Ageing of the population is one of the most significant changes taking place in the population of the Netherlands, that will affect the dwelling design in the coming decades. This is also reflected by other phenomenon: together with the higher life expectancy, the quality of the lifetime deteriorates, of which the leading cause are chronic diseases.

One way to stop the negative trend is to change focus from curing the effects of the disease to the prevention of the unhealthy lifestyle, that contributes to it, by implementing changes in the living environment. In the last decades we observed the rise of architecture, that values comfort, efficiency, and entertainment supported by passive technologies, which contributed to decreased human energy expenditure. One of the design strategies, that presents an approach countering this problem is active design, the goal of which is to increase the amount of daily physical activity on all levels of urban scale. These methods are best to be implemented in a vulnerable age of 45-60 (middle-aged phase), when many of the health issues manifest - introducing particular dwelling solutions for this target group could minimize health problems they face in later life. The dwelling-scale design is crucial, as it is where people spend most of their daily time. From these reflections arises my mission for the project – to find spatial characteristics of a dwelling that can improve the physical and psychological health of middle-aged inhabitants. ... Read more

An investigation into the disconnection between humans and nature. And a search for meaningfull architectural interventions to improve the human nature relationship. ... Read more

The number of solo-dwellers is a rising trend in the Netherlands. While living alone is not a new phenomenon, the proportions of solo-dwellers have made this a significant demographic group. According to ABF Research, the total number of households in the Netherlands in 2020 is 8,02 million with 3,11 million solo-dwellers. In 2050 the total number of households is expected to grow to 9,2 million with 4,09 million solo-dwellers. Thus, the solo-dweller household is the household type with the most expected growth compared to the other household types (ABF Research, 2020). More people choose to live on their own as a lifestyle choice or as a consequence of social and economic circumstances. Also, the number of people who express feeling lonely is increasing in the Netherlands. Within the solo-dweller household type, 48% of the people express to feel either somewhat or very lonely. Of the solo-dwellers who express feeling lonely, 14,8% are emotionally lonely and 16,3% are socially lonely (CBS, 2019). There are different reasons for being lonely, therefore, finding the solution to combat loneliness can be difficult. In the context of this research, this paper aims to focus on the loneliness that is caused by social isolation. Social isolation can be very harmful to physical and mental health, according to Holt-Lunstad (2015). This is why human societies have organized themselves around the notion of living with others and not alone (Klinenberg, 2012).

Be that as it may, modern society is changing according to Sennett (2018) as strangers keep more to themselves and do not interact with other strangers as much compared to the years before. If in today’s age, as a solo-dweller, you do not interact in public and also not in your home, it is not surprising to see that the number of people who express to feel lonely at times increases. This is because not interacting with people in public and in private is a form of social isolation which can cause loneliness. As people are more hesitant to interact with other strangers it becomes evident how important architecture is that incite moments of social encounters. The obvious question that follows this statement is whether solo-dwellers even want moments of social encounters. According to the research of Klinenberg (2012), for solo-dwellers, these spaces for social interactions are very important. This is because to compensate for the social isolation at home, the solo-dweller looks for nearby facilities where they can socialize. As the life of a solo-dweller continues, their living arrangements can change. A solo-dweller will have moments where they are not a solo-dweller. To prevent an excessive concentration of single-use within a building or space, it is important to cater to the diverse and ever-changing needs and practices of a young solo-dweller.

Furthermore, Novotney (2019) mentions that co-living is a popular trend for young and old to improve social connections and combat loneliness. These co-living communities can be established in a neighbourhood with multiple single-family homes or with solo-dwellers in one large apartment block. I will investigate different strategies in precedent co-living housing schemes to reduce loneliness among solo-dwellers in the city. ... Read more

The number of elderly citizens in the Netherlands is growing, but there is a lack of suitable housing for this population group. Because of this, they occupy larger homes that are more suitable for families with children. Since the average age of no longer having children at home is 55 years in the Netherlands, that is the starting age for this project. A design for an elderly specific housing project in the Merwehavens in Rotterdam tries to provide a possible solution. Since there are different social and economical backgrounds there are several different types of dwellings in the building, ranging from small care units to larger multi-bedroom apartments. To still offer the smaller apartments a space for (grand)children to visit, there are also lodging rooms on each floor. The dwellings themselves are all wheelchair proof. This means that the residents do not need to move again if their physical capabilities decline with age, therefore providing a future proof dwelling for the elderly in the Netherlands. This is the next step in the housing career for the modern elderlies of the Netherlands. ... Read more

A graduation research into the topic feeling at home for the heterogeneous modern household group single-person households. This research forms the basis of a design project for Merwe-Vierhaven in Rotterdam, where the concepts of comfort, social interaction, feeling of safety and identity come together. ... Read more

The Netherlands is currently facing an overloaded housing market. This has the consequence that many people cannot find a suitable dwelling. To solve this issue the government made the plan to build one million houses between 2020 and 2030. Apart from the quantitative problem of too little houses what is even more important is to figure out what type of houses to build. Where should the houses be build? For whom should they be build? How do these people want to live? These questions need to be answered to make certain the houses that will be build have the potential to solve the housing shortage.

