This graduation project explores how architectural and spatial design can support age-appropriate housing and everyday social interaction among older residents in Houtwijk, The Hague. In response to the growing ageing population and increasing loneliness among older adults, the research investigates how housing environments can balance independent living with opportunities for low-threshold social contact.

The study combines literature research, case studies, interviews, workshops, and expert insights to identify the spatial qualities that support healthy ageing and informal interaction in daily life. The findings show that older residents value autonomy, safety, greenery, outdoor space, and familiar neighbourhood connections, while social interaction is most successful when embedded within everyday routines rather than organised programmes.

Based on these insights, the project develops a housing proposal on the former Connexxion site in Houtwijk. The design introduces a megablock structure organised around collective gardens, access galleries, and a central orangerie that functions as the social heart of the building. Through layered transitions between private, semi-private, and public spaces, the project creates opportunities for voluntary interaction while maintaining independence and privacy.

The proposal demonstrates how architecture can contribute to ageing in place by integrating housing, greenery, climate strategies, and social infrastructure into one coherent spatial framework.

This thesis project focuses on the development of a clinical pediatric rehabilitation center in the Houtwijk neighborhood of The Hague and addresses the current “introverted” architecture of healthcare facilities as well as the regional shortage of inpatient rehabilitation services for children, with the goal of breaking through social isolation by encouraging transparent design and the shared use of facilities by the local community.

Using a research-by-design methodology, literature reviews on Evidence-Based Design were combined with interviews with healthcare professionals, and the results demonstrate that integrating play into daily rehabilitation and opening sports and catering facilities to the neighborhood promotes rehabilitation, while the final design, ‘Healing in Sight,’ explores the possibilities of a hybrid care model in which multifunctional transparent routing is used to lower the barrier between healthcare and society.

This graduation research explores how architecture can contribute to the mental well-being and social connection of residents in Houtwijk, a neighbourhood in The Hague, The Netherlands.

The research focuses on two groups: younger people in the emerging adulthood phase and older people in the third phase of life. Younger people in Houtwijk need third places outside of home and school/work where they can spend time, study, and meet others. Older people need places where they can be of significance to others and remain part of society. Despite the different life stages, both groups have overlapping spatial and social needs and can benefit from each other.

The experiences, needs, and perspectives of residents from Houtwijk form the basis of this study. Through a human-centered approach, including conversations, observations and working in the neighbourhood, the dynamics, opportunities, and challenges are analysed. These insights are combined and supplemented with existing literature.

The result is a design proposal for a public multifunctional building, a third place, that brings together a variety of functions and connects existing green structures. The design provides space for meeting, activities, and intergenerational contact, and focuses on how younger and older people can learn from and support each other. This ultimately supports the well-being and social connection of both age groups.

The transition from assisted mental health care to independent living remains a vulnerable phase for former mental health clients. In the Netherlands, increasing pressure on both the mental healthcare system and the housing market has highlighted the need for housing environments that support recovery, autonomy, and social integration. This research investigates how housing design can facilitate a smoother transition from assisted to independent living while simultaneously fostering social cohesion and integrating sheltered housing within a mixed-tenure residential complex.

The study focuses on Houtwijk, a neighbourhood in The Hague located adjacent to the mental health institution Parnassia. A qualitative research methodology was applied, combining literature review, interviews with mental health professionals and housing practitioners, case study analyses, and spatial observations. The research explored the challenges experienced during the transition to independent living, strategies for integrating sheltered housing with regular housing, and spatial conditions that stimulate social interaction and neighbourhood cohesion.

The findings reveal that former mental health clients often struggle with loneliness, loss of daily structure, stigma, and the abrupt transition from highly supported environments to independent living. At the same time, they value autonomy, privacy, safety, and opportunities for informal social contact. The research demonstrates that architecture can support recovery by providing gradual transitions between public and private domains, self-contained dwellings, accessible communal spaces, visual connections to everyday life, and opportunities for voluntary interaction.

These findings are translated into the architectural proposal Living Side by Sight. The project combines independent housing, sheltered housing, collective resident facilities, and public neighbourhood functions within a single residential complex. Through carefully designed sightlines, shared spaces, transition zones, and a layered sequence from city to home, the design encourages social contact without imposing it. The project demonstrates how architecture can act as a supportive framework that balances independence and care, while contributing to a more inclusive and stigma-sensitive neighbourhood.

This graduation project explores how architectural and spatial design strategies can transform the cauliflower neighbourhood of Raadsledenbuurt in Houtwijk, The Hague, into a resilient 21st-century neighbourhood. Originally designed to promote safety and community, the neighbourhood is now facing contemporary challenges, including declining social cohesion, safety concerns, demographic changes, fragmented green spaces and climate-related issues.

