According to the United Nations the Poles are melting, rising sea temperatures are killing ocean life, the acidity of sea water is rising and on land forests are burning (United Nations, 2019). This together with industrialization, increased urbanization, increased population growth and unsustainable consumption patterns this has put a strain resources (Ari & Yikmaz, 2020). Circular economy models, in contrast to the linear model, dissociate economic growth from the consumption of primary raw resources. Since the construction sector is still in its infancy with a circular economy, there is a very high potential for enhanced resource reuse, higher use of recycled materials, and increased sustainability (Stroetmann & Huttig, 2020).
The main research question is: “What are the observed and anticipated barriers and challenges for early and potential adopters of Digital Twins technologies in the Dutch circular-built environment?”
The hypothesis of this study is that an organization's circularity strategies are influenced by its specific needs, leading to a perceived need for digital replicas with specific functionalities. This decision, influenced by operational and strategic goals like material durability, environmental harm reduction, and resource utilization, influences the choice of digital twin technology. Companies with complex circularity plans may opt for more advanced digital twins, while those with simpler requirements may opt for more flexible solutions.
The research will employ several methodologies to provide a comprehensive view of digital twins' potential in the circular built environment. A literature review was conducted of CE economy strategies within the built environment. The goal was to identify challenges and barriers in the adoption of digital twins as a tool for circular construction. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to identify barriers experienced by those potentially using these technologies and challenges experienced by those implementing them. The literature review was used to set up a framework for conducting these interviews, categorizing actors based on their roles and circular strategy. The final aspect of the research was the solutions sourced from interviewees, categorized and cross-referencing with barriers. This provided an overview of potential solutions to the barriers and challenges identified during the interview's initial stages, ensuring a critical reflection of the solutions provided.
This thesis explores the barriers and challenges faced by early and potential adopters of Digital Twin (DT) technologies in the Dutch circular-built environment, focusing on Circularity Strategies, Digital Twins, and the unique challenges encountered by adopters. Through a comprehensive analysis of the built environment, circularity strategies, and DT archetypes, the study identifies key factors affecting the adoption process, such as financial constraints, technological hesitancy, data ownership, and regulatory issues. Interviews with early adopters revealed both common challenges, such as standardization and financial limitations, and specific solutions, including leadership in communication, modular technologies, and collaboration with research institutes. Potential adopters, on the other hand, reported additional barriers like technological immaturity and lack of clear business models. The study's findings emphasize the need for continuous technological improvements, the development of financial incentives, and stronger regulatory frameworks. Despite progress in addressing some challenges, significant barriers, such as data privacy and ownership, remain unresolved. The study concludes by offering recommendations for future research and strategies to support broader adoption of DTs, emphasizing collaboration, phased implementation, and a flexible approach to categorizing digital twin practices in the circular-built environment.

This graduation project is about the storm water resilience of Amsterdam. The effects of climate change and urban growth, like extreme weather conditions and a larger paved area, cause undesirable conditions regarding storm water resilience of (Dutch) cities. Water nuisance and sewage overflows caused by heavy rainfall occur more and more often. This is undesirable since it may cause dangerous situations related to accessibility, water quality and ecology and it disturbs daily life. Most interventions which are currently used are insufficient as they could address way more sustainable urban aspects at the same time. Therefore, the goal of this graduation project is to make Amsterdam a storm water resilient city, while simultaneously address other local and sustainable urban aspects, in order to create a future-proof city.

Reaching this goal started with an extensive analysis of the current water nuisance in the city. The water nuisance has been explained by several correlations: the correlation between water nuisance and streets with a predominant retail function, and between water nuisance and the most common spatial typology. These correlations form the basis for the chosen strategic design locations: OLVG west on building scale, Javastraat on building (block) scale, Rokin on street scale and Rivierenbuurt on neighbourhood scale. Similar locations are of frequent occurrence in the city and could be transformed in the same way.

The four design sites have been extensively analysed to find out what aspects of that location were in need of improvement, apart from the storm water resilience itself. This analysis has been done on several scales and revealed guidelines for the desirable interventions, related to environmental and socio-economic urban aspects. At Rokin, for example, the high pressure on public space resulted in underground interventions related to storm water resilience and interventions above the surface that provide the human activities of that location. Most of the design components contribute to the stormwater resilience of the city, but address other, additional benefits as well. These additional benefits include both environmental and socio-economic aspects. The designed vegetable garden on the roof of OLVG west, for example, improves the storm water resilience of that location, but creates a recreational facility too.

Implementing interventions on several scales creates a network of interventions that work together. In practise this means that when the storage or infiltration of a design component has been reached, other components should compensate. In this way, interventions on smaller scales can create a network of interventions that functions on the city scale. When the locations similar to the strategic design sites are being transformed too, this network arises. In this way, Amsterdam will become a storm water resilient, future-proof and liveable city.

Exhibition 19 October 2018 - 10 March 2019, Het Nieuwe Instituut, Rotterdam. Habitat: Expanding Architecture is a research installation which captures a key moment in the history of architecture and urban planning: the tenth CIAM conference at Dubrovnik in 1956. Here the concept 'habitat' was a central theme: a broader understanding of architecture through a new ecological approach viewing architecture less as an autonomous discipline than as part of larger, dynamic whole. Habitat shows work from the archives of Aldo van Eyck, Jaap Bakema and Alison & Peter Smithson, together with more recent work by Pjotr Gonggrijp and Frits Palmboom. The installation serves as a platform for further study and conversation about the meaning of ‘habitat’ then and now.