Since 2020, when remote working became standard practice worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic, several countries, including the Caribbean Island Curaçao, have introduced remote working visas targeting digital nomads to boost their local economy. As a result, the phenomenon of digital nomadism has seen a rapid increase in the last few years. Digital nomads are mobile professionals who use digital technologies and leverage workplace flexibility to perform their work remotely, while travelling on a (semi-)permanent basis living a nomadic life. Two years after the introduction of these visas, local communities of popular digital nomad destinations are protesting the negative consequences in the socio-spatial context resulting from the unrestricted access given to digital nomads. Since the economy of Curaçao is partly dependent on tourism, this thesis aims to investigate what spatial interventions in Curaçao can facilitate mutually beneficial co-existence between digital nomads and local communities beyond the potential economic benefits. Henri Lefebvre’s spatial triad theory was used to systematically investigate the social, economic, and spatial practices of digital nomads in juxtaposition with the social and material infrastructures of Curaçao. The analysis followed the structure of the model for planetary-scale computation The Stack by Benjamin Bratton. The results include an overview of the full spectrum of spatial externalities of digital nomadism as well as an evaluation of the affordances of the island’s infrastructures to support a multiplicity of mobilities. Furthermore, the juxtaposition uncovered ‘pursuit of knowledge’ as common ground between digital nomad and settled communities. The material expression of this common ground was then imagined as a civil (knowledge) campus. The civil campus as a concept is a vision for the conscious and active involvement of all citizens and visitors to adaptively shape social spaces together based on shared values of collaboration, purpose, and a mindset of continuous learning. As a material place, the civil campus is an inclusive and porous knowledge-focused hub. It is formed through bottom-up adaptive processes that serve both the locals and the digital nomads, thereby enabling local communities to benefit from knowledge exchange with this global community. The public library acts as central knowledge node and meeting place, and spatial interventions in the public realm on the micro (furniture), mezzo (architecture), and macro (neighbourhood) level activate and support social interaction and active knowledge exchange between digital nomads and settled locals.

The project deals with a changing territorial environment on the Île aux Épis in Strasbourg, France, on which an urban (residential) masterplan has been drawn with a set of stipulations by the port authorities on the island. These stipulations introduce, among other things, a road that is to maintain the connectivity of the port to the highway infrastructure of France and Europe while avoiding the newly-introduced functions of the masterplan as much as possible. Consequently, the road as drawn in the masterplan negates much of its surroundings and thus, if left untouched, may generate conditions of residual spaces reminiscent to Ignasi de Solà-Morales' "Terrain Vague." The project, a bus transfer station, which is to facilitate the flux of tourists and passengers that arrive in or traverse through the city of Strasbourg, thus attempts to use the qualities of such residuals by creating new spaces in-between different sets of urban, infrastructural and natural conditions on the project site.

Eventually either the oil and gas supply will be exhausted, or society will develop methods to rely completely on eco-friendly energy sources. What will then happen to the oil industry and their factories and structures? In this hypothetical situation, offshore drilling rigs, structures made of billions of euros worth of steel and concrete, will need to be repurposed. These highly sophisticated platforms and jackets resist storms, frequent waves (resonance), and salt water. These abandoned rigs provide society with the opportunity to repurpose, and even extend the site over and under water. Humans are facing the dangerous consequences of the climate change. Especially the population of the Netherlands, which has to face rising sea levels. An undesired, nor not impossible scenario, would be the loss of livable land due to flooding. The loss of building and living area would result in drastic changes to the means of life. On the one hand, we need to research possibilities to slow down the process, and also change our way of life. However, on the other hand, we must look for concepts and design proposals to support a lifestyle with radical climate changes. Our society, human behavior, and cities are changing due to the exponential progress of technology. How are we going to live in a future, and which role will architecture play in an augmented world? It might emerge as a balancing act between utopia and dystopia, between the total dependency and repression of the machines and the freedom to achieve more than we ever imagined. Society’s addiction to technical devices emphasizes the urgency at hand to begin to work with new technologies instead of denying the process categorically.