The research combines theoretical, spatial and social analysis to examine the current conditions of the neighbourhood and identify opportunities for transformation. This project answers the following research and design question: “How can architectural and spatial design strategies transform the cauliflower neighbourhood of Raadsledenbuurt in Houtwijk into a resilient 21st-century neighbourhood?”

Particular attention is given to the transitions of housing, living together, and water and soil. The study also explores the characteristics of the cauliflower neighbourhood typology and the qualities of a resilient 21st-century neighbourhood. Based on literature developed by Sim (2019), five resilience criteria were selected as most relevant for the Raadsledenbuurt: Diversity of Built Form, Diversity of Outdoor Space, Human Scale, Sense of Control and Identity, and Greater Biodiversity.

The analysis shows that the neighbourhood is characterised by a small-scale, infrastructure-led spatial structure with fragmented green spaces, limited spatial hierarchy and unclear transitions between private and public space. At the same time, these characteristics provide opportunities to rethink the relationship between housing, public space and landscape.

In response, the design proposal “Patchwork of Landscapes” introduces five interconnected landscape typologies that strengthen social cohesion, biodiversity and housing diversity. The proposal transforms underused and private spaces into shared environments and extends the concept of home beyond the individual dwelling to the neighbourhood as a whole. By creating a clear hierarchy of landscapes and well-defined threshold zones, the design addresses the identified social and spatial challenges while embedding the selected resilience criteria throughout the neighbourhood. The project demonstrates how a cauliflower neighbourhood can be adapted to meet the social, ecological and spatial demands of the 21st century.

The assignment for the graduation studio Dwelling Designing for Health and Care focuses on designing a health- or care-related building that promotes an inclusive and supportive living environment for the lonely in society. Tarwewijk, an urban neighborhood in Rotterdam South, serves as the central case study.

Loneliness is a growing social and health issue that needs to be addressed in Western cities, particularly in urban neighbourhoods. While occasional loneliness is not inherently harmful, chronic loneliness poses serious health risks, including depression, heart disease, and increased mortality (Cacioppo et al., 2006; Thurston en Kubzansky, 2009; Penninx et al., 1997, Coalitie Erbij, 2018; Holt-Lunstad et al., 2015). In the Netherlands, elderly individuals are especially vulnerable due to declining physical and cognitive health, which hinders social connections (Campen et al., 2018). The Campaign to End Loneliness emphasizes its severity, equating its health impact to smoking 15 cigarettes daily (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2015).
However, young adults aged 16 and 24 are also at high risk of loneliness, according to international surveys, especially in Western countries (e.g., Hammond et al., 2018; Nemecek, 2020; DiJulio et al., 2018; Pyle & Evans, 2018; Payne, 2021; Ibbetson, 2019). Factors, such as relocation for education or work (Kaplan etal., 2020), or reliance on digital communication, rather than socializing in person with friends, family, neighbours or colleagues (Roe & McCay, 2021), contribute to this trend. Urban contexts further amplify loneliness in this group when feelings of distrust, insecurity, or lack of belonging arise (Pyle & Evans, 2018). This shows the complexity of loneliness because it is multifaceted, multigenerational and context-specific (Moore et al., 2023), requiring tailored urban interventions to promote inclusion and social engagement.

In conclusion, loneliness among elderly people and young adults is increasingly prevalent and detrimental to health in urban neighborhoods. This study investigates how urban neighbourhoods, like Tarwewijk, can incorporate multigenerational communal spaces that foster social wellbeing, social engagement and a sense of belonging in the neighbourhood, hypothesizing that such designs are an architectural means to alleviate loneliness.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS
In what way can the design of
communal spaces in urban neighbourhoods, such as the Tarwewijk, help reduce loneliness among residents of different age groups?
1. What specific factors contribute to feelings of loneliness among residents in the Tarwewijk?
2. What roles do the current communal spaces play regarding combating loneliness in the Tarwewijk?
3. How can the design of (future) intergenerational communal spaces be catered to the social needs of the elderly and young adults?

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant global increase in mental health disorders, predicted to rise even further. University students are particularly affected due to their high prevalence of and sensitivity to mental health-related problems. Specifically in the Netherlands, this is further exacerbated by the ongoing housing crisis, which forces many students into poor-quality, cramped accommodations. This research explores how phenomenological principles can inform student housing design to enhance mental well-being. Using a literature review, case studies, interviews, and participatory sketching, the study identifies key architectural elements that support mental well-being. Among these, the most important findings highlight the importance of accessible and visible greenery from the dwelling, ample direct sunlight, quiet bedrooms, communal spaces and the presence of a courtyard.

