This research aims to uncover the hidden/overlooked potential of high streets, which will contribute to enhancing their quality and highlighting the significant role these streets play in the formation and creation of community spaces in the city. The design aims to use the opportunities of different spots along the shopping streets that are important places for communities as a catalyst for change in the streets themselves. By identifying and connecting "hot spots," where a prominent presence of people is observed, and introducing new places, an interconnected system is formed, strengthening the overall fabric of the high street. Furthermore, through the strategic placement of a diverse range of functions within the existing building of the former shopping center and a newly designed structure, the project seeks to attract various actors and activate the new hot spots inside out. This research and design endeavor strives to unlock the latent potential of high streets, fostering vibrant and inclusive community spaces that promote engagement, interaction, and a sense of belonging.

Water and the relationship we have with it are disloca- ted in the contemporary context of the city. Present-day structures of society represent water as a human made commodity, whilst it will always be an elusive element of nature, the human body and the environment. How can we redesign city water into practices that reconnect us to the element and its natural and social qualities? A litterature study sets out the extent of meanings and underlaying structures of water in the city. The typo- logy of the 19th century bathhouse is used to elaborate on the way architecture has shaped use and culture. Three contemporary case studies expand on architecture that supports a richer relationship with water. Water moves through a multitude of spheres, we have physical, emotional and imaginative interactions with it. The idea of a sublime nature or a nature we have control over is a lie, in the context of the city water is more a product of culture than it is of nature. A more hybrid mentality that encorporates the differnt spheres would lead to a more sustainable view of city water. Wa- ter in the city is a common good, it’s part of society and the individual and should therefore be accessible and understandable. Architecture is not the solution to the disconnect, but has the responsibility to touch upon the different spheres and is in the first instance about trans- parency and accesibility.

When the British arrived in the colonial countries, they had the opportunity to adapt the architecture of the local culture to their needs, but centuries later, when the ethnic groups arrived in “postcolonial” London, they did not have the opportunity to have a manifest effect on the built environment and neither the development of the city consider this situation as a problem to tackle. Today, years into the process of decolonization, the situation is still not much different. This occidental acceptance of people separated from their way of living, their culture reflected in the urban structure, creates the hybrid urban environment that hides the existence of different cultures. This oxymoronic thinking concerning diversity creates the complex mechanism of merging cultures, backgrounds, and customs and hides everything different or other. As a result of this situation, it is possible to point toward placeless cultures in the city of London. People or locations that are culturally significant without any material or immaterial connection to their urban surroundings. They maybe are located in the cartesian urban space of London, but they are placeless in the imaginary and mental view of the city. We need to abandon the occidental approach in architecture as we develop our neighborhoods to create a city that belongs to everybody and nobody, to create a city where everything is placeless and placeness. The design is composed of 3 connected layers of togetherness with different levels of publicness which I categorize as communality, commensality, and conviviality. While communality of the project is completely public, the publicness of the building decreases with commensality and conviviality but still keeps the aspect of togetherness. They are not completely separated, on the contrary, they feed on each other. The layers of the project bridge with each other in different ways. This connection happens, either by the literal circulation of people and goods or by other means such as the visual connection or change in temporality. Hence the design pushes people to gather not only through planned encounters with the program it offers but also through incidental encounters that happen along the connections of different functions.

In social quandaries is an analysis of three council housing estates dating back to the 1960s, all situated within the Greater London area. The analytical framework was informed by the book “Paris Haussmann: A Model’s Relevance,” which extensively examines the Haussmann plan in Paris, employing various mediums such as writing, drawing, and photography to explain its characteristics across different dimensions. Drawing upon the research, my study concludes in several recommendations that form the foundational basis of my research-based design. These principles have been derived from a qualitative analysis of the estates, incorporating insights from two books that cover various factors that are crucial in establishing architectural and urban spatial quality. The principles are: facilitating interaction and vegetation, the incorporation of pedways and walkways, densification, mixed typologies, a multifunctional plinth, and the inclusion of courtyards. Consequently, the design process that has been undertaken centers around these guiding principles, using them as primary elements to create architectural and spatial quality within the redevelopment of a London council estate. By doing this I try to complete my design objective, which is to demonstrate the value present in the social housing stock of 1960s London, emphasizing the importance of preserving or redeveloping these buildings rather than resorting to demolition.

This research aims to develop en apply a new approach towards dealing with heritage in the built environment. By taking the Royal London Hospital area and the Former Outpatient Department within this domain as a case study, tools to connect to specific layers of the context that were found in the research are implied. This is in contrast to the regular approaches to look at heritage from the object itself. In the end, the building and area are connected through all levels of context to the layers of the palimpsest, which is mostly visible in the interventions in the main atrium and the additional roof structure. The building and area become an integrated part of the urban fabric and in this way their existence is prolonged.

