We live in a world of constant change, driven by human activities that have had an unprecedented impact on our planet’s geology and ecosystems, fundamentally reshaping environments worldwide. Coastal environments, with their complex land-sea, human-nature interactions, are among the most fragile and are constantly under the influence of natural and human processes. For decades, these processes moved in harmony, but as populations grew, so did the demand for resources, land and the development of infrastructure, such as dams, dikes, transport networks and coastal management interventions. The fixation of coastlines and inland systems, driven by contemporary artificial human activity, is an often unintended consequence.

The Wadden Sea Region, known for its extensive mudflats, salt marshes and diverse flora and fauna, is an example of how human intervention has had a significant impact on the form and systems of the transition zone between sea and land, or the coastal interface. Over thousands of years, the region has been shaped by the interaction of sea, land and human influences, resulting in a gradient of vital coastal habitats for numerous species and providing many ecosystem services for local and (inter)national economic prosperity. In recent decades, however, human interventions have increasingly altered the region’s coastal interface, largely disrupting the dynamic exchange of energy and materials through land reclamation and infrastructure development. The separation of land and sea has resulted in the loss of the gradual gradients that were once a defining feature of the Wadden Sea Region, along with the region’s identity of ‘living with water’. This has meant the additional loss of vital habitats and ecosystem services provided by the sea for decades, and the overall loss of socio-ecological resilience of the interface system. Now, with the increasing pressures of climate change and human needs on the complex system of the Wadden Sea region, its landscape faces serious challenges now and in the future. A new balance needs to be found between human activities and the conservation and restoration of the unique natural and cultural values of the Wadden Sea Region.

The research aims to explore the potential of a new interface framework that restores the landscape gradient between land and sea in harmony with natural processes and cultural values. The intention is to increase the overall social and ecological resilience of the interface system through the development of landscape-based design principles and design interventions, which will be tested at different temporal and spatial scales. The northern Netherlands will serve as a regional test-bed for innovative forms of production and living along the future interface, where the proposed design layout is based on analysis of coastal geomorphological processes, historical practices, landscape structures and existing water structures. ... Read more

We live in a time of constant change and turbulence, where human activity has significantly impacted our planet. As the dominant species, we have achieved remarkable feats such as building grand cities, advancing technology, exploring the moon, and even creating artificial intelligence. However, this progress has come at a great cost to the natural world, and it is disheartening to look back at the destruction caused by our pursuit of power and advancement. We must acknowledge that this is not a game of “playing God.”

Our actions in the Anthropocene era, where humans dominate, have brought us to the brink of mass extinction for many animal and plant species. The IUCN Red List reports that around 28% of species evaluated are threatened with extinction, including those classified as Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered. Some groups, like amphibians and corals, have even higher proportions of threatened species. This raises the question: how could such a supposedly intelligent civilization cause such devastation?

Given the critical state of our environment, we are reminded of the story of Noah’s Ark and humanity’s ability to preserve biodiversity and protect innocent beings. Regardless of our beliefs, this tale and its message are more relevant than ever. Can we create a modern-day ark for the 21st Century? A project with such an ambitious goal?

To achieve this mission, Project Tomorrow’s (P)ARK aims to create the most extensive national park in the North-West Europe bioregion by using the protected areas of Natura 2000 and a one-kilometre buffer zone to create an interconnected structure. This structure has been meticulously designed to harmonize with the major cities of the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark, permeating and spreading throughout different spatial segments. Within the scale and scope of the study, the entire project focuses on transforming a one-kilometre area surrounding national parks, where significant modifications are envisioned to create a non-invasive environment in which nature centres/bio cores can thrive while having enough space to blend with the surroundings. The aim is to let nature resonate from the inside out, and deal with landscape fragmentation. However, this critical approach requires a range of changes in agriculture, cities, infrastructure, and even the concept of our existing fragmented National Parks.

This shift towards a non-invasive environment for the coexistence of all species is explained in detail through a new agricultural structure, the concept of rewilding applied to purely wild natural areas, and the specification of larger movement corridors or smaller patches serving as habitats or migration routes for genetic biodiversity. The landscape is further complemented by a pedestrian pathway that leads from Amsterdam to Copenhagen, showcasing the beauty of nature and presenting potential future changes that can lead to restoration. Communities and policy makers are connected through the (P)ARK app, which facilitates both bottom up, and top-down initiatives that carry out a shared vision. Furthermore, an analytical tool is presented to help us to define our social foundation and planetary boundary in terms of land use.