Habits profoundly physical and mental health, shaping behaviours such as exercise, diet, and
social interaction. Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), responsible for 70% of global deaths,
are closely linked to unhealthy lifestyle factors, including inactivity, poor diet, and social isolation. Tarwewijk, a neighbourhood in Rotterdam, shows elevated rates of obesity, limited healthy food options, and challenges related to mental resilience and social interaction, making it an ideal context for exploring architectural strategies to promote healthy habits.

This research investigates the role of architectural design in fostering health-oriented behaviours, bridging gaps in the interdisciplinary understanding of habits, health, and architecture. Drawing from environmental psychology and anthropology, the study integrates theoretical insights from scholars like Jane Jacobs and Jan Gehl with the concept of “nudging” to subtly encourage healthier choices while addressing ethical considerations.

Fieldwork, case studies, and literature reviews form the methodological backbone, uncovering existing and missing habits in Tarwewijk and assessing architectural influences on behaviour. Key findings highlight the significance of multifunctional spaces, accessibility, visibility, and the integration of transit and destination roles in designing for health. Case studies reveal the potential of adaptive spaces and spontaneous activity programming to promote participation.

The study culminates in design guidelines tailored to Tarwewijk, emphasizing:
1.Integration of local habits into programming.
2.Addressing NCD risk factors through the program
3.Ensuring participation by enhancing multifunctionality, transit-destination synergy, programming spontaneous activities and spatial visibility.

The research contributes to understanding how architecture can influence habitual behaviours, offering actionable design principles to reduce NCD risks and foster healthier communities.

MADE TO MOVE is a design that addresses the growing health issues caused by inactivity, especially in neighborhoods like Tarwewijk in Rotterdam- Zuid. Worldwide, and particularly in lower-income areas, physical activity is decreasing, leading to negative impacts on our health. This project offers an innovative solution: an office design that encourages employees to join sports sessions after work. Additionally, the building’s roof, accessible to local residents, provides free sports and social facilities. In a city like Rotterdam, where space for sports facilities is becoming increasingly scarce, this concept offers a smart way to create more opportunities for movement without taking up additional space.

In response to the challenges of an aging population and growing social isolation among older adults, this research investigates how shared living concepts and the built environment can foster social cohesion and mobility for elderly residents. Through a combination of literature review and spatial analysis, the study examines how architectural and urban strategies can support more inclusive, accessible neighborhoods.
Tarwewijk, a socioeconomically diverse neighborhood in Rotterdam, serves as a case study to explore how spatial conditions, such as housing typologies, public space, and walkability, affect social interaction and independence among elderly people. The research identifies key principles from cohousing models and inclusive design that promote everyday encounters and community engagement. The inquiry is further informed by firsthand experience working in elderly care settings, offering practical insight into the social and spatial needs for older adults. These insights form the foundation for a subsequent architectural de sign project, developed separately, that seeks to apply the research findings in practice. The study concludes that an integrated approach-bridging social, architectural, and urban dimensions, is essential to enable older adults to age in place while remaining active and connected.

The aging population in the Netherlands is growing rapidly, with the number of people aged 80 and above expected to double from 800.000 in 2020 to 1.5 million by 2050. This development, known as ‘’double aging’’, will significantly increase the number of people living with dementia, rising from 300.000 in 2020 to 620.000 by 2050. This demographic shift poses significant challenges for care and housing.

This research aims to explore how to design a care facility for people with dementia that enhances quality of life and autonomy. Additionally, the facility should align with the multicultural context of Tarwewijk. The main research question is:

‘’How can a care facility for people with dementia be designed to foster a humane and inclusive environment, with a focus on promoting autonomy and quality of life, for example in a neighborhood like Tarwewijk?’’.

The findings of this research show the importance of addressing three scales in the design: the environment, the building and the personal room.

At the environmental scale, the facility should integrate with the neighborhood to avoid isolating residents and encourage social interaction, enhancing their sense of autonomy. At the building scale, clear and simple layouts with recognizable landmarks help residents navigate independently. Small scale care settings, accommodating groups of 8 – 10 residents, provide a higher quality of life compared to larger groups. On the room scale, personalization and familiarity through personal items are crucial for creating a sense of comfort and belonging.