Marketplaces are one of the most lively and magnetic spaces in the cityscape. They play a significant role in the history of the development of London, especially in the ‘long’ 18th century. Marketplaces have passed the test of time, reflecting on the socio-economic and urban changes and are still in use nowadays, to quote Ken Jones “we are what we consume, and our consumption priorities describe our society”. What makes them so successful is their inclusivity and the ability to accommodate the changes in the fast-paced urban environment. The changes the 21st-century cities are facing need urgent response. They have to densify in order to accommodate the growing urban population, the new developments bring an additional layer of the threat of the homogenisation and detachment of the new inhabitants from the public realm, as well as gentrification and connected with that relocation of locally established communities. The research analyses the inherent qualities and the essence of marketplaces and searches for similar characteristics in other places in the city, and theoretical works to propose an overview of possibilities to create public spaces that are responsive and inclusive towards their current and new inhabitants. Firstly, the paper analyses the past and present state of retail in London with a concentration on retail markets, learning how they operate, what traits they represent, and what role they play in the city. Further investigation looks at the importance of those places for local communities and the ways it is manifested, as well as examples of both successful and failed regenerations of the public realm concerned with community values. Understanding them showcases the ways of possibility to go against the current of changes proposed by the new developments. Lastly, theoretical references showcase how did the designers previously approach the topics and unique, combined characteristics of the marketplaces that came to light during the previous analyses. This comprehensive analysis creates an overview of the possibilities in the designer’s vocabulary to respond to the fast-paced changes in the urban environment. The research serves as a base for a design project for a neighbourhood public space in the borough of Tower Hamlets. The proposal highlights the values of the existing community and looks into ways to combine them with the new developments in the neighbourhood. The design combines the reuse of existing buildings in a post-industrial context as well as proposing a new development for the neighbourhood.

Material culture plays a significant role in our daily lives, however the value placed on processes involved in the creation of physical objects, manual skills and knowledge sharing has diminished due to the increasing reliance on large-scale infrastructure, standardization, and mass production. Additionally, the disposal of worn and abundant objects contributes to waste production. The thesis project aims to address these issues by exploring ways to regenerate disrupted areas in the diverse urban fabric of London through urban manufacturing and craftsmanship. The project investigates the potential for transitioning from a linear textile production process to a circular and localized production and reuse chain through adaptive reuse at the Truman's Brewery. The goal is to create a more sustainable and circular economy by localizing production networks, fostering synergies within industry and community, and efficiently using available resources. ‘Weaving the city’ means connecting loose ends, adding new threads, and repairing disruptions in the urban fabric.

Being an Artist is or can be an unthankful, often not even officially recognized profession. Although they entertain and sustain the cultural scene and the livelihood of our cities, they suffer to make a living and are placed at the bottom line of the Art Network. The paper starts with a short time travel through the art world with focus on London, drawing light on the evolution and developments that have brought the cultural and artistic scene to where it is today. The research specifically enhances the role of the human figure, the ‚everyday artist’, within this urban and artistic discourse. It ends with a potential forecast that incorporates current changes, developments and technologies that impact artistic spaces, the artists as well as the public and the way we experience, perceive, sell, buy, produce and display art. The aim was to unravel and showcase the potential the artistic practice and especially the human actor, the everyday artists, can have on the urban fabric and the social realm if only incorporated and empowered more in our daily lives. The insights obtained through the research form the programmatic framework. They allowed to define a new model that reacts to these aspects and eventually built the foundation for the design project.

How can the integral and multifunctional use of public space, subsurface, and buildings—within a densified urban environment—create space and value that contribute to an attractive and future-proof living environment? International interdisciplinary students from Delft University of Technology have outlined various design solutions by tackling this question. Manifest in all cases are the spatial bottlenecks on the level of public space. The hybridization of the urban and architectural program requires a cross-section thinking. The six real-life cases the students studied on are the result of a Flemish-Dutch collaboration of the project Stad × Ruimte: Leuven, Amsterdam, Oostende, Maastricht, Mechelen en Rotterdam.@en

How can the integral and multifunctional use of public space, subsurface, and buildings—within a densified urban environment—create space and value that contribute to an attractive and future-proof living environment? International interdisciplinary students from Delft University of Technology have outlined various design solutions by tackling this question. Manifest in all cases are the spatial bottlenecks on the level of public space. The hybridization of the urban and architectural program requires a cross-section thinking. The six real-life cases the students studied on are the result of a Flemish-Dutch collaboration of the project Stad × Ruimte: Leuven, Amsterdam, Oostende, Maastricht, Mechelen en Rotterdam.@en

