In recent decades, the world’s population has increased exponentially and is expected to increase even more in the coming years. More and more people are moving to the city. In the Netherlands, too, we are dealing with population growth in the Randstad, and therefore also in Leiden. This increase puts extra pressure on the already extensive road network. The road network of Leiden has a negative impact on the ecosystem services that are related to roads. This lack of improving road ecosystem services makes the road network unable to cope with today’s urban challenges, such as climate change, people’s health and urban biodiversity. The current road system can even form a barrier between ecological structures. Roads play a significant role in the city’s performance, and therefore also have great potential to make a positive contribution to the aforementioned problems. A road network will always be part of modern developed cities, so serious discussion about alternative design for road infrastructure within urban landscaped are now needed.

Humans are consuming resources at a rate that the natural world can not sustain. Nations around the world are grappling with large amounts of possible interventions that can stop or at least delay the battle against environmental degradation. While we may not notice it, hard infrastructure (energy, transportation, water management and communications), have a outsized effect on the negative impact that humans have on the natural environment. It is a representation of the backbone of modern society that can both enable, and disable, our ability to transition to a more sustainable future. Directly linked to this our loss of connection with nature. Infrastructure is a critical piece of the puzzle that is the creating of a sustainable future. Thats why this project will focus on using hard infrastructure to enable us to live within the planetary boundaries in the context of South Holland in the Netherlands. An inventory of the existing infrastructure network is completed to understand the scope of the problem. Subsequently, a literature review, analysis of similar case studies and industry research was completed to understand potential solutions. Then, using the existing natural structure as a backbone, a series of green, connected and smart interventions are proposed. These interventions occur on provincial, municipal and local scales and work together to enable the human sphere and the ecosphere to exist in symbiosis.
The following is a proposal on how to achieve a sustainable, innovative, just, accessible and resilient South Holland by the year 2060 through a reimagining of the hard infrastructure system.