Given the multicultural context of Tarwewijk, the design must consider cultural preferences. Some cultures, such as Turkish and Moroccan, often prefer not to place their parents in care facilities, believing this reduces their quality of life. To address this, the design should include intergenerational homes alongside small-scale scale care facilities. In these homes, older adults can live with their children in one house, with separate entrances for privacy. This arrangement allows children to care for their parents while maintaining their own independence, this enhances the quality of life and autonomy of the older adults who can still live partially independently.

This research provides valuable insights into designing care facilities that promote autonomy and quality of life for individuals with dementia. It highlights the challenge of balancing safety, autonomy, and quality of life. It is important to note that this study focuses on general strategies to improves these challenges, individual needs and preferences can vary significantly. A set of design guidelines has been developed from this research, which will assist with the further design of care facilities in Tarwewijk for elderly people with dementia.

Loneliness is a pervasive and complex issue influenced by numerous factors, including the design of the spaces we inhabit. This study explores how the spatial layout and architectural features of residential homes can be tailored to encourage social interaction and inclusivity across generations, addressing loneliness within the home environment. Drawing on literature, fieldwork and case studies, the research highlights key architectural principles, such as spatial layout, stability, housing density, natural light, and personalisation, that can foster social connectivity.The findings emphasise that smaller, poorly designed homes lacking clear separations between functional areas often exacerbate loneliness, while flexible communal spaces and opportunities for personalisation can enhance a sense of belonging. Stability and permanence in housing are also critical, as they encourage residents to invest in social relationships. The study includes a case analysis of the Diakonissestiftelsen project in Copenhagen, which demonstrates how thoughtful architectural design—through mixed-use housing, communal spaces, and transitional zones—can promote inclusivity and reduce isolation.The research underscores the need for interdisciplinary collaboration among architects, sociologists, caregivers, and residents to address loneliness effectively.While architectural design alone cannot eliminate loneliness, it can significantly contribute to creating environments that support social well-being. This study advocates for extended, in-depth research to identify specific design elements that positively influence social interaction, ultimately leading to more inclusive and connected communities.

Loneliness is an increasing concern in Dutch society, with 11% of the Dutch population experiencing strong feelings of loneliness, a number that is expected to grow as cities become more densely populated. This research explores the role of architectural design in fostering social encounters at multiple spatial scales—neighbourhood, transition zone, and interior—focusing on Tarwewijk, Rotterdam. The study examines the physical and programmatic qualities needed in architectural and urban design to contribute to social interaction and, consequently, reduce social isolation.
Using a combination of insights from architectural and sociological thinkers such as Richard Sennett, Eric Klinenberg, and Herman Hertzberger guide the exploration of social infrastructure, public familiarity, and spatial organization. The findings suggest that design interventions—such as enhancing transition zones, promoting identity and accessibility, designing social spaces that accommodate to a diversity of different groups—can strengthen social networks of people.
Ultimately, the study argues that while ar chitectural design alone cannot solve the issue of loneliness, it plays a crucial role in shaping environments that encourage social interaction and a sense of belonging, contributing to the broader effort of loneliness prevention in inner-city neighbourhoods.

Active Ageing in Tarwewijk, developed within the design studio Designing for Inclusive Care, explores how architectural interventions can enable older adults to live independently, safely, and with dignity within existing housing stock. Set in Rotterdam’s Tarwewijk neighborhood, the project reimagines the outdated yet structurally sound Haagse portiekflats through minimal but strategic design modifications—such as step-free access, new lift cores, adaptable and culturally responsive interiors, and communal spaces that encourage daily interaction. Challenging conventional models of institutional care, the proposal envisions a community-based support network that embeds care within the neighborhood fabric, addressing growing demand amidst a shrinking professional care workforce. More than a technical retrofit, the project is a broader inquiry into what it means to age with autonomy and how thoughtful design can cultivate resilience, connection, and a sense of belonging for older adults.

Architectural and urban design can significantly impact active aging. The concept of active aging plays a role in the quality of life, by supporting a mental, physical, and social active lifestyle. It is not only influenced by healthcare or social services but also by the physical environments of daily lives. A design focused on active aging can improve safety, facilitate movement, and encourage social interaction to reduce loneliness without excluding vulnerable groups, such as the elderly. Environments that are poorly designed can increase the risk of loneliness, isolation, and physical limitations, especially for vulnerable target groups.
This project aims to explore the opportunities for designing a multi-generational, inclusive environment that encourages the elderly to remain physically and mentally active and age healthily.