This research and design project explores the use of the Pattern Language method to transform Moluccan neighbourhoods in the Netherlands into inclusive areas while enhancing their cultural heritage. The study focuses on the Moluccan neighbourhood in Barneveld for renovation and the Lloydkade in Rotterdam as a site for creating new places of heritage. The main question addressed in this study is how Moluccan neighbourhoods can become inclusive areas through urban design while enhancing their cultural heritage. The first part of the study, "Spatializing Moluccan Heritage," examines the emergence and development of Moluccan neighbourhoods over time. It investigates the unique spatial characteristics of these neighbourhoods and identifies spatial patterns that showcase their identity. The analysis reveals that community facilities play a crucial role in maintaining the unity of the Moluccan community. The desired spatial layout of neighbourhoods reflects the organic and wandering nature found in Moluccan islands. Public spaces are primarily used for ceremonies and brief interactions, while most social activities occur within the private realm. The kitchen, located at the back of the house, serves as an important space for transmitting Moluccan culture. Recognizable elements such as street names and entrance indications contribute to identifying a place as a Moluccan neighbourhood. The second part, "Forming Scenarios," examines the perceptions of Moluccan neighbourhoods among different generations and non-Moluccan society. It explores the evolution of the Moluccan society and its culture. The study reveals that younger generations exhibit less attachment to these neighbourhoods, preferring larger cities and a more individualistic approach. However, the majority of generations express a desire to preserve the Moluccan neighbourhoods. To ensure their preservation, it is important for these neighbourhoods to evolve and become more diverse, accommodating the changing needs and preferences of younger generations while maintaining their cultural heritage. The third part, "Designing the Urban Form," proposes strategies for transforming Moluccan neighbourhoods into inclusive and porous areas. Strengthening the network of alleys and creating intimate public spaces can address the desire for informality and reduce social control pressures. Introducing greater housing diversity and types that cater to the preferences of the Moluccan community can make the neighbourhoods more inclusive and attractive to younger generations. The tangible and intangible Moluccan heritage can be preserved through the creation of spaces such as community buildings, flagpoles, paths and alleys, and the integration of water elements. In conclusion, this research highlights the importance of urban design in transforming Moluccan neighbourhoods in the Netherlands into inclusive areas while enhancing their cultural heritage. It emphasizes the need to not only preserve and celebrate existing cultural heritage but also to create new places for cultural expression and engagement, particularly for younger generations. By incorporating these findings into urban design practices, Moluccan neighbourhoods can thrive as inclusive and vibrant communities that cherish their cultural heritage.

How to design a vertical campus that focuses on designing for interaction

In an era where public spaces often lack the warmth and accessibility necessary to foster genuine connections, and on a site dominated by closed buildings and transitional spots seen as non-place, this vertical campus emerges as a counterpoint—a destination in itself rather than a mere transition between destinations. By prioritising social interaction, engagement, and inclusivity, it becomes a dynamic catalyst for community cohesion. To achieve this inclusivity, accessibility is a central point of interest, ensuring that everyone, regardless of ability, can navigate its spaces with ease. Furthermore, central to the building’s ethos is the concept of shared spaces—areas where individuals can come together to connect, collaborate, and celebrate. These spaces will not just be functional; they will be designed to evoke specific emotional responses through the strategic use of colour, texture, and form. Warm, inviting hubs evoke feelings of comfort, while bold pops of colour inject energy and vitality into the space. Shared spaces will be designed to serve diverse needs and preferences. From green patios that invite relaxation to bustling communal hubs that celebrate cultures and social interactions. These spaces will serve as the lifeblood of the building, fostering a sense of community and belonging among its occupants. Collaborative use will also be encouraged, with flexible spaces that can easily adapt to a diverse range of activities and events. From art exhibitions to community workshops, the building will serve as a canvas for creativity and expression, fostering a sense of ownership and investment among its users.

M.A.G.N.O.L.I.A. is a proposed future campus located in the heart of the city of The Hague. The proposal stems from an ambition to offer a potential, innovative spatial answer to a demand for higher education, in light of urgent and intensive contemporary issues ranging from soil consumption to long-life learning perspectives, social integration and flexible planning, most relevant among many others. The response is materialized in a vision for a campus deeply integrated into the city fabric, highly connected to the existing network infrastructure and inspired by an ambition to provide functional spaces for people to learn, gather, meet, dialogue, contributing to the building of more than a single spatial entity, a community of individuals and a nest for the fostering of new ideas, promoting the transfer of knowledge to the highest extent.

