whether local interventions in these specific neighborhoods contribute to improvements in perinatal health outcomes. ... Read more

Aims
Railway station areas can play a crucial role in promoting sustainable development if integrated with cities and be fluctuation-responsive through effective urban design. However, during the design stage, assessing the station areas' performance, of which user satisfaction is indicative, is challenging due to methodological limitations. Agent-based simulation (ABS) is promising as it can link spatial features with agents' behavior features. This research questions to what extent ABS can help assess the urban design of station areas.

Methods
This paper adopts the user pyramid as the theoretical framework, which outlines five types of user needs: safety, speed, ease, comfort, and experience. The paper selects indicators linking satisfaction and spatial features at the district and building levels. These indicators are measured in the simulation of the station system using digital tools, including MassMotion and Python scripts. The theory, indicators, and tools, in combination, serve as an assessment framework. Rotterdam Central Station is used as a case to demonstrate how the framework works.

Results
The framework is capable of assessing design alternatives by identifying changes in user satisfaction. It can be applied on the district level (at a scale of 250 m) with substantial details to inform design decision-making, and it is useful during the design stage when only limited data is available. This paper strengthens the scientific knowledge of railway station areas through the multidisciplinary literature review that translates user needs for urban design use, and it advances the digital means to visualize user satisfaction affected by design. ... Read more

The International Conference Centre and the adjacent Nile Hotel in Kampala were built in 1971-73 to facilitate the 12th Heads of State Summit conference of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) by architects from one of the founding countries of the Non-Aligned Movement: Tito’s Yugoslavia. Being too young to be considered historic, both buildings appear out of place and out of time, undervalued and overlooked in a city without a registry and planning control. While the conference center is in a well-maintained and original condition, the hotel’s renovation has transformed it beyond recognition. Their historical significance, particularly of the conference center, would hold value in any other context. However, in Uganda, it seems to bear no weight beyond the faint memory of past geopolitical alliances and ideals. The fact that the facility is disregarded as the venue for the upcoming Non-Aligned Movement summit reinforces this perception. This article describes these intricacies because they are rarely documented elsewhere. Consequently, it is a part of the Shared Heritage Africa project, aimed at rediscovering masterpieces of the Modern Movement. ... Read more

Heatwaves in urbanized areas, even in temperate regions like the Netherlands, are getting serious attention. The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute predicts more frequent and intense heat events in the future. Studies have explored how Dutch cities contribute to heatwaves and suggested design and planning responses to mitigate their effects. However, a review of heatwave research in the Netherlands specifically focusing on the built environment has hardly been reported in the literature. This study aims to provide such a review utilizing the vulnerability framework. Following the PRISMA protocol, 57 articles are analysed based on the components of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity within the vulnerability framework. Subsequently, findings have been classified into five built environment scales - block, neighbourhood, district, city, and region - to critically reflect upon the extent to which the studies address various vulnerability components and the specific scales they primarily focus on. Results demonstrate that most of the studies concentrate on the hazard itself and its spatial distribution from a macro perspective on a city and regional scale. The review underlines the necessity of micro-level research on the phenomena, incorporating people's everyday experiences and resilience during heat events to find context-specific adaptation and mitigation strategies. ... Read more

This issue of SPOOL introduces a new thread: ‘Method and Design’, titled “Design and Method in Architectural Research: From Objective Quantification to Material Speculation”. The issue explores the conventional understanding of method through both theoretical contributions and visual essays. The theoretical contributions discuss methodology, material practice, studio approaches, or design principles. The visual essays are more experimental, allowing for design proposals or artistic expressions that explore specific methods, depict scenarios, or articulate a material logic. ... Read more

Introduction: In China, Station-City Integration is proposed by the design academy in China to solve problems and add value. This research focuses on urban design for the redevelopment of Old Major Railway Stations in Megacities in China.

Problems & Goals: From our focused cases, two problems are discovered: Stuckness and congestion on peak days, Space underuse on normal days. Two goals are proposed correspondingly: Mobility Resilience and Public Space Flexibility.

Knowledge Gaps: Theoretical and practical knowledge are lacking for the proposed goals. The component words of the goals all have rich meanings. Some of them have related assessment tools and design recommendations.

Research Questions: For urban design research and practice, how can Mobility Resilience and Public Space Flexibility be defined, assessed, and designed?

Deliverables: The deliverables will be Concept Definitions, Assessment Frameworks, and Design Principles. The Concept Definitions offer researchers a new way to see the Station City problems. The Assessment Frameworks offer researchers a new tool to assess the Station City problems through different dimensions. It can also be used for evaluations during the iterative design process. The Design Principles can be used for the scheme establishment.

