This study explores whether and in what ways the socio-spatial dynamics of Verhalenhuis Belvédère contribute to community resilience and social connections in Katendrecht. Located in Rotterdam, the neighbourhood’s layered social history and evolving diversity make it a distinctive context for studying community places. Drawing on ethnographic observations and interviews, the research identifies key socio-spatial qualities that position the place as an important form of community infrastructure, enabling network-building and reinforcing people–place ties. The findings highlight three ways the place supports community resilience: (1) fostering spatial agency through participatory co-creation of the physical environment; (2) promoting networked solidarity across diverse social groups in the neighbourhood; and (3) enabling identity grounding through cultural recognition and memory work connected to Katendrecht’s heritage. The study demonstrates how such community-driven places can help counteract the disruptive effects of urban renewal while maintaining neighbourhood identity. These insights underscore the importance of public space design that prioritises cultural recognition, grassroots participation, and flexible programming to support communities undergoing transformation. Operationalising socio-spatial frameworks through resident-collective management, participatory governance, and targeted design interventions can enable integrated design–planning–policy approaches, helping planners and policymakers foster more connected and resilient communities. ... Read more

This position paper consolidates the work of researchers from various departments and areas of expertise across the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment at Delft University of Technology. It discusses the relevance, applications, and different methods of community engagement in the built environment. The inclusion of main take-away, recommendations for community engagement, and a range of example projects demonstrating various methods, bridge the gap from scientific knowledge to application in practice. ... Read more

Public spaces have a significant impact on social interactions and community dynamics, particularly during times of disruption and change. This study investigates the role of public space in fostering community resilience. It introduces a conceptual framework to identify the attributes and characteristics of public space that support or hinder the social environment, in the context of community resilience. Through an interdisciplinary narrative literature review, the research examines how social dynamics—particularly communal interactions and activities—are influenced by spatial features and how these contribute to a community’s adaptive capacity during crises. The findings highlight that public spaces act as vital community infrastructure, facilitating community networks and fostering connections between people and place, all of which are key components of community resilience. As such, the research highlights the importance of recognizing various spaces within the public domain with these attributes, while emphasizing the significance of diverse public spaces to nurture communities and support their resilience. More so, by integrating public spaces into broader networks, the study suggests that fostering belonging, identification, and reinforcing essential structures enhance community resilience, transcending the role of conventional public spaces concepts. ... Read more

Environmental noise is a major urban stressor, affecting both physical and mental health and diminishing quality of life (WHO, 2018; EEA, 2020). Conventional noise assessments, often based on averaged metrics such as Lden and Lnight, fail to capture the subjective and context-dependent nature of sound perception (Herranz-Pascual et al., 2010; Kang, 2023). This exploratory study examines the relationship between soundscapes and the built environment in the Rotterdam port area, using Oud-Charlois as a pilot site. By integrating multiple scales—from the city level to neighbourhood functional distribution, street profiles, and building typologies—the study combines insights from the literature with empirical data, including GIS datasets, satellite imagery, and geolocated noise complaints. Findings indicate that lively soundscapes are associated with commercial activity, calm soundscapes with natural green spaces, and chaotic soundscapes with traffic-intensive areas (Margaritis & Kang, 2017; Kang et al., 2018). The results underscore the limitations of objective noise maps in representing lived soundscapes and suggest that green infrastructure, street design, and building typologies shape acoustic perception. Future research should integrate sensor-based noise measurements with citizen science approaches, adopt longitudinal methods to capture temporal dynamics, and account for socio-demographic context. ... Read more

Bij een havenstad denken we aan industriële herrie van voorbijvarende schepen en fabrieksnijverheid, toch? Een industrieel schiereiland als Katendrecht wordt ondertussen niet meer gedomineerd door havenarbeid en vrachtverkeer. Hoe wordt zo’n omgetoverde havenbuurt op het vlak van geluid vandaag beleefd door bewoners? Het zijn inzichten waar gebiedsontwikkelaars iets mee kunnen. ... Read more

Katendrecht, once Rotterdam’s historic harbour district, has transformed over the years, evolving socially and culturally. These changes resonate profoundly in its soundscape, offering a unique lens to explore how auditory environments shape identity and community. [...] ... Read more

It is known that the elderly usually spend the last years of their lives indoors, with little contact with others and the outside environment. Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) conditions related to lighting, air quality, thermal comfort, and acoustics directly affect their quality of life. In this study, the main focus is on the design of institutional care rooms for elderly people to create an indoor comfort. However, considering all four factors of IEQ in one model is a challenging task. A multi-objective problem is formulated based on a weighted sum of IEQ components in a parametric modelling environment using computational design methods. Several simulation tools are utilised, and a Self-Adaptive Ensemble Differential Evolution Algorithm is proposed to tackle this complex problem. The results show that optimal ranges for each IEQ component are achieved, with average values reaching 72% of the ideal benchmarks after the algorithm is converged. Results reveal strong correlations between IEQ components. This significant improvement in indoor environmental quality (IEQ) demonstrates the efficacy of the optimisation algorithm used. This study emphasises the flexibility and relevance of these findings for wider implementation in similar settings. ... Read more

This paper focuses on public spaces for community resilience in their ‘response-related abilities’ and which can be improved. Comparative studies of communities, places, and/or disasters after the unforeseen impactful events are indicators to quantify the level of resilience. Within the broad scope of literature, in this line, 'community networks', 'people-place connections', and 'community infrastructure' are consequentially attributes that come out strongly in studying the resilience of community during change events. In other words, people, and spaces, in their social and physical interconnectivity, contribute to the level of community resilience. In this context, the aim of this paper is to take a closer look into the relation between community resilience and public spaces and specify those public spaces which enhance resilience by means of its design. Based upon reviewing literature and identifying similarities in reasoning community resilience as well as adherence in the discussed spaces as support for community resilience, these public spaces have been specified and some examples from Rotterdam are given to make an accurate image of them. ... Read more