M.A.G.N.O.L.I.A. is a proposed future campus located in the heart of the city of The Hague. The proposal stems from an ambition to offer a potential, innovative spatial answer to a demand for higher education, in light of urgent and intensive contemporary issues ranging from soil consumption to long-life learning perspectives, social integration and flexible planning, most relevant among many others. The response is materialized in a vision for a campus deeply integrated into the city fabric, highly connected to the existing network infrastructure and inspired by an ambition to provide functional spaces for people to learn, gather, meet, dialogue, contributing to the building of more than a single spatial entity, a community of individuals and a nest for the fostering of new ideas, promoting the transfer of knowledge to the highest extent.

The project focuses on creating educational, working, and public spaces that promote diversity and sustainability. With the global population growing, the design emphasizes efficient space utilization and minimal environmental impact through inward densification and overlapping activities. Another key objective is to enhance campus spaces for flexibility and efficiency while maintaining essential elements like social interaction and facilities. The design arranges programs based on qualitative parameters such as the succession of spaces and varying levels of privacy, using architectural means like ramps, stairs, and materials. Situated in The Hague, part of the Randstad Urban Network, the project aims to minimize space impact while accommodating population influx. The building massing strategy involves sharing spaces and creating new structures to connect different user groups via public pathways and a collective hub. Building systems use recycled steel and timber to reduce CO2 impact, with efficient ventilation and modular facade designs. The main buildings feature fritted ceramic glass for daylight and views, while the collective hub has a metal mesh facade for light and airflow. The design integrates with its surroundings to ensure smooth flow and connectivity, creating a vertical campus with outdoor green spaces. Overall, the Multiverse Campus optimizes space use, enhances learning efficiency, and fosters a sustainable, diverse environment.

The project focuses on creating educational, working, and public spaces that promote diversity and sustainability. With the global population growing, the design emphasizes efficient space utilization and minimal environmental impact through inward densification and overlapping activities. Another key objective is to enhance campus spaces for flexibility and efficiency while maintaining essential elements like social interaction and facilities. The design arranges programs based on qualitative parameters such as the succession of spaces and varying levels of privacy, using architectural means like ramps, stairs, and materials. Situated in The Hague, part of the Randstad Urban Network, the project aims to minimize space impact while accommodating population influx. The building massing strategy involves sharing spaces and creating new structures to connect different user groups via public pathways and a collective hub. Building systems use recycled steel and timber to reduce CO2 impact, with efficient ventilation and modular facade designs. The main buildings feature fritted ceramic glass for daylight and views, while the collective hub has a metal mesh facade for light and airflow. The design integrates with its surroundings to ensure smooth flow and connectivity, creating a vertical campus with outdoor green spaces. Overall, the Multiverse Campus optimizes space use, enhances learning efficiency, and fosters a sustainable, diverse environment.

The HUB is a design which aims to raise the quality of life of the inhabitants of HongKong, in the district of Mong Kok. This is done by implementing daylight simulations, walking-paths simulations and multiple parametric design tools. The Hub will replace an existing building called; 'the Sincere Building', and will provide commercial space, residential space and public space.

The division present in Strasbourg’s urban tissue is a direct result of the fortifications systems that were implemented, reshaped and mostly demolished between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. As a border city between France and Germany, it was always under the threat of a sudden attack. My proposal is a bridging structure that connects in a straight line city centre with a green belt, a remnant of the former fortifications, and adds to it with a botanical and an open garden. The heterogeneity is typical for the surrounding and the proposal, which together allows creating a series of “threshold moments” with an elevated passage. It encourages you to explore the unknown other side and reinforces the feeling of rediscovering some exceptional, forgotten quality of the city.