How can the integral and multifunctional use of public space, subsurface, and buildings—within a densified urban environment—create space and value that contribute to an attractive and future-proof living environment? International interdisciplinary students from Delft University of Technology have outlined various design solutions by tackling this question. Manifest in all cases are the spatial bottlenecks on the level of public space. The hybridization of the urban and architectural program requires a cross-section thinking. The six real-life cases the students studied on are the result of a Flemish-Dutch collaboration of the project Stad × Ruimte: Leuven, Amsterdam, Oostende, Maastricht, Mechelen en Rotterdam.@en

Nowadays with the continuous development of the metropolitan cities, the city is getting more and more packed. The land of cities like London is very precious, land is scarce, every inch counts. Therefore, the decision of what to do with space is crucial, the highest bidder often gets the land. However, how to deal with space that is wasted, like residual space and disused spaces? The research started with this fascination of residual spaces and the lack of space in London. In the search for lost spaces in London, it is discovered that there is plenty of disused infrastructure. From these structures new groundscapes were born; on the ground, above, under and the in-between. These spaces are rarely translated into productive and meaningful spaces, even in the context of London where every square metre counts. The result of new groundspaces created by layering infrastructure would be the main topic of my research, because of the potentials it contains to revive space in London.

In a society where food poverty is affecting more and more people. The presence of social food initiatives, such as community kitchens, is of growing importance. This paper investigates London’s high streets in search of tools to achieve the acknowledgement of social food provision in the everyday life of society. Something which is still not widely accepted but necessary. The high street is the chosen vibrant multicultural context that can assist and make use of this necessary transition. To provide transition is to consider transition and there the transitional moments of the high street social experience are investigated. After setting out the different meanings and scales of transition and thresholds, a socio-spatial urban and microanalysis of several London high streets is performed. The changing daily activities and rhythms of the high street experience point out that it is important to consider the high street as a social space which holds a great variety of social transitional factors but could benefit from a broader reservoir of possibilities. I further conclude that the material and sensory experience influences the degree of intimacy of the lived experience. The possibility to choose from different intimacies grants people the opportunity to control their degree of anonymity and inclusivity. After years of underinvestment, the high streets could consider a reciprocating program such as a community kitchen among other possibilities. A place which gives to society and the society that gives back to the high street.

At the heart of diverse, thriving inner-city areas are the community gardens, impromptu skate parks and self-managed community centres where residents can build intercultural connections, and achieve a sense of belonging. This thesis defines these as ‘Open Third Places’: public areas whose disorder generates spontaneous encounters and unexpected vibrancy. Open Third Place can be found in the El Laboratorio squatted social centres of inner-city Madrid. The gentrifying, inner-city neighbourhood of Lavapies has historically hosted a diverse variety of outsiders, ranging from international immigrants to Spanish activist groups. Where their needs were not met by costly governmental regeneration efforts, El Laboratorio group used the act of occupation to explore the creation of low-budget, user-led social centres, free from bureaucratic constraints. These spaces became valuable hubs for coexistence in an otherwise fragmented community, despite financial and legal constraints. Therefore, this paper examines how El Laboratorio diverged from mainstream building conventions, to demonstrate where such disorder is crucial in the formation of Open Third Places. This analysis is structured by three divisions, or ‘thresholds’, which exist in the formally planned city, but were blurred within El Laboratorio centres: ‘spatial thresholds’, ‘designer-user thresholds’ and ‘temporal thresholds’. Using archival visual and written material from the social centres, the paper suggests a connection between the conviviality of El Laboratorio and their bridging of these thresholds. In this way, the thesis reveals possibilities for architects to similarly work with these thresholds, when designing for the community of Lavapies. Despite this, it concludes by foreseeing difficulties of translating ideas from the ‘disorder’ of a squat, to the ‘order’ of a more formal design scheme, outlining potential conflicts in the application of these ideas.

