ZH

Z. Hou

info

Please Note

2 records found

Planning for a diverse and balanced night-time economy

Master thesis (2021) - Z. Hou, A. Romein, A. van Nes
With the development of the social economy, the traditional urban work and rest pattern of working during the day and resting at night has gradually changed. The night-time economy has become a new engine for urban regeneration, economic growth and cultural creation.The growth of tourism in Amsterdam has also benefited from its inclusive and prosperous night-time economy. However, the agglomeration of the nightlife industry in Amsterdam's city center results in a rise in noise, crime, and antisocial behavior, which triggers a backlash from residents. As a current countermeasure adopted by the municipality, state-led gentrification has mitigated the night-time economy's negative externalities to an extent, but caused massive closures of nightlife venues.

This research aims to solve the dilemma of Amsterdam's night-time economy through planning instruments that optimize the urban polycentricity. The research explores integrated strategies and multi-scale spatial interventions to stimulate the development of peripheral night-time industry clusters while minimizing the nuisance, in order to improve the livability of the city center and contribute to a diverse and balanced night-time economy in Amsterdam.
...

Optimizing productivity within an intersectural circular system to relieve the pressure on land

The province of South-Holland is located in a delta, where the Netherlands have been changing the landscape for centuries to keep out the water and create the productive, highly urbanised and well connected landscape it is now. Due to climate change, the water system brings about an increasing pressure in both the rivers as well as the sea. In addition, economic and demographic growth pressure the agricultural production system and urban system. Instead of reclaiming land from sea and rivers, this report aims to find a a collaboration between the three sectors. It will enable the people of South-Holland to work together with the water and create a more balanced landscape.

To create this balanced landscape, this project researches the possibility of protecting the province of South-Holland from climate change while producing sufficient food and keeping the region livable. Three systems (water, agriculture and urbanisation) are analysed on both their individual system as well as the synergies between them. Using these three systems, a vision and strategy are formed for South-Holland in 2100, where the landscape is transformed into a water based productive landscape in which the synergies between the three elements are key. This landscape ensures the realisation of three goals: 1. Productivity by creating dense agricultural hubs, 2. Safety from the water for the whole province, and 3. Livability for the people by creating healthy and desirable densifying urban systems. A toolkit of six intervention typologies is created with a focus on innovation in water, agriculture and/ or urbanisation while keeping a liveable environment. By implementing the interventions on the synergies between systems they create the balanced landscape. This landscape results in the need for a healthier and local diet for the inhabitants and the creation of new green and blue infrastructure will increase liveability. Additionally the food economy of the region will be more efficient and resilient. ...