Rome is a city that has always been described as an eternal city. This eternal character can be found through the many traces that Rome contains of former states within its physical environment. When researching these traces, an interesting conclusion can be drawn; almost all physical elements have either fallen into decay or have continuously moved with the city to meet the needs of new social structures. But nowadays with the declaration of the city centre of Rome as one large monument, this is no longer possible. While at the same time the current social structure is crumbling. This is particularly visible with all of the Roman churches. Christianity is losing relevance fast and these church become nothing but museumpieces in the city that are no longer contributing to the current social structure of Rome. That is why this thesis proposes a radical move; to provide space in the city center for new architectural experiments by moving 10 of the 400 churches to a new location outside the city center. With the collection of 10 churches also a grand experiment will be conducted, creating a gigantic second hand religious market, using the historical logistical character of the new location. Continuing Rome is about giving the city the impulse to restart the layering that makes Rome great and to give Rome back to its own citizens for a new eternity.

The section of the street, being a constitutive unit of every city, as a design task requires constant reworking and adjustments according to changing socio-political conditions. The society of the 21st century looks different than it used to, the authorities changed along with social stratification models, technological solutions evolved and, hence, the surrounding urban tissue needs to be updated. The street design of a 21th century European, democratic city needs to be reworked in order to host its citizens’ activities and needs most appropriately, otherwise it may turn out too restrictive. Remodelling the street in the spirit of democratic expression, whether it means agreeing or disagreeing, became the main premise of the project. The project assumes reworking of the street profile, reaching beyond its traditional surfaces of a pavement and a facade, by adding depth and topography to the street and reusing existing buildings and adjacent empty plots as protest-related infrastructure edifices. Architectural solutions assume the creation of multiple ways of framing the protest, creating plurality of perspectives, providing both panoramic and immersive experience of the crowd. Carefully designed surfaces of the street pavement and varying ceiling modules provide orientation for the crowd. The subversive use of small architecture, i.e. benches, lamps is inherently contained in their design. The space is meant to provide all the infrastructure for protest as well as to allow for multiple creative uses of space through appropriation. The project devises a system of protest street, which in its universality may prove replicable in various contexts and is not bound exclusively to the chosen location of Allee de la Robertsau in Strasbourg.

With the shift in pedagogical and technological approaches towards hybrid learning concepts, architectural spaces also need to be adapted to meet the diverse needs of today’s learners. My project investigates how hybrid learning spaces can enhance the creative thinking process of lifelong learners. It explores design strategies to ensure that vertical campus buildings are accessible to various users. A key focus is identifying spatial characteristics that either activate or challenge creativity and using these as design tools. The goal is to design a “Vertical Campus” in The Hague that addresses urban densification and is publicly accessible. The project aims for sustainable and future-proof designs that meet today’s needs while anticipating future ones. It combines various functions within a campus complex and addresses themes like hybridity and lifelong learning. The project seeks to make existing government institutions accessible to the public and ensure vertical accessibility. It integrates knowledge from architecture, social sciences, technology, and engineering, proposing solutions to align the built environment with recent developments in teaching and learning. Incorporating hybrid learning spaces not only enhances the creative journey of lifelong learners but also facilitates knowledge sharing and accessibility for different stakeholders and users. This is particularly relevant in The Hague’s Central Innovation District, where a significant amount of knowledge exists within municipal and governmental buildings and numerous educational institutions, but is not accessible to the general public.

With the shift in pedagogical and technological approaches towards hybrid learning concepts, architectural spaces also need to be adapted to meet the diverse needs of today’s learners. My project investigates how hybrid learning spaces can enhance the creative thinking process of lifelong learners. It explores design strategies to ensure that vertical campus buildings are accessible to various users. A key focus is identifying spatial characteristics that either activate or challenge creativity and using these as design tools. The goal is to design a “Vertical Campus” in The Hague that addresses urban densification and is publicly accessible. The project aims for sustainable and future-proof designs that meet today’s needs while anticipating future ones. It combines various functions within a campus complex and addresses themes like hybridity and lifelong learning. The project seeks to make existing government institutions accessible to the public and ensure vertical accessibility. It integrates knowledge from architecture, social sciences, technology, and engineering, proposing solutions to align the built environment with recent developments in teaching and learning. Incorporating hybrid learning spaces not only enhances the creative journey of lifelong learners but also facilitates knowledge sharing and accessibility for different stakeholders and users. This is particularly relevant in The Hague’s Central Innovation District, where a significant amount of knowledge exists within municipal and governmental buildings and numerous educational institutions, but is not accessible to the general public.