At the heart of diverse, thriving inner-city areas are the community gardens, impromptu skate parks and self-managed community centres where residents can build intercultural connections, and achieve a sense of belonging. This thesis defines these as ‘Open Third Places’: public areas whose disorder generates spontaneous encounters and unexpected vibrancy. Open Third Place can be found in the El Laboratorio squatted social centres of inner-city Madrid. The gentrifying, inner-city neighbourhood of Lavapies has historically hosted a diverse variety of outsiders, ranging from international immigrants to Spanish activist groups. Where their needs were not met by costly governmental regeneration efforts, El Laboratorio group used the act of occupation to explore the creation of low-budget, user-led social centres, free from bureaucratic constraints. These spaces became valuable hubs for coexistence in an otherwise fragmented community, despite financial and legal constraints. Therefore, this paper examines how El Laboratorio diverged from mainstream building conventions, to demonstrate where such disorder is crucial in the formation of Open Third Places. This analysis is structured by three divisions, or ‘thresholds’, which exist in the formally planned city, but were blurred within El Laboratorio centres: ‘spatial thresholds’, ‘designer-user thresholds’ and ‘temporal thresholds’. Using archival visual and written material from the social centres, the paper suggests a connection between the conviviality of El Laboratorio and their bridging of these thresholds. In this way, the thesis reveals possibilities for architects to similarly work with these thresholds, when designing for the community of Lavapies. Despite this, it concludes by foreseeing difficulties of translating ideas from the ‘disorder’ of a squat, to the ‘order’ of a more formal design scheme, outlining potential conflicts in the application of these ideas.

Madrid is losing its cultural identity in the historical centre. Two neighbourhoods, in particular, are under significant pressure; La Latina and Lavapies. The city is at risk of losing the rich culture these neighbourhoods contribute, while problems such as gentrification, globalisation and global heating threaten them. This research aims to prevent the cultural identities from disappearing from the centre through architectural interventions. Using the research-by-design method, various architectural interventions are considered and tested for their physical and psychological qualities. The findings will lead to suggestive solutions that can be applied by architects during the design process.

Madrid is losing its cultural identity in the historical centre. Two neighbourhoods, in particular, are under significant pressure; La Latina and Lavapies. The city is at risk of losing the rich culture these neighbourhoods contribute, while problems such as gentrification, globalisation and global heating threaten them. This research aims to prevent the cultural identities from disappearing from the centre through architectural interventions. Using the research-by-design method, various architectural interventions are considered and tested for their physical and psychological qualities. The findings will lead to suggestive solutions that can be applied by architects during the design process.

The foodscape of a city is a complex set of systems and actors that is directly linked with the city through the acts of producing, processing and consuming food. These acts shape not only the surrounding hinterland but also the environment, infrastructure and social make-up of a city. The relationship between the city and this hinterland has almost completely disappeared over the last century. This has negatively impacted the way food is valued which has caused negative consequences such as environmental degradation, disappearance of relationships and knowledge, and a worsening of both human and animal welfare. The focus of this project is to reestablish this lost relationship through an architectural project that reintroduces historic conditions and practices and combines them with contemporary flows and actors to form a program that fits the 21st century. This will result in a pilot project which will demonstrate how architecture can have a central role in reestablishing the relationship between consumer and the food they consume, and thus the creation of a sustainable foodscape, resulting in healthier and happier cities.

The foodscape of a city is a complex set of systems and actors that is directly linked with the city through the acts of producing, processing and consuming food. These acts shape not only the surrounding hinterland but also the environment, infrastructure and social make-up of a city. The relationship between the city and this hinterland has almost completely disappeared over the last century. This has negatively impacted the way food is valued which has caused negative consequences such as environmental degradation, disappearance of relationships and knowledge, and a worsening of both human and animal welfare. The focus of this project is to reestablish this lost relationship through an architectural project that reintroduces historic conditions and practices and combines them with contemporary flows and actors to form a program that fits the 21st century. This will result in a pilot project which will demonstrate how architecture can have a central role in reestablishing the relationship between consumer and the food they consume, and thus the creation of a sustainable foodscape, resulting in healthier and happier cities.

Within the framework of this paper, spatial practices between the built and the un-built in the context of urban regeneration of neighbourhoods at city fringes are explored. The proposed spatial practice, called spatial nuancing refers to the reconsideration and redefinition of public space. Spatial nuancing is applied in the context of existing spatial and social dynamics as a means for initiating regeneration through new approaches. It can be applied at various scales and contexts. In this work, the focus lies in the context of post-war modernist developments, that are widely characterized by large-scale and under-managed public spaces. This work challenges the perception and considerations of those kinds of under-managed public spaces and follows along the main research question: What if under-management is considered as a quality in public space? By proposing a strategy that includes the punctual implementation of places of common the public space can be reactivated, not by increasing management but by connecting the main actors of the public space: the people. It argues that spatial nuancing with the example of the creation of places of common binds together and reinforces social and spatial qualities. This has a catalysing effect on the development and quality of life in a neighbourhood.