The shortage of housing stock and the deindustrialization of cities have rendered many areas prone to severe transformations. Many sites across the country have been characterized as transformation areas. In an effort to battle the housing crisis, urban redevelopment processes have been initiated or are under examination for a plethora of industrial sites. Former port piers start to transform into residential and mixed-use areas. Many of the locations though, house active manufacturing facilities that are forced to be relocated without appropriate planning. Is there a way to diversify our cities while permitting new forms of co-existence between new and existing functions? What are the transformations of the urban fabric that could facilitate this? Usually, those areas are dealt with a tabula rasa mentality, not respecting the communities and the productive landscapes that are embedded within. This often results to fancy but uniform, new residential areas that fail to meet the identity of the place that was already there. The active displacement of the communities leads to phenomena of gentrification and raises questions about diversity and social inclusivity. At the same time, the lack of a cohesive approach results in a fragmentary urban fabric. Spatial discontinuities come along with concerns about the liveability and resiliency of the desired urban growth. Through research by design, the thesis will try to provide a new perspective for the future, where working and living environments could harmoniously co-exist. Interventions and proposals suggested will be built upon the basis of co-creation with existing communities. An interscalar approach will be sought, ranging from the city scale to the neighborhood level and the public space within.

“Building a Fair Transition” strives for a fair circular built environment in the Dutch province of South Holland. By 2040 South Holland aims to have built 210.000 new dwellings to meet the rapidly growing housing demand. This transition in the built environment should align with current climate agreements and be as energy neutral as possible. To meet these goals, a lot of material and renewable energy are needed. However, the current linear economy creates inequalities for current and future generations. Therefore, radical changes towards circular construction and the demolition sector are needed. At the same time, energy poverty is an issue that calls for immediate actions in order to make the much-needed transition truly sustainable. Nevertheless, the country lacks a comprehensive measurement framework that considers social aspects to address the phenomenon. The main research question is how to manage the transition in South Holland towards a circular built environment while ensuring that this transition is done in a fair way. In order to make this possible, a tremendous change in organisational structures is required. An interscalar approach is needed to create a symbiosis betweenthe regional scale and the actions needed at a local level. In this work, bottom-up initiatives are encouraged and embraced within a bigger top-down mainframe. Through an assessment analysis, the goals towards a sustainable built environment are classified into three categories: materials, energy and knowledge. These goals will strengthen the social foundation of our report and fit the ecological ceiling that all development must respect. In our work, phasing of interventions is based onthe urgency needed. In that sense, actions are prioritisedin the most vulnerable areas while pilot projects serve as the research ground for testing feasibility and potential upscaling. The most urgent areas will be addressed first according to the criteria of low liveability, building energy performance, low income and ownership status.The overall goal of this strategy is to create a just sustainable built environment characterised by circular material flows and fair energy transition. More precisely, the aim is to strive for affordable and adequate housing for all, a regenerative and stable labour market and knowledge exchange. Concerning material flows, the target of closed material loops is achieved through renewable raw materials used, upcycling of wasteflows and optimal use. Finally, democratisation of energy has become a key theme. Supply and demand for renewable energy sources is controlled to minimise energy losses. A decentralised energy system enables every citizen to become a prosumer of energy leading thus to democratisation of energy.