This graduation project, having as a starting point the concept of Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), highlights the importance of high-density mixed-use developments around railway stations.
With this goal in mind, the station area of Amsterdam Sloterdijk was selected as a case study location. Sloterdijk is an important node within the overall transportation network and the plans of future development of the city of Amsterdam. However, the current spatial organization of the area, the high complexity, and several environmental problems are hindering its success as a place. Therefore, this graduation project, investigates through design, the potential of the area of Sloterdijk to become a sustainable and livable neighborhood, dealing with both the ongoing housing and the climate crisis in an integral way.
The primary method used in this graduation project was research by design, meaning that through several design iterations of different spatial elements, insights on the conflicts and potentials of these elements were revealed. Other methods used, included spatial mapping, literature review on the key concepts of livability, density, and TOD and lastly the method of fieldwork.
The results of this graduation project that can be extracted from the final proposal for the area of Sloterdijk, emphasize the challenges stemming from the high intensity of use and competition for space in places that function simultaneously as mobility hubs and as potentially vibrant urban districts. Key elements of the design were the intense densification and introduction of housing and other functions to the area, the substantial reduction of space allocated to mobility, the careful consideration of public space that promotes social interaction, overcoming the various infrastructural barriers, and lastly the integration of green and blue networks with the aim of providing living spaces to various species, improve local microclimate and mitigate environmental risks.
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The importance of the energy transition is an emergent issue on a global scale. The United Nations, the European Union, the Dutch National government and the Province of South-Holland all have set clear and urgent goals. But still, it seems very hard to find the right strategy to tackle this challenge, together with a desired circular economy and without letting people behind. The Province of South Holland envisions sustaining the region with the port of Rotterdam as an important energy node for Europe and the region itself. Now, the port still relies heavily on petrol, which will become obsolete in this transition. Therefore, the petrol dependency endangers a sustainable and secure future for the port of Rotterdam region. The energy transition will be achieved through three phases from 2020, to 2030 and 2050 in an aim to gradually phase-out fossil fuels and phase-in renewable alternatives, together with increasing levels of circularity and social inclusion. Hence, this process revolves around the integration and intertwining of three main pillars that shape the framework of this project: Energy transition, Spatial justice, Circular economy.

In the post-petrol era of 2050, the region of Zuid Holland will embody a dynamic and adaptive energy landscape. This new energy landscape will become more resilient and autonomous. The landscape will consist of an interdependent and just network of actors and relies entirely on renewable energy sources.

In the future, the port of Rotterdam will be an important node on the global and regional scale. The futural port will be the core of the decentralized energy network in the region, consisting of several energy nodes that connect autonomous and self-sufficient energy regions. Besides, these nodes are serving as hubs for energy storage, raising awareness, education and other social activities. The port and the energy network will be opened up to the public to establish a new cultural relation between use and production of energy. Pernis-Botlek will be the strategic location where this comes together. The development strategy will reveal how individuals from all origins and walks of life will be included and can adapt to this change. Since, not only public actors have high interest to make this transition happen, private actors and citizens that have to change their business models and daily activities have to be considered. Therefore, the strategy also reveals how different stakeholders can work collaboratively and what actions are needed to combat the energy transition together. This will be shown with casestudies in Brielle, Delft and Westland. To maintain the economic importance in the energy sector of the port on a global scale, an invert of energy flow will be purposed, , from the import of Petrol to the export of hydrogen.

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