Demographic data of The Netherlands and the design location the city of Rotterdam shows that most household growth in the coming years will occur among families with children and singles of all age categories with the largest increase in the 65+ age category. Looking at the current housing situation of families and elderly people living in the city it seems like there is already a shortage of suitable housing. With the prognosis pointing out that there will be a growth in these households the shortage will only get worse unless action is taken.

Living environment plays a crucial role in people’s lives especially in the most vulnerable parts when growing up as kids or when nearing the last stage of life. This is because when we are young but also when we grow old we are dependent on caregivers and on what our direct environment can offer to meet our needs.

This thesis therefore looks into an intergenerational housing approach based on the thought that by creating buildings in such a way that they help with bringing people together and by creating inclusive communities many issues concerning families and elderly people living in the city can be alleviated. The building design serves as an example for the many opportunities there are to improve life in the city by keeping people in mind instead of only focusing on creating more houses to solve the housing crisis. By taking this approach it is possible to get to a much more long term sustainable solution for the housing crisis benefitting all the participants and leaving a much larger positive impact on the whole of society.
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The research looks into the historical development of the old building type that combines live and work; what Frances Holliss (2015) states to be a ‘workhome’. The relevance and resurgence of this typology in the context of a globalized economy and informational era, causes the homebased workforce to grow rapidly. This growth has increased after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic as it imposed home-based work on a large scale. During the curfews and movement restrictions, the workplace was squeezed into a monofunctional designed dwelling and so affected the live-work balance negatively in several ways. This is especially the case for home working parents with young children, due to family life distraction. With a future forecast that 67% of the workforce view they will work more regularly from home post-Covid-19. It urges to question current housing design and a rearrangement of the dwelling to support wage work and care work in the same place. The design for Merwehaven offers suitable homes for home working parents and children living in M4H, and addresses the issue of young urban families leaving the city to the suburbs. Their presence is essential for the vitality and quality of life in the city. ... Read more

The rapid change in climate change and negative impact on the natural environment is attributable to human behavior. The current demands on nature are compromising the well-being of humanity’s future and putting the existence of mankind at risk. The current unsustainable way of living can be changed into a more desired, sustainable lifestyle by using the concept of nudging as well as creating a supportive environment for eliciting pro-environmental behavior. Since current studies on nudging and its potential for sustainable behavior are mostly focusing on the policy-making process or small aspects in the built environment, this project explores the role of nudging in changing behavior towards sustainable living in architecture. Therefore, this report addresses the following primary research question: What is the role of nudging in changing behavior towards sustainable household behavior in architecture?
The project explores how sustainable buildings are able to act as a supportive environment for shaping pro-environmental behavior, by integrating a Comprehensive Model for Nudging towards Sustainable Household Behavior in Architecture. This framework describes the role of architecture that, together with three other interdependent variables, affect the development of sustainable household behavior. In this framework, the role of nudging, and the positioning of nudging within the wider framework becomes salient. Accordingly, this model is used to create a dwelling complex in Merwe Vierhaven, Rotterdam, that provides this new way of living that ensures liveable, affordable, and sustainable housing. ... Read more

