Oud Crooswijk is a typical working-class neighbourhood in Rotterdam and a vital part of the city’s identity. Today, the area is in urgent need of urban renewal. However, this renewal risks displacing current residents and transforming the neighbourhood’s physical and social fabric. As a result, Oud Crooswijk is at risk of becoming unrecognizable, potentially erasing its working-class character.

To address this challenge, this thesis presents a transformation framework that explores how the urban fabric of Oud Crooswijk can be renewed while reinterpreting—rather than simply preserving—its working-class identity. The concept of a working-class neighbourhood is constantly evolving, and this framework anticipates how that identity may shift in the 21st century.

The research follows a circular process involving four key activities. First, an analysis was conducted to understand the urgency of renewal, the spatial identity-carriers of working-class identity, and how this identity is defined. Based on these findings, a design assignment was created and translated into a proposal, including a vision, design principles, a potential masterplan, and key interventions. This was followed by an evaluation that redefined the spatial expression of working-class identity and informed further analysis—completing the cycle.

The thesis concludes that “conceptualizing working-class identity in the 21st century is complex and continuously evolving.” To maintain Oud Crooswijk’s recognizability post-renewal, the redesign must anticipate how this identity could be represented in the future. The transformation framework does this by embedding spatial identity-carrying elements into the urban fabric through design principles.

While the outcomes are promising, the framework is currently limited to the context of Oud Crooswijk. To test its broader applicability, it must be applied to other neighbourhoods facing similar urban renewal challenges.

The emission of CO2 is a significant contributor to global warming, with the mobility sector being a major source. The EU has set a goal to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, requiring substantial CO2 reduction efforts, particularly in densely populated regions like the Rhine-Delta (RDR). This region’s extensive mobility network, serving both urban and global trade needs, generates significant CO2 emissions.
To address this, a research initiative aims to make the Rhine-Delta’s mobility network CO2-neutral by 2050 through reimagining its design and operations. The focus lies on peri-urban areas, where urban and rural landscapes intersect. These areas are essential for economic and social functions but are currently reliant on polluting road transportation.
The research identifies the need to rethink connectivity to peri-urban areas for sustainability. Traditional urban-focused transportation concepts often overlook peri-urban needs. Therefore, the initiative proposes developing context-based mobility nodes tailored to peri-urban requirements. These nodes aim to promote sustainable transportation and enhance network efficiency.
The approach involves creating an interconnected network of such nodes throughout the Rhine-Delta region, addressing the specific needs of lower-density areas like peri-urban zones. By considering local contexts, these nodes can effectively serve peri-urban areas, promoting sustainable transportation practices.
To demonstrate the feasibility of this approach, the research zooms in on a representative area within the Rhine-Delta region, focusing on peri-urban patches around Arnhem-Nijmegen. By showcasing how context-based mobility nodes can be implemented in such areas, the research seeks to pave the way for a broader transition towards a CO2-neutral mobility network by 2050.
In conclusion, the research aims to transform the Rhine-Delta’s mobility landscape by making it CO2-neutral through the implementation of sustainable transportation solutions tailored to peri-urban areas. By recognizing and addressing the unique challenges and opportunities presented by peri-urban zones, the initiative seeks to contribute significantly to the EU’s climate neutrality goal by 2050.