In Sculpting Sensations, I embark on an exploration of how architecture can transcend the purely visual to engage the full spectrum of human senses. This project delves into the psychological and emotional impact of sensory-rich environments, uncovering how the interplay of materials, light, sound, and texture can shape our experiences and evoke deep emotional responses. Through research and design, I demonstrate how sensory synergy can be used as a method to create spaces that resonate on a personal and emotional level. The journey begins with an investigation into sensory perception, exploring how we interact with and are influenced by our surroundings. This research phase lays the foundation for a series of design interventions that culminate in a unique museum concept, where each space is sculpted to evoke specific emotions and sensations. Sculpting Sensations is not just a reflection of an academic journey; it is a manifesto for a more empathetic and human-centered approach to architecture. By bridging technical innovation with sensory and emotional considerations, this work paves the way for creating built environments that are not only functional and aesthetically pleasing but also profoundly enriching to the human experience. Join me on this inspiring journey and discover how architecture can touch the heart, engage the senses, and sculpt the sensations that shape our lives.

This project explored the region north of Groningen through a period of 100 years. It took on a hands-on research approach where the clay in the area was studied. This lead to the design of a tastery embedded in the agricultural landscape.

My graduation project explores the relation between traditional craftmanship and current innovation in sustainable architecture. There seems to be a trendiness to sustainable architecture, demands and trends alternate rapidly. I define true sustainability through the enduring value of Groningen’s traditional farm constructions, which embody both heritage and innovation. What can we learn from the skilled craftman and their building methods that created these structures?
Working with these themes rely on designing through every scale. Seeing first-hand the relation between the technical design and the specific architectural aesthetics.
Thourough research evolved in a strong position as an architect and a strong idea for what I wanted for this project.
I decided to create a knowledge and research centre that offers opportunity to learn from all stakeholders in the building process, echoing the collaborative spirit of traditional craftsmanship. This created the concept of my design - a core with the traditional truss construction, extended with redesigned trusses.

Territories in-between (TiB) have gained increased attention the past decades among researchers in the field of urban planning and design. These territories are identified as territories somewhere in-between the urban and rural. Typical land uses in the TiB are warehouses, sport complexes, allotment gardens and small-scale industrial activities. The TiB are often considered to be underused, lack spatial quality (sense of place) and are under mounting pressure of urban densification. However, the rich diversity of land uses and abundance of semi open spaces in the TiB provides unique habitats and social-ecological opportunities, different from exclusively urban and rural landscapes. Therefore we, as urban planners and designers, should reconsider conventional planning and design approaches towards these territories and acknowledge the social and ecological potentials of these territories.

The thesis project proposes an unconventional design perspective that makes space for the territory in-between and embraces its true unorganized and multi-functional nature. The design strategy that was developed through a research by design process is called: the recovering membrane and describes the vision for the territory around the urban fringes of the city that resembles the functioning of a membrane at landscape scale. This design strategy was developed in particular for the city of Rotterdam. The recovering membrane is defined as a spatial layer of interaction between two distinctive living environments –urban and rural- and various human and non-human actors in them. The membrane aims to bridge the urban-rural divide, enhance biodiversity and sense of place in the in-between territories at the urban fringes of the city. The proposed strategy is supported by landscape ecology theories on ecological edges and boundaries and a theory on sense of place experience emphasizing the importance of human-nature interactions.

By using these theories, the vision for the recovering membrane is elaborated at local scale for an in-between territory near Hoek van Holland. The research shows that nature-inclusive spatial design elements can mutually benefit the ecological quality of the in-between territory as well as the sense of place experience at local scale. This integrated design approach is described as nature-based placemaking. The spatial transformation of the in-between territory into a membrane landscape can be organized into three development stages at respectively: short, medium and long time period. (1) Engagement and activation of the local community through a nature-based placemaking process. (2) Connectivity and integration of the in-between territory within its surroundings through social-ecological corridors. (3) Re-distribution of clustered land-uses in order to strengthen the heterogeneous nature of the in-between territory. The latter is of specific importance as it seems that greater landscape heterogeneity does not only cause for greater ecosystem resilience and biodiversity, but also greater sense of place experience. To enable this new approach a new governing body is proposed: the Membrane Management Group.