The Netherlands experienced a large influx of refugees over the past years, which peaked in 2015. Many of these refugees have recently had their temporary residency extended into a permanent residency. In spite of this, there is a disproportionately high percentage of unemployment among refugees and many experience a lack of social and academic integration. As a result, a large percentage of refugees are still dependent on governmental financial aid, and the socioeconomic status of refugees is more likely to be lower than the average socioeconomic status in the Netherlands.
Although refugee integration is a widely studied sociological topic, no effort has been made to apply the findings of such studies to the context of architecture. The goal of the present study was to consider research findings on factors and domains that facilitate sociocultural integration, and apply these to the architectural domain. More specifically, the study focused on the development of functional program and building characteristics intended to facilitate integration and produce a suitable living environment.
The results of the present study showed that asylum status holders need to have certain places in the building, such as common rooms in which they share work and study with the rest of the building's residents, who are of different nationalities and are also local residents. In this case, they integrate into society faster and also the problem of friction that may appear among the residents of the building disappears because they spend some time together and give them some awareness and educational lectures that make them accept each other and get closer to each other more.
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New Media has brought about a change in our lifestyles, a change in how we do our work, the possibility of working more flexibly, but also the creation of new jobs. Nowadays New Media can’t be separated anymore from the way that we do our work. New Media workers specifically are largely reliant on New Media, in this case seen as technological advancements of a given time in this case internet, smartphones, laptop etc. Because of New Media these people are able to work more flexible, differently (to the point of the creation of new jobs) and most importantly from anywhere. Most of these people however work from home and it is here that the problem that these people deal with is found. Most of the homes that they currently have are adapted to this new way of working, meaning that they are in need for dwellings that can provide the necessary space for them to work and live. It is expected that a lot of people will continue to work more from home even companies are thinking of implementing standard days on which their employees work from home, meaning that the issue will persist and even expand to more than just the New Media workers. With the building presented in this project I hope to participate in finding a solution for this problem, which not only New Media workers have to deal with, but others soon as well.
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This paper is part of a master’s degree in Architecture at Delft University of Technology. It is addressing single-person households as they are found to be the most affected group from the current state of the Dutch housing market. This forms the relevance of this study and formulates the research objective.
The theoretical part describes the background of the problem from a market and a historical perspective. It further examines the needs, preferences and lifestyle patterns of this household composition and investigates ‘compact’ and ‘live-work’ as architectural notions. The design case analyses precedential building’s circulation schemes, shared facilities and public/private threshold. The suitable living environment is defined as a live-work building with compact dwellings and shared facilities. The aim of the paper is to provide a design hypothesis for Building 7 for this target group located in the M4H area in Rotterdam. A conceptual design is proposed, but this section is still to be elaborated into a detailed design. ... Read more

In the recent decades the economies became more dependent on knowledge - based activities - scientific research, technology, trade, finance. Therefore, the industries strive to be competitive in these categories on global level. In order to achieve that, they need an international recognition which also means attracting international knowledge workers (expats). Many cities try to become an urban knowledge capital by providing opportunities for the expats - carrier and urban facilities. In the Netherlands, Rotterdam is one of the most popular destinations among expats. However, finding suitable housing especially for the expat families in the city is a difficult task for the new residents. There is a lack of suitable housing for families in the city of Rotterdam which forced middle class families to move out of the city.
Therefore, the project aims to solve the problem by creating a dwelling complex which meets the needs of the families and stimulates social interaction and communication. ... Read more

“Urban woods” is a project that investigates the problems of the segregation and social exclusion in the cities today. Urban environments become more and more diverse, which often leads to lack of social cohesion on the neighborhood scale. This master thesis focuses on the target group of expats and answers the questions of creating inclusive urban surroundings for a diverse group of residents. It investigates the theme of collective living and social responsibility for the inhabited spaces. Design focus lies in providing spaces that enhance social interactions between the residents and spaces for their individual appropriation. Since designing for diverse cultures does not refer to one dwelling system, the building offers maximum flexibility in order to provide appropriate apartments for future tenants. This strategy is based on the concept of open building introduced by John Habraken. The concept of responsibility for the inhabited spaces is also reflected in the integration of architecture and nature. The building provides biodiversity and aims to put focus on the current issues of the climate change. Architecture of the building integrates with nature and creates a healthy and sustainable living environment not only for people, but also several animal species. ... Read more

The presence of creatives or the ‘creative class’ is observed to act as a stimulant for regional and local urban transformation and gentrification. Global statistics state that the creative industry serves as a major economic driving force of the twenty- first century. For Rotterdam, a global metropolis, the need for creativity grows hand in hand with its need to attract and hold talent. The necessity exists to perpetuate the creative city image and to remain competitive on the world stage. However, the lack of creative workspace and housing has become a stringent issue for Rotterdam and its creative community. By looking at the issue through a historical lens, the research establishes the insufficiency of present policies and proposes a solution in the form of physical architecture, with the goal of relieving spatial shortages and bettering the livelihoods of creatives through facilitation of interdisciplinary synergy. ... Read more

The project is focused on combating loneliness in single-person households. Concepts of cohousing and coliving are chosen to research the topic to meet the requirements of modern solo dwellers. ... Read more