Nowadays, urban campuses can form entire neighborhoods and be integrated into the city by including cafes, coworking spaces, cultural centers, parks, and sports complexes, taking into account the needs of residents and guests of the city. A high-quality educational infrastructure is not only an integral component for the development of universities but also a critical center of urban public life. University and city are living organisms and symbionts. Like any living organism, they are characterized by the complexity of the organization, by the specialization and close interrelationship of their parts, and by the opportunity for evolutionary development. Games and physical activity can be one of the key elements for campus-city symbiosis. Contemporary researchers are convinced that spaces for physical activity and play on a university campus can not only be presented as separate sports centers but can also be directly integrated into academic buildings. Changing activities, movement, and play techniques help to acquire information at any age. The research will confirm or refute the hypothesis that the Hague Central Station forms a multinational community with diverse cultures, and sports can become a starting point for a dialogue between them. Public spaces with the amenities for games and contests as a place for this dialogue will integrate the campus into a dense urban environment, make possible the symbiosis of the city and the university, and give rise to innovative ideas. The research will be the basis for the architectural project of the Vertical Campus, including educational, office, sports, wellness, and recreational programs. The hybrid complex project will include new construction and reorganisation of the existing building of the Universiteit Leiden. How can mental and physical activities coexist in the vertical campus of the future? What outdoor and indoor public spaces with amenities for sports and other physical activities can be included on this campus?

Nowadays, urban campuses can form entire neighborhoods and be integrated into the city by including cafes, coworking spaces, cultural centers, parks, and sports complexes, taking into account the needs of residents and guests of the city. A high-quality educational infrastructure is not only an integral component for the development of universities but also a critical center of urban public life. University and city are living organisms and symbionts. Like any living organism, they are characterized by the complexity of the organization, by the specialization and close interrelationship of their parts, and by the opportunity for evolutionary development. Games and physical activity can be one of the key elements for campus-city symbiosis. Contemporary researchers are convinced that spaces for physical activity and play on a university campus can not only be presented as separate sports centers but can also be directly integrated into academic buildings. Changing activities, movement, and play techniques help to acquire information at any age. The research will confirm or refute the hypothesis that the Hague Central Station forms a multinational community with diverse cultures, and sports can become a starting point for a dialogue between them. Public spaces with the amenities for games and contests as a place for this dialogue will integrate the campus into a dense urban environment, make possible the symbiosis of the city and the university, and give rise to innovative ideas. The research will be the basis for the architectural project of the Vertical Campus, including educational, office, sports, wellness, and recreational programs. The hybrid complex project will include new construction and reorganisation of the existing building of the Universiteit Leiden. How can mental and physical activities coexist in the vertical campus of the future? What outdoor and indoor public spaces with amenities for sports and other physical activities can be included on this campus?

The project takes place in the Anna van Buerenplein, The Hague, Netherlands and focuses on the development of a public campus high rise. The proposal explores the transformation of the dense central station area of The Hague, through developing connections between existing infrastructures and the new campus building. The ground floor of the site will become the “plinth” of the campus, and the campus will be open to the city. This gesture will foster the development of the area as the educational core of the CID of The Hague. The new design will become part of this new urban constellation. Knowledge is meant to be discovered and explored by the visitors of the campus, and the city is meant to be part of the student experience. The first levels of the campus reach out to the existing layers of the city. The key concept is to create shared spaces with Leiden University building, the National Archive and part of the Library. The second cluster houses the studio spaces, the classrooms and other educational facilities. The design features a meandering track through the learning and research spaces. The journey around the cluster allows learning on display. The top cluster is an autonomous office space. Densification equals stacking. The goal is to investigate whether we can create publicly accessible upper floors. Overall the building is approached as an urban system of interwoven public and collective spaces. In between the squares on the upper levels, the meandering circulation promenade and the prosthetic connecting elements, the program can be adjusted or changed. That system can be applied to different contexts. The project strategy was shaped by the findings stemming from the contextual investigation, which brought forward the potential the site area has to offer. Through the method of research-by-design, the project proposes an approach to densification by engaging with porosity, permeability, and connectivity.