This study focuses on the challenges and opportunities in developing
age-friendly living environments in Tarwewijk, Rotterdam. The research highlights the importance of supporting elderly to live independently within their community by addressing deficiencies in housing, accessibility, and social cohesion. Using the WHO Age-Friendly Cities framework and case studies, including the Knarrenhof concept, the study explores design solutions such as fostering interactions in various zones of a building, shared spaces and routes, and accessible infrastructure. The three pillars – building, community, and care – form the foundation, with a stronger community reducing the need for formal care for elderly. The findings serve as a design guide for creating sustainable, supportive environments that promote independence and social cohesion.

With the growing number of seniors in the Netherlands and the ongoing reform of their accommodation since 2015, finding new housing forms for this target group is crucial in improving their quality of life as well as solving the housing crisis. Currently, seniors in the Netherlands face multiple imminent challenges, like the rapidly increasing cost of care in the country, growing issues of loneliness and the housing mismatch for the target group, which often lives in way too large housing for their needs and capabilities. In order to accommodate for this problems, clustered housing forms, or co-housing, have become an emerging option throughout Europe, while for the senior target group there has been little focus on it. In this research, litera- ture as well as user research will be utilized in order to confirm the potential for the target group as well as get insights on the actual users wishes and experiences with community based housing. As the literature research showed, clustered housing promises potential in reducing issues such as loneli- ness and lack activity in the senior target group, as well as being able to provide housing attractive for the target group to move out of their previous homes. Regarding the health of the users the literature showed the importance of access to greenery and views, highlighting the importance of the right location for their accommodation. Further, the user research highlighted the importance of the community to the users, and the ability to find social interaction whenever they want, which is not the case living in their previous family homes. Further, the users confirmed the importance of greenery to their living quality and the ability to personalize they homes. In conclusion, clustered housing proved to be a promising solution for the target group, if its done with attention to the community and their wishes.

The Dementia Art Academy is an integral part of the expansion of the TU Delft and is situated next to the new Delft Campus train station on Tanthofdreef. The design serves as a cultural hub for the neighborhood where various art forms, students, artists, but above all, individuals with dementia come together within one building. The design stands out as a pioneer in contemporary dementia care. The academy offers respite care, including guest rooms for individuals with dementia, providing temporary relief for caregivers at home, ultimately enabling those with dementia to remain living at home longer. Its design pushes the boundaries of dementia care by adopting a fresh approach in its architectural layout. Throughout the day, individuals are free to roam the grounds and move wherever they please, without constraints on their freedom in the form of fences or locks. The design facilitates this concept with the use of rounded shapes in its interior and exterior, guiding the way and minimizing the risk of getting lost. The building provides a warm inner world contrasted against a harsh outside world, encouraging its visitors to linger within the complex and is distinguished by its recognizable red color, making it easily recognizable in its urban setting. The academy features an auditorium, dance studios, music rooms, lecture halls, an exhibition space, and a cinema. Shared artistic facilities, including art forms like visual arts, music, dance, and gardening, where the guests can participate in daily activities, are spread across the ground floor and 1st floor. Through a long organic corridor traversing the building, the various art forms are interconnected, with art serving as a guiding (red) thread throughout the structure. The complex is characterized by a green inner courtyard featuring a centrally covered stage, vegetable gardens, a terrace, and various organic pathways.The academy encourages independance, autonomy and improves the overall well-being of people suffering from dementia. It is a place where individuals with dementia are integrated into society and treated as ordinary people, where students and individuals with dementia can learn from and with each other.

There exists today, a major discrepancy in care provision for youth suffering from, or beginning to experience, behavioural and medical health issues (BMH) at an age that is too young to self-advocate, too old for traditional social service infrastructure, but just right to intervene upon if properly recognized. What if human connection and the deliberate use of public space could provide additional built-in community-based support for our neurodivergent peers – what would this look like for a small urban city?

This study aims to investigate practical and minimally-invasive urban solutions for tackling the high care demand imposed on the psychiatric medical care community today. With a focus on decentralization, the burden of care might be alleviated and dispersed from a strictly clinical to a community setting, thus improving access for all.

About 90% of our lives are spend indoors. For many of the buildings we stay in, standards and design guidelines have been set up, but educational buildings are often left out. Around 2009 the project the “Frisse Scholen” was set up in the Netherlands. This project aims to create better indoor climates at primary, secondary, and vocational schools. Universities have not been considered, while university students also need healthy environments. These students also suffer from stress. This can severely impact the academic performance. Healing elements in the design of university buildings could decrease the stress. This research aims to create design guidelines for a new general university education building that improves the physical and mental well-being of students. The research will be anthropological for the most part with interviews, questionnaires, and observation. This will be supported by literature research.