Housing affordability is a topic of all times, however, on the current Dutch housing market it is an increasing urgency and thus increasingly harder to find to many Dutch households. The housing shortage, combined with the booming economy, are causing housing prices to rise relatively fast. Although the housing market is pressured in many different regions and is affecting many households, especially middle income groups seem to suffer from the situation. These households generally earn too much to be eligible for social housing, but too little to obtain a regular mortgage. They are therefore located between the social rented sector and full-price homeownership, and increasingly have to rely on private rented housing (in Dutch also referred to as middeldure huur), where rent prices are often disproportionate to their income. A solution to bridge this ‘affordability gap’ are intermediate housing tenures, however, they are no longer applied on a larger scale due to the change of the Housing Act in 2015, as housing associations since then have to focus on their core activity (providing social housing). However, especially when housing affordability is becoming an increasing urgency to a growing group of households, it is remarkable that the main type of providers are being limited in their possibilities to do so. The main aim of this research therefore is to explore the potential enhancement of the Dutch intermediate housing sector, so that the provision of these tenures could be stimulated again. To be able to come up with measures that could be taken, an understanding of intermediate housing tenures in general, and the context in which Dutch intermediate tenures are operated, must be gained. The research therefore also aims to gain more insights in the concept of intermediate housing tenures and its characteristics and to understand the context in which intermediate tenures are and could be developed. In this research, literature study is carried out first, in which intermediate tenures have been defined and categorized, and a timeline of the development of Dutch intermediate housing tenures has been created with contextual factors that have shaped this development. The literature study has been complemented with an empirical study, in which interviews have been conducted to identify additional factors that (could) hinder or enable the development and provision of such tenures. Based on these findings, recommendations have been formulated that include measures that could be taken to enhance the context of intermediate housing tenures nowadays. These recommendations have been validated by housing professionals by means of an expert panel. The main measures include a more active role of the municipality to facilitate and stimulate the provision of such tenures in their municipality (varying in different levels of ‘activeness’), a national housing policy including intermediate housing tenures or other affordable housing solutions and demanding action from municipalities, setting up an advocacy group that unites all users of intermediate tenures and represents their interests and keeps track records of applied intermediate tenures to provide tangible proof of success, and focussing on developing potential new intermediate tenures that combine renting with capital accumulation or eventual homeownership.

This research project aims to identify and describe those qualities that contribute to an architectural response to nature’s phenomena, such as time (constant change) and space (Ma **), our spatial conception and experience, and our relationship with nature (En *). Often these qualities are present in the form of architectural elements and methods, composition of elements. Possibly this research develops tools based
on Japanese philosophical and architectural principles and notions in which emptiness and ephemerality play a key role.

This thesis explores the possible effects of spatial characteristics on the use and
perception public space by pre-teen children. The aim of this thesis was to identify spatial patterns that can be used to create urban public spaces which enhance the ability of children to make (diverse) friends, to explore different urban landscapes, interact with different types of people and situation, and to participate in social life and democratic processes. A short investigation of the general history of children in communal spaces is presented to contextualize the situation of urban children today. This is followed by an evaluation of recurring themes in scientific literature, which shows the diversity of definitions and approaches which are applied today. In order to find possible spatial effects,
empirical research was conducted in two neighbourhoods - one urban and one sub-urbanof Utrecht, the Netherlands. A novel mapping method was used. Self-reported neighbourhood maps were drawn by children around the age of 10 during mapping workshops at four primary schools in Utrecht. The validity of the maps was evaluated by comparing them to on-site observations. Statistical analysis indicates that the effects of certain spatial characteristics near a residence are stronger than non-spatial factors such as going to school independently, living in an area where children make up over 20% of the population, of having one or more siblings. Especially the presence of courtyards or large parks is shown to benefit the social life of children in public space. Children who live near a courtyard have one to two neighbourhood more than average, while children who live near a large park have twice the spatial reach as the average child. The results of this thesis may be of interest to municipalities, urban planners and parents in general.

We all refer to it in our daily lives; we talk about a concert as having a good vibe, we talk about a social situation as being ‘gezellig’, we talk about the impression of a part of town as being gloomy and we even talk about the mood of a day as having a sense of anticipation. Atmosphere is a familiar conversational subject, but at the same time it is remarkably undefinable. We return to the use of the term constantly despite its ambiguous quality, or maybe even because of it. And this atmospheric description that seems to be applicable to every situation always concern a spatial sense of ambience.

Remarkably, the notion of atmosphere remains largely unaddressed in architectural education and practice. The appreciation for the art of building is still largely dependent upon the supremacy of it’s functional, aesthetic and conceptual value. The essential task of architecture to support human life by engaging with human experiential reality has been frequently overshadowed by these formal inclinations. Atmosphere could be defined as the very initial and immediate experience of space, and thus can be understood as a notion that addresses architectural quality. Fortunately, there has been a development in which architectural practices are showing a renewed interest in atmospheric quality in the built environment. Leading advocates of the value of the atmospheric dimension in architectural design include architect Peter Zumthor, architectural theorist Juhani Pallasmaa, philosopher Gernot Böhme and environmental sociologist Jean-Paul Thibaud.

Despite the fast-growing research field, the discussion on architectural atmosphere does entail a certain ambiguity. After all, the atmospheric experience is something personal, ephemeral and vague, but above all it is hard to conceptualise. We seem to be able to immediately sense the atmosphere of a place, but it seems to be very difficult to capture in text or design. We are able to intuitively recognise atmosphere, like when we recognise the essence of the weather in a glance, but we are not able to define, analyse or understand its phenomenological origin. The Argentinian poet Jorge Luis Borges captures this difference between intuitive and analytical identification as follows: ‘We might say that we know something only when we are unable to define it…This is what we know what poetry is. We know it so well that we cannot define it.’.

