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E.J.G.C. van Dooren

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7 records found

Reimagining everyday spaces of Dutch suburbia

The extraordinary appears as meaningless in the lack of the ordinary. The etymology of ordinary sheds light on the orderly; referring to patterns or traits taken to be typical in the behavior of a social group. Since banality finds its way into every corner and situation using automatization processes and normal making mechanisms; it defines the majorities; nonetheless, it is the backbone that can save the extraordinary from becoming kitsch by rerouting it to the more tangible roots it stemmed from, marking a subtlety that defines the boundary between science fictions, and in-depth surreal practices. Banal Dreamscape; is a reflection, and research into the coexistence of the two contradicting forces, and the subtle combination of them using an architectural language through the exploration of each one and them together. influenced by the cinema of David Lynch, and the Lynchian adjective the project tries to reimagine everyday spaces of Dutch suburbia by the creation of objects as products of a certain space and time among the mass-produced entities with a long-lost aura. Banal Dreamscape is a critical reflection on the homogeneity of space, activity, and users in the defined, and defended mosaics of Dutch suburbia, by introducing subtle out-of-context-ness, and a more sympatric territory in the monotonous, least potent places for wonder, seldom considered as architecture and worthy of scrutiny leftovers of suburbia.

Vinex (the fourth report on spatial planning extra), an infamous, widespread, yet successful housing solution by the Dutch Ministry of Housing in its core is a Dutch suburban solution to the housing crisis. Eight hundred thousand mass-produced housing units built in ten years dislocating middle-income families from the centers to small towns surrounding them, shapes the banal context for this project. The Vinex location Eschmarke in the municipality of Enschede in particular in this case, with its border situation, reinforcing the conflict between its neighbors and German drug tourists, called for an integration of sympatric relations to host both conventional and unconventional activities within a neighborhood and to welcome the otherness and formerly sanctioned activity in such neighborhood. The formerly nuisance became a new meaningful sub-layer for the monotone context of the neighborhood in favor of a more resilient, and robust urbanity. Thus, the garage spaces, leftover spaces, and grey zones of architecture became the host to the new activity within this region. Everyday spaces of these low-importance Sub-urban spaces became the backbone for the architectural investigation that came afterward.

An architecture invested in the uniqueness of space, and the importance of atmospheres regardless of the scale of the intervention when no pre-defined value or sublime quality is present. With an eye for the details and cherishing human tangible desires through a redefinition of architectural agents on such small scales. Banal Dreamscape is a concentrated exploration of micro-adjustments to the architectural element where every line plays a defining role, that not only goes beyond the limit of the mundane but explores limits of architecture in ways that no artificial intelligence nor mass production procedure with a focus on bigger pictures and simplification of perception can create nor value. Focusing on creating subtle, bizarre situations in familiar corners of the built environment.
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A research through the eyes of the physically disabled

Currently people with physical disabilities do not have the option to be away from home for a short or longer period of time to relieve themselves from the medical situation at home. This creates a feeling that there is currently a building typology missing in society and forms a challenge to be further investigated. The objective is to gather knowledge about how physically disabled adults experience a place and in what way an architectural design can influence this in a positive way.
The focus for this research is on the physically disabled adults who live at home, are dependent on a wheelchair and daily care. The following main research question has been formulated to answer the problem statement above: “In what ways can architecture overcome the limitations that adults with physical disabilities face in daily life?” To be able to answer the main research question literature research was carried out and interviews were conducted among 5 participants. Two physically disabled, one informal caretaker and two medical professionals. All these participants are representative for both the interview as well as physically disabled adults in the home situation. The interview responses showed that there are 4 main important themes: spatial, social, independence and healthcare. This indicates that these themes are important for all participants. To conclude, the current built environment is missing an accessible building typology, a place that provides care without feeling so for both physically disabled adults as for able bodied people to spend time away from home.
Based on this my advice for follow-up research would be how to create awareness among architects about the life of physically disabled adults and how they can design for them? ...

The regeneration of migrant laneways from both social and spatial perspectives


The main object of this study is the migrant laneway, which refers to the old community in the city center that attracts migrant workers because of its low rent and good location. This kind of community in urgent need of renewal contains three aspects: spatial, social and the process of renewal. This study regards these three aspects as the main line running through the whole research, and studies the current space situation, residents' life and the problems in the existing renewal process of migrant laneways.

Pattern language is the main analysis method and design tool of this research. By sorting out the patterns in the migrant laneway, these messy spaces are standardized. In addition, pattern language can be used to increase public engagement. This study introduces a new co-design toolkit: pattern buffet. This toolkit helps residents and designers co-design their communities. Work efficiency and program feasibility can be increased while public engagement is being added. More importantly, the result of this design with public engagement is more sustainable and inclusive.

At the social level, this study also proposes a soft strategy to help migrant workers better integrate into the city. The authors reskill these residents towards the opportunities found in a social trend: the senior care industry. While vacancies in the industry are being filled, migrant workers can get longer careers and higher wages to integrate into the city.

Therefore, this thesis develops an approach which enables the urban dilapidated areas to be regenerated in a co-design way. This regeneration framework is very new in the Chinese context. Pattern language, as the most important tool in this study, has been examined for its role and function. However, due to the epidemic, the pattern buffet part lacks practical operation, so the author cannot get feedback from the actual situation, which is also an aspect that this thesis can be further expanded.
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Research into organisational creativity and the importance of group identity to creative design

The question central in this research was: What are the structures used by successful innovative firms and how can the understanding of these structures help growing firms to maintain their innovative nature? Three case-studies have been conducted among innovative firms with an innovative record. In the analysis of the cases five important structural factors where identified: collaboration, communal identity, collective working, connection with social resources and creative space. These five structural elements support a way of working that facilitate the environmental factors for creativity. To Summarize this, the innovative success of these firms can be explained by their ‘collective character’. Most Young firms have an environment very much suited for creativity and innovation, although they might not have the experience or capacity to develop these. When firms grow they do so along a number of paths these paths are ‘one way streets’. As a side effect these bring systems into the organization that could be counterproductive to innovation. When innovation is the main purpose a collective structure is more suitable than the traditional business structure. The firms incorporated in this case study have found a way to grow without losing the characteristics needed to stay innovative. ...

Promenade Architecturale as public connecