This research investigates the relationship between vacant/abandoned properties and the unhoused community in Paramaribo, Suriname, examining how architectural interventions can transform urban challenges into opportunities for community integration and social capital development. The study employs a mixed-methods approach that combines literature analysis through Urban Decline Theory, Broken Windows Theory, and Social Capital Theory with stakeholder communications and spatial documentation of Paramaribo's urban context.
The findings reveal that Suriname's economic instability has created severe poverty conditions affecting vulnerable populations who experience housing instability and social disconnection. Paramaribo simultaneously faces increasing urban voids that accelerate neighborhood deterioration, with these abandoned spaces frequently occupied by unhoused individuals, thereby creating a self-reinforcing cycle of urban decline.
In response to these interconnected challenges, the research proposes an integrated approach that addresses both physical and social dimensions of the problem. The physical dimension employs spatial analysis to halt neighborhood decline and provide housing solutions, while the social dimension draws on Social Capital Theory to develop community-based interventions that foster meaningful connections and rebuild social networks.
Ultimately, this research demonstrates how architectural design can serve as a catalyst for breaking cycles of urban deterioration while simultaneously building social capital for vulnerable communities. By addressing the dual nature of urban decline—both its physical manifestations and social consequences—the study provides a framework for transforming abandoned urban spaces into assets that strengthen community resilience and promote social integration.

This thesis explores the role of public architecture in the post-war reconstruction of Aleppo, one of the oldest cities in the world, which has suffered great destruction during the war in Syria. The research focuses on how to preserve Aleppo’s urban identity, which is a combination of architecture, spatial organization, materiality, and cultural memory, while addressing the social, economic, and political challenges that the post-war city is facing.

Through a combination of literature review, spatial analysis, and other used methods, the thesis first identifies the elements that define the city, such as the courtyard typology, souks, limestone material, and craftsmanship traditions. It then looks into how the war impacted the city. And it tries to identify what role public architecture can play in preserving Aleppo’s cultural memory and supporting community recovery during times of political instability. The research ends with a design proposal titled Bayt al Madina (“House of the City”), situated on the former place of the Grand Serail, directly south of the Citadel. Once with an authoritive function, the site is reimagined as a hub dedicated to learning, craftsmanship, and community gathering. By translating research insights into design, the project demonstrates how public spaces can serve not only as physical interventions but as tools for cultural and historical continuity, social healing, and urban revitalization.

This research investigates the ongoing land subsidence crisis in Jakarta, revealing it as not merely an environmental issue but a product of deep-rooted social, historical, and infrastructural inequalities. Drawing from theoretical frameworks of speculative urbanism, urban resilience, and environmental justice, the study traces the origins of Jakarta’s vulnerability to colonial water systems, unregulated urbanization, and inequitable access to piped water. Through a comprehensive literature review and case study analysis, the paper evaluates current and global strategies, highlighting both top-down interventions and community-led innovations. A key outcome of this research is the development of an architectural design proposal for a resilient coastal community in Muara Baru, integrating local knowledge, decentralized water systems, and nature-based solutions. The study argues that meaningful adaptation must be inclusive, context-sensitive, and grounded in lived experience. Jakarta’s future resilience depends not only on technical solutions but also on just governance and community empowerment.

The transition to a fully circular housing sector is urgent, given the greenhouse gas emissions and waste generated by the building sector, as well as the high energy demand that burdens both residents and the natural environment. This thesis advocates for a social approach to the Circular Built Environment, rather than one-size-fits-all technical solutions. It explores circular living environments and initiatives in the Netherlands to define the roles of architects and planners in the circular housing transition. To this end, ethnographic fieldwork has been conducted on circular initiatives in the Netherlands, such as ecovillages and the energy collective 015Duurzaam in Delft. The methods employed include in-practice studies of everyday human activity, participant observation, sketching, painting, in-depth interviews, volunteer work, and semi-structured interviews with researchers. The results indicate that both the circular housing transition and the energy transition depend on local community efforts, which are often unpaid and underrepresented in the current debate on the Circular Built Environment by policymakers and academia alike. This thesis advocates for a greater recognition of community efforts and identifies a role for architects and designers to facilitate this. Consequently, the thesis outlines six design principles for architects to foster resilient communities. Finally, it concludes with a design proposal for a circular catalyst in the form of a building that integrates a workshop and residential component. Situated in Tanthof, Delft, this proposal illustrates how circular development can respond to and build upon the specific conditions of an existing urban context.

Waterscapes of Resilience explores how innovative housing design in wetland regions can address the dual imperatives of environmental sustainability and community resilience in the context of increasing flood risks. Grounded in the Dutch Delta—specifically Midden-Delfland—this thesis responds to the ecological vulnerabilities and socio-spatial disconnections caused by rigid flood infrastructure and urbanization. It critiques prevailing paradigms that treat nature as a threat to control and instead proposes a framework rooted in re-territorialization—a spatial, ecological, and cultural realignment between human settlements and dynamic water systems.

The research employs a multi-method approach combining literature review, international case study analysis, ethnographic interviews, site mapping, and iterative design modeling. It synthesizes concepts of de-synchronization, community-based design, and adaptive architecture to develop spatial strategies that reimagine housing not as static shelter, but as an evolving interface between water, ecology, and society.

The resulting design proposal envisions a modular, resilient housing community integrated with green-blue infrastructure. Key technological ideas include floodable wall systems with removable cladding, breathable insulation, and a hybrid timber-concrete foundation system tailored for wetland conditions. Communal spaces—such as water plazas, walkable levees, and shared terraces—support social interaction and collective flood response.

By embedding climate adaptation into the DNA of housing and community design, the project advances a regenerative architectural approach that not only withstands flood events but thrives through ecological cohabitation. This thesis contributes a resilient, scalable, and inclusive housing model for deltaic regions facing climate uncertainty, while reinforcing the role of architecture as a critical mediator between human and natural systems.

This research investigates how contemporary design can integrate modernization and efficiency while preserving the historical value, cultural identity, and unique essence of traditional Dutch polder landscapes and their dwellings. Grounded in a qualitative methodology, the study employs a multifaceted research strategy including exploratory, descriptive, correlational, comparative, historical, and case study method. These approaches facilitated a layered understanding of spatial, architectural, and cultural dynamics in the polder landscape, with Midden-Delfland serving as the principal case study.

The study explores how design principles derived from historical research and grounded theory can guide the creation of architecture that respects tradition while meeting modern needs. Through comparative analysis and narrative interpretation, vernacular forms and typologies were examined and reimagined to develop a unified set of contemporary design principles.

The findings culminate in a three-part design framework: [1] urban planning strategies that align future-oriented development with polder logic and environmental systems; [2] rchitectural massing techniques that reinterpret vernacular typologies using durable, symbolic forms; and [3] detailing approaches that combine traditional craftsmanship with digital innovation to enhance experiential and cultural value. This triadic approach offers a resilient and context-sensitive blueprint for modern architecture in heritage landscapes.

Ultimately, the research proposes that the preservation of the Dutch polder’s architectural character lies not in replication but in reinterpretation—through craftsmanship that bridges past and future, tradition and innovation. This vision champions an architecture that is both deeply rooted and forwardthinking, ensuring the continued evolution and recognizability of the polder landscape.

Since the late 20th century, there has been a significant rise in agricultural companies offering care services in the Netherlands, also known as care farms (van der Meulen et al., 2022). These farms emerged as a response to the large institutions that once housed people with disabilities, often isolating them from society in remote locations surrounded by barriers and fences. While care farms are typically situated in isolated areas, such as rural polders, their purpose is to use this isolation to help people with disabilities engage more actively in society (Elings & Koffijberg, 2022). By removing them from overstimulating environments, negative temptations, and bad friends who can pull them into crime, care farms provide a chance for these individuals to lead better lives. Currently, most care farms offer day care services but do not provide residential options, despite a growing demand for such services from different target groups and the care sector due to evolving care needs (Ferwerda & Hassink, 2015). Care farms prove to contribute successfully to the quality of life, social participation and self-reliance of various people in need of care (Hassink, 2022).