Methods: For Concept Definitions, papers about mobility, resilience, public space, and flexibility were examined to propose definitions. For Assessment Framework, available technologies & data will be tested. For Design Principles, case studies of the best practices will be conducted.

Relevance: Scientifically, the Problem Identifications show a creative way of framing research problems between specification and generalization. These Concept Definitions show a solid way of transferring knowledge from other disciplines to urban design fields. Societally, the Problems Identifications and Concept Definitions set a starting point for practitioners to take action. The Assessment Frameworks and Design Principles are practical tools for designers. ... Read more

The year 2023 will be the last of a four-year Open Science Programme. It raises the question of what we learned from the existing programme, whether we need a continuation to achieve the mission, and if we want to use the same setup or approach.

The current OSP assumes that three cross-cutting themes provide the glue that binds the seven projects together.
Additionally, the projects have, in some cases, more substantial dependencies with activities and projects outside than inside the OSP. That observation may call for a radically different setup and even question whether a follow-up OSP is the right approach. However, several national developments make such a follow-up perfect sense:
• establishing a council of Chiefs-of-Open-Science;
• transitioning from NPOS to NWO ‘regie-orgaan’;
• an increased prospect of government funding for open science and open education.
It is in the strategic interest of TU Delft to have a balanced, effective, and well-communicated set of activities that advance open science at its faculties. To emphasise that this is not a new effort, we suggest calling this programme Open Science NEXT.

We’ll still create actively links between the various projects in the OSP. However, we can also find such links at each of our faculties. In their work, they need to apply the principles of open science in all dimensions of education and research. In the last year of the Open Science Programme, we will investigate more than before how to reach out to local research and teaching programmes.

In the last year we learned that some of our most dedicated open science colleagues are slowed down in their best practices by the investments in infrastructure that TU Delft made in the past. Also open science efforts are not always recognised in TU Delft evaluation processes for hiring, tenure and promotion.

The main goals for this year and beyond are:
• To emphasise explicitly that ‘open’ becomes the new ‘normal’;
• To acknowledge that there are internal obstacles that we need to resolve;
• To embrace a policy that all future investments and purchases of software and systems facilitate seamless open teaching and research practices. ... Read more

In the Western Balkans, one can still find many city enlargements produced in the era of socialist Yugoslavia. There is a renewed interest by architectural historians and critics in Yugoslavia's architectural production between 1948 and 1980. However, and more remarkably, we find the images of the former socialist urban utopias back in recent music videos, especially rap videos, where it serves as the backdrop to an unusual mix of violence, drugs, sex, religion, and dance. Somehow the raw beauty of the Brutalism in Novi Beograd and the Modernism of Split 3 crosses over from its socialist ideological origins to contemporary youth culture in unexpected ways. The built environment from the time of Tito gets a different meaning altogether. We do not try to explain HOW or WHY this has happened. This article aims to raise the awareness THAT this happens, and we do so with pictorial means. ... Read more

Building upon the connections established in the first year, the second year of the TUD Open Science Programme saw the team and partners collaboratively reaching some major milestones: the TUD Research Software Policy, TUD Policy on Open Educational Resources and the Recognition & Rewards Perspective were approved by the CvB; the first rounds of Research Data Management 101 Training and the Digital Competence Center’s calls for project support were successfully delivered to great appreciation from participants; the new TUD Open Science website was launched in December. In addition, connections with faculties were further consolidated: faculty management teams expressed support and enthusiasm to further collaborate, and the Open Science Community Delft continues to grow as more researchers are inspired to participate in and, in some cases, lead conversations in open research and education. With the Programme and the achievements of the Programme team and community, TUD is internationally recognized as a leader in Open Science. The growth target open access for 2022 is 3% (to 84%). Our academics received open science awards and funding, and were invited to participate in national open science conversations (e.g. FAIR Data Tafel). Our team members are regularly invited to participate in national and international open science efforts, and asked to share our experience and learnings with colleagues in other institutions, at events and in various media. Within TU Delft, the Programme has also built and consolidated strategic partnerships with other offices, such as the Integrity Office, the Innovation and Impact Center to provide advice for Horizon Europe applicants, the Diversity Office to promote diversity and inclusion in technology development, and the Climate Action Hub and the Global Initiative to raise awareness on the importance of open science in climate research and in driving global impact. Portfolio Holder Rob Mudde advised the establishment of an advisory board dedicated to the open education project; representatives from all phases in TUD education (bachelor, master, PhD, extension school) were invited to become a member. Looking forward to 2022, we aim to further embed programme output into the regular programming around the university, to ultimately ensure that open science becomes the norm. ... Read more