Flexible housing is offered as a way to extend the lifespan of architecture. This research paper explores the different ways to design flexible housing through the publications of Habraken, Brand, and Leupens as well as the findings by organizations like OBOM and Openbuilding.co. Three modern housing projects in Amsterdam, Superlofts houthavens, CiWoCo, and Patch-22 are analyzed on the criteria of flexibility as proposed in the publications. While highly flexible, some choices made either by the architect, constructor, or the current resident, might limit the choices a prospective resident might be able to make when they want to rearrange the interior.
A newly emerging target audience called ‘the amateur’, that greatly values high quality and customization, would be very suitable for this type of flexible housing. The paper analyses their preferences based on three case study projects (Superlofts houthavens, CiWoCo, and Patch-22) as well as a questionnaire and a series of short interviews. it is essential to consider the character of each design element (site, structure, skin, circulation, services, space plan, and stuff) in order to study the effectiveness of this building strategy. ... Read more

Over the previous two decades people all over the world have been increasingly working from home or living at their workplace with the global North especially seeing a resurgence in this form of living. With the restrictions imposed on travel and social distancing at work brought about by the current COVID-19 pandemic ,however,this trend has been drastically accelerated, and in doing so has highlighted failings with the quality and availability of workspaces within the current housing stock. Based on this growing need and the predicted future demands it’s time to re-examine our relationship with working and living in monofunctioning determinate dwellings.

Therefore in this forthcoming research project I aim to explore
what Frances Hollis states to be a ‘workhome’ (Holliss, 2015, p2), a building that combines both dwelling and working, focusing on examining this architypes spatial strategy in addressing current problems facing a work force increasingly working from their home. This report will thus advocate a return of this typology to the building stock in the Netherlands, highlighting its historical relevance and the benefits a buildingof this nature can bring in its duality. ... Read more

This graduation project will focus on the dwelling design of the so-called ‘fledglings’: a specific type of starters on the housing market seeking to achieve an explorative lifestyle in their daily life. The current generation of starters in Rotterdam experiences several issues in housing, like the raising buying and renting prices of 40% over the last few years and a lack of suitable homes for the changing lifestyle of the residents. In order to tackle
problems like this, the graduation project will identify and investigate on the notion of how a shared living economy can contribute to the explorative lifestyle of a fledgling. Within this research, several existing designs and scientific literature will be read and investigated to form a base for the design of an explorative living environment. Several case studies have been analyzed in this design process as well. Besides that, the concept of the Fun Palace by Cedric Price and Joan Littlewood has been used as an inspiration for the design for fledglings. It turns out that an explorative living environment should stimulate and facilitate the residents to do activities that range from a more leisure nature to a more educational or cultural nature. In the end, it is about developing yourself as an individual and achieving personal growth through both enjoying and learning at the same time. ... Read more

According to Dutch Deputy Prime Minister, Kajsa Ollongren, the Netherlands is faced with a massive task of creating one million homes before 2030. Big cities are characterized by the steady sub-urbanization of young middle-class families. Households often leave the city as soon as they want to have children, or shortly after their child is born. In the Netherlands this steady trend of out-migration has occurred since the 1960s, and will certainly continue in the 21st century (Wouden, 2001). CBS Netherlands reported in 2018 that, in the case of the four largest cities (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Den-Haag), some 30% to 40% of families with young children leave the city within four years of the birth of their first child (CBS, 2018). The reason these families leave the city is because the available housing is either too expensive or doesn’t meet their needs. Therefore, they are forced to move to the suburbs, leaving behind their job, family and friends in the city. Meanwhile, the city loses this middle class workers and the social cohesion that families provide. Living in a city like Rotterdam is beneficial for the development of the child since cities offer children exposure and better opportunities to experience public spaces (museum, cinema, etc.) and interact with a diverse range of people. Living in a city is beneficial for parents since they can live near their work, family, social life. Reasons why young families are leaving the city is because their housing needs are not met. By translating the needs of children (space to play, learn and living) and parents (work, leisure, peace of mind and living) into a design proposal, families will stay in the city. ... Read more

“In which way can the design of the residential environment contribute to the social self-reliance of young people with a mild intellectual disability?” We are facing a huge challenge in the Netherlands: we have to build up to ‘1 Million Homes’ by 2030. But such a huge assignment raises the question if those new dwellings will be inclusive enough for all different users. What about young people with a mild intellectual disability? Due to the entrance of the ‘Wet Maatschappelijke Ondersteuning’ (WMO) in 2015 it is no longer possible to apply for their housing via the care for disabled people. They stay longer at home, because of their need of support. This despite their willingness to live independently, just like others. ... Read more