Above all, the project aims to heal the relationship between humans and nature, fostering reflections on modern pilgrimage in the 21st century. However, this pilgrimage is no longer about seeking a deity but rather finding a way to restore our relationship with nature and reconnect with it. The result is an incredible and attractive hypothetical model of a new living environment. Through this innovative and ambitious initiative, we aim to create a haven of natural beauty and ecological preservation that will continue to inspire for generations. Although we may not be able to stop the sixth mass extinction, Project Tomorrow’s (P)ARK represents a tangible step towards safeguarding what is left.
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Seaweed is a promising potential building material, but so far in 2022, very little market ready seaweed-based building products are available. Because of the success of the sargassum adobe block in Mexico by Omar Vazquez, the potential of a seaweed loam bricks in the Netherlands is researched in this paper, called the seaweed brick. The realization of this seaweed bricks hinges on the seaweed having multiple purposes (water filtering, educational and bricks) and the use of waste streams from the proposed seaweed farms and other manufacturing processes. The production and beneficial functions of growing seaweed in harbor areas are shown in the design of Wierdok. Wierdok is the transformation of the former Petroleumhaven in Amsterdam to a Seaweed farm, Seaweed loam brick factory and exploration site for everyday people. By acknowledging the transforming neighborhood of harbor City and Westpoort, Wierdok transform in the same tempo as it’s surrounding creating the overlap between Industry and Recreation in an appropriate speed. In the meantime it exposed normal citizens to the option of sustainable building materials by highlighting the production process of the seaweed loam brick and the architecture it can create without diminishing the existing industrial harbor elements. ... Read more

Many industrial buildings had remained the situation of vacancy since the late 1970s, reusing has become a term to be used as a sustainable method of preserving the cultural identity of these industrial buildings in order to prolong their life-span.
The Hembrug site is a plot which was formed in the 19th century by reclamation of land in the coastal area between Amsterdam and Zaandam. It was taken into use in 1895, as a weapon production base. However, the production came to a standstill in the 1990s, after which the factories were finally closed in 2003. The government decided to develop the mixed terrain for living, culture, nature and business in the coming years. However, industrial buildings on the site from industrial era are not adequate for the spatial and functional requirements in the contemporary society. Compare to demolition, renovation not only honors the past but also means looking into the future. It can help to create more space, reduce energy consumption and preserve the cultural value while bringing the building up to the latest technical standards.
My research focus on finding the suitable renovation strategies to the industrial heritage buildings, case study was used as the fundamental methodology while the descriptive research helped to summarized them into three main prototypes with the perspective of the spatial order between the existing building and its new intervention. The research findings are applied to the Hembrug Site and the design process also follows the strategies as well. ... Read more

The Port of Rotterdam has always been a pivotal player in the energy sector. Predominantly, in the oil-based generation of energy and the consequent export of raw material. However, there is a need for a systemic shift in the energy sector as the Netherlands embarks toward its goal to become 100% carbon neutral by 2050.
An analysis of the prevalent scenario revealed that the fossil-based energy production systems are not only embedded in the physical infrastructure of the region (Zuid Holland) but also in its social, economic and geopolitical networks. This means that as we phase out fossil fuels, its implications will be witnessed on both the local as well as global scales. Keeping this in mind, “Transtopia” aims to accelerate the transition towards renewable energy (production - consumption) by proposing synergies between the Port of Rotterdam and the rest of the Zuid Holland region.
Primarily, by decentralizing, diversifying renewable energy production, and activating the potentialities of its regional landscapes to harness energy. It proposes endogenous methods of co-creating energy landscapes aimed to establish a resilient and adaptable energy system. One where all sectors of society (civil, public and private) can contribute and play an active role in facilitating this transition. Consequently, the spatial relations between areas of energy consumption and production can be seen as activators of urban development in Zuid Holland. Not only by strengthening the economic resilience of the region in face of the energy transition, but also ensuring social integration in this change by co-creating new infrastructure initiated by a collaboration of active sectors.
Additionally, Transtopia focuses on the transformation of the port into a renewable energy hub. Since selected renewable energy such as solar, wind and biomass will be produced locally, the port becomes a backbone for the production and distribution of hydrogen in the Netherlands and around the globe. As an energy hub, the port will also facilitate research and innovation for renewable energy, establishing collaborations with universities and institutions to constantly improve the functionality of the newly integrated renewable energy systems.
Transtopia aims to accelerate energy transition, focusing on engaging multiple stakeholders by creating policies. Thereby ensuring different levels of systems and synergies, which will eventually transform the urban environment into a symbiotic landscape, with a resilient and inclusive energy system that creates opportunities for economic growth. ... Read more

In the first two decades of the 21st century, urbanisation along with the virtualized social and educational methods, childhood today is increasingly becoming an indoor experience. Under urban densification, a high percentage of childhood is lacking outdoor activities, especially when nature is not accessible enough in the city. The range of the space where children are free to reach and explore the environment is decreasing with the exclusion of consideration of the need for children in urban planning and design. Growing up with little connection to nature is not only negative for mental/physical well-being, but helps create a society that forgets the biophilic needs of humans and ends up building a natureless environment and lifestyle. The research method is to review existing studies about the impact of urban densification on healthy childhood; and how the biophilic city model can contribute to enhancing childhood development. The research is aiming to conclude effective methods for planners and designers to create a city where children can develop a healthy childhood in an urban environment with abundant natural experience. ... Read more

How can the integral and multifunctional use of public space, subsurface, and buildings—within a densified urban environment—create space and value that contribute to an attractive and future-proof living environment? International interdisciplinary students from Delft University of Technology have outlined various design solutions by tackling this question. Manifest in all cases are the spatial bottlenecks on the level of public space. The hybridization of the urban and architectural program requires a cross-section thinking. The six real-life cases the students studied on are the result of a Flemish-Dutch collaboration of the project Stad × Ruimte: Leuven, Amsterdam, Oostende, Maastricht, Mechelen en Rotterdam. ... Read more