West Africa’s extraction landscapes sit at the centre of a global supply chain whose costs (degraded land, polluted water, displaced communities, foreclosed futures) remain locally borne while their benefits accrue elsewhere. Dominant responses to this condition, from large-scale initiatives such as the Great Green Wall to project-level rehabilitation, remain grounded in a positivist planning paradigm that treats degradation as a technical problem and leaves the extractive relations of ecological unequal exchange intact. This thesis takes the bauxite-mining region of Boké, Guinea, as the operational landscape through which to develop a different response.

It works from the position that planning and design for such places must be situated, anchored in the specific ecological, historical, and lived realities of the territory and the designer rather than abstracted from them. Drawing on the theoretical frame of the planetary mine, and on planetary boundaries and spatial justice as the terms of evaluation, the research moves through situated analysis, scenario-based futuring and value-based assessment. Four plausible futures are developed and compared through transparent criteria against the thesis’s goal and vision, on the basis of which Loconomy, the scenario most aligned with a just redistribution of the commons within planetary boundaries, is selected for design.

The decisive turn in the thesis comes through situated fieldwork. By indulging in the territory rather than abstracting from it, relations between human and more-than-human actors became legible as mutually reinforcing rather than competing, opening design pathways no positivist method could have surfaced. Situated knowledge thus allowed the design to live with the context rather than against it.

The design proposes a regional system in which bauxite remains relevant but extraction is slowed to the pace of ecological regeneration. A preserved coast is put to productive use through fishing, salt, and oyster-based closed loops that double as living breakwaters and tidal energy infrastructure; urban cores are held within fixed limits and given distinct regional roles; the railway is repurposed for people and regional produce; and a countryside of sequential mining is interleaved with ecological preservation and staged soil regeneration. Localised production sustains a trans-regional balance rather than a single export flow. This is one possible trajectory, proposed rather than prescribed, the situated outcome of this research, the designer, and the lived realities encountered.

Backcasting from the selected scenario then translates the design into an actionable roadmap, within which a set of no-regret measures is identified: actions advantageous across all four explored futures and therefore worth enacting whichever one unfolds. The thesis argues that the most transferable contribution is not the design itself but the situated, accountable way of arriving at it: a practice that positions the urbanist as a translator of situated perspectives more than as the architect of a ready-made end-state master plans. ... Read more

As one of the most open and economically vibrant regions in China, the Greater Bay Area plays a significant strategic role in the country’s overall development, showcasing the power of urban transformation within a diverse and sociopolitically rich region. Since China’s economic reform in 1978, mega projects and world-leading developments in the region have driven rapid urbanization. Despite these achievements, rapid globalization has led to negative effects on ecology and pollution in the GBA. When paired with climate change and deltaic conditions, these issues create “double-negative” effects on various layers.

Using the concept of “state entrepreneurialism” as a starting point, this project explores the role of urban mega developments in realizing the state’s strategic and political objectives. It critiques the existing top-down, marketdriven
governance model and advocates for a paradigm shift towards localized planning approaches. These dynamics create tensions in soft locations, areas in transition which are susceptible to change and speculation.

This report outlines the shift from using megaprojects as catalysts for urban development to a more holistic framework. This new approach frames “megascapes” of place-bound strategic interventions that foster complementary relations and shifts focus from big urban cores to their surrounding territories. We define megascapes as self-directed territories consisting of functional conglomerations that respond to local sensitivities and transformations, proposing a future where soft peripheral territories are integrated into the GBA’s broader regionalization model. This vision emphasizes adaptable, place-bound development and enhanced relations between ecological and economic systems to foster sustainable urban growth. ... Read more

The Netherlands holds the title of the world’s second-largest exporter of agricultural goods, primarily due to Wageningen University’s pioneering research and innovation. However, this success has led to significant challenges. Intensive farming practices have strained resources and disrupted local water and soil cycles, sparking protests from frustrated farmers. Moreover, the quality of fresh water in the Dutch Delta has deteriorated due to pollutants like NO2 and PO4, exacerbated by increasing salinization pressure from the North Sea. This linear system has resulted in waste accumulation and biodiversity loss, endangering both agriculture and natural ecosystems’ sustainability.

To address these challenges, our goal is to integrate nature into existing agricultural practices, thus restoring a balance with local ecosystems. The AgriNature project aims to achieve this by analysing the interplay between agriculture and nature, assessing water and soil management spatially, and fostering a participatory approach with farmers.

The first phase of this transition starts with engaging farmers who are already implementing sustainable methods like agroforestry and saline agriculture, the project establishes Living Labs for co-creation, knowledge sharing, and policy influence. Waterboards and governmental agencies will mediate and provide support, connecting farmers to stakeholders and creating financial incentives. The project also recognizes the necessity of a protein transition towards more plant-based or lab-grown alternatives, aiming to decrease nitrogen pollution and eventually rewild cattle. In the second phase, AgriNature plans to expand innovations to other farmers and establish Agroparks as hubs for innovation and technology. Consumer awareness centres will promote understanding of the protein transition and the need for biodiversity. A nature regeneration centre will oversee rewilding efforts and flood risk management using nature-based solutions. The third phase will future proof these efforts by continuing innovations within the established research and development networks.

Ultimately, AgriNature envisions a symbiotic relationship between agriculture and nature, empowering farmers as stewards of the land and promoting ecologically sensitive practices. Through multidisciplinary collaboration and integration of natural cycles into urban planning and agriculture, the project aims to serve as a global model for sustainability, fostering soil health, water conservation, and biodiversity preservation.
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