Despite the elusive character of atmospheres, is it suggested by the intuitive recognition and appreciation of the atmospheric dimension that we are able to share this intuitive sense with a larger community. The atmospheric experience seems to have a collective quality about it. Therewith the atmospheric experience has the inherent quality to be as much the realm of the layman and daily use, as it is the realm of the expert and professional discourse. I believe that non-architects primarily sense the atmosphere of a place or building, opposed to appreciating distinct visible and formal concepts. Therewith non-architects have the advantage of approaching places and atmosphere more intuitively, whereas architects to often assume an intellectual and theoretical approach. Layman may not have the vocabulary to verbalise their sensitivities for the atmospheric dimension that is acquired through an architectural or artistic education, but the notion that the sensitivity for the atmospheric dimension is largely intuitive indicates that the actual sensitivity does not necessarily differ between layman and expert. And this exceptional transcending quality is why atmosphere may be the ultimate intermediary between architectural quality as perceived by the architects who design the architectural plan and architectural quality as perceived by the inhabitants of the architectural environment.

I believe that architectural atmospheres are more effective than the architectural discourse has been willing to rationally admit. I would even argue that the atmospheric dimension of a constructed environment is the key to architectural quality. Therefore in this research I would like to explore how the atmospheric dimension may attain its proper place in architectural design. The main question of the research considers:
How can an architect integrate atmospheric quality in the design of architecture and the built environment?

Dissecting this question into four parts, we will consecutively explore the phenomenon, the perception, the process and the plan. The research thesis will start with an introductory chapter in which we will look into what the perception of atmosphere entails. In chapter one we will look into the conditions under which atmosphere may be perceived. Subsequently we will look into the atmospheric dimension in relation to the design process, and finally we will explore its relation to the architectural realm.

Atmosphere by definition, seems to lack definition. This inherent paradox will echo throughout this research on how to construct atmosphere. The very act of analysing and defining the atmospheric phenomenon may result in the dissolution of its very quality. Therefore the research approach is built around the duality between an analytic and an intuitive approach. Even though the main body of this research considers a theoretical exploration of the atmospheric dimension in architectural design, I have sincerely attempted to protect the ambiguous quality and integrity of the atmospheric phenomenon. However in order to counteract this theoretical and analytical approach and to appreciate the personal, ephemeral and ambiguous qualities of an atmospheric experience I simultaneously kept a so-called atmospheric journal. This highly personal document, called Encountering Atmosphere - a personal account of the atmospheric dimension, contains memories, observations and encounters of atmospheric experiences. A multiplicity of sketches, images and words illustrate the way matter, light, rhythm, age, imperfection, fragility and life move me to evoke a rich emotive response to space and matter that seems to be the essence of atmosphere.

Furthermore, I aim to integrate the acquired knowledge on the integration of atmospheric quality in the design of the built environment in the subsequent design project of my graduation. I aim to have absorbed the acquired theoretical knowledge on this topic in a way that makes it part of the subconscious dimension of the design process, ultimately allowing me to intuitively integrate atmospheric quality in my own architectural design. My search for the integration of atmospheric quality in the design of architecture and the built environment will not end at the closing of this document, but will continue as I explore its application during my own design process. I aspire both the research project and the design project to accumulate the knowledge and experience to provide me, and hopefully others, to find the essence of the atmospheric dimension in architectural design.

Preliminary to this design, a careful research was done on the proportional theory of Dom Hans van der Laan. Based on how we perceive space and measure things this system offers a way to create harmonious architecture. What can we learn from this theory for today's architecture and what is the relevance?

Starting from the ideas of Dom Hans van der Laan concerning proportion and perception, this design for a modern monastery in Rotterdam is a statement towards our mental health and the importance of careful design in relation to that.

This series – “Speaking – is part of a graduation project for a double degree in Architecture and Science Communication at the Delft University of Technology. The overall aim of this project was to design a form language that can be used in complex problem-solving processes in the field of science communication. The graduation project consists of three parts:
Part I: “Speaking architecture, a semiotic study toward understanding visual communication in architecture;
Part II: “Speaking architecture, design and analysis of a multi-interpretational market space in Haarlem;
Part III: “Speaking through form, an analogy between architectural form and communication to contribute to complex problem-solving processes.
Part I describes the research for MSc Architecture. This research was part of the Explore Lab graduation studio. This part tried to understand visual communication in architecture. The framework of visual communication that derived from this research formed the foundation for the graduation design, described in Part II. The architectural meaning of the design of a Market Hall for Haarlem was later analysed using the same method as in Part I. Based on this fourth case study, the framework of architectural communication was refined.This review was necessary to better understand the subject of architectural communication in order to cross the border into the field of science communication. Part III, lastly, translates the way in which architecture communicates to the design of a form language.