However, care farms situated in polders are facing a significant challenge due to climate change: water (ZUS et al., 2022). Increased rainfall and the need for water storage are prompting plans to flood polders, which could reduce agricultural and building land while creating abundant water. Building homes and providing care on water could become a vital additional income source for existing and future care farms, helping to alleviate pressure on the care sector. While the trend of living on the water has already gained traction among private individuals, it remains an underexplored concept within the care sector.

The largest target group of care farms and with 1.1 million people in the Netherlands a widely represented group, are people with a mild intellectual disability (Landelijk Kenniscentrum LVB, 2024). They can possibly be a well-suited group for living on water within a residential care farm setting. Therefore, this study aims to explore the potential of a housing initiative on water for people with mild intellectual disabilities as part of a residential care farm.

To explore the potential of this concept, the research aims to answer the following question: What kind of spatial qualities can residential care farms provide for people with mild intellectual disabilities in a future with flooded polders? The study focuses on two types of case studies: residential care farms for people with MID and housing on water. Spatial qualities in both types of case studies are analysed through a combination of a literature review, an online survey, and interviews, with a strong emphasis on the perspective of the end users. These methods result in two sets of spatial qualities, which are then compared and evaluated in relation to the housing needs of individuals with a MID.

A residential care farm generally seems to meet the needs of people with MID well, such as creating a place where clients can retreat, living in a community and living in an isolated and natural environment. These qualities are also often mentioned by respondents (without MID) who live on water. The community feeling and the contact with nature are mentioned as major advantages on water. Respondents who live on water also clearly experience more freedom than on land, despite the small distance between neighbours. For residential care farms this could be a reason to realise homes on water, to possibly increase the sense of freedom among this target group. In general, however, living on water cannot directly meet the needs of people with MID that residential care farms do not or cannot meet. However, living on water could possibly provide creative design solutions to meet needs of people with MID in an alternative way, which is shown in the design project at the end of this report.

This aim of this thesis is to discover which resource principle is the most affordable. To achieve this, case studies representing these resource principles are chosen and evaluated using a set of criteria. It was found that modular design was the most affordable of the chosen principles. The findings of this thesis was then translated into a housing design for Midden-Delfland in the year 2120. This design houses non-traditional family types by using modular and adaptable principles. The design also uses soil and water to drive the masterplan. Overall, this project is a result of the research executed as well as the conditions of the given site.

This research delves into the emergence of participatory design processes in Midden-Delfland, Netherlands. The design hypothesis posits that ZUS plan creates a great opportunity for affordable housing to emerge as an alternative to existing developments that cater to welloff members of the society. The complex socio-economic and historical context of Midden-Delfland, rapid urban growth, coupled with the array development plans, underscores the necessity to provide affordable housing. This research explores the concept of a community land trust cooperative capable of addressing the evolving needs of the inhabitants. Drawing inspiration from the successful participatory projects, this study employs a structured framework based on five fundamental tools: aggregation, variability, clustering, self-development, and support-infill. The aim is to propose a participation enabling process while addressing the need for inclusive and affordable housing in areas such as Midden-Delfland.

The Home of Art aims to bring creativity back to Keilehaven, creating a direct link to the rich history of the area’s innovative, cultural, and creative aspects. The project adjoins a mixed program of living, working, creating, and producing within its building layers. The architectural qualities applied in the Home of Art address the socio, spatial, and financial requirements of future tenants. This is achieved by basing the design on creativity as collective production, bringing people together by introducing art and creation as the medium of social infrastructure throughout the space. Therefore, the Home of Art in its design represents a new model of creative participation, forming both a community inside the building and within the local area.

This thesis explores and analyses the usage of modular architecture and mixed buildings and their role in solving the Dutch housing crisis. The Dutch housing market is in a crisis due to various reasons that can be solved partially in the design process and partially by regulation changes. The mixing of production and living has become more accessible due to new innovative manufacturing methods like 3D printing. The mixing of 3D printing and residential functions is relatively new, and there is a need to understand this manufacturing process to ensure a successful mix with residential functions. This paper uses Habitat 67, Nakagin Capsule Towers and Bremer Punkt as case studies to better understand modular architecture and its benefit. Modular Architecture brings multiple benefits, which are explored in this thesis. One of the architectural benefits is that it allows a building to be adaptable, flexible and affordable compared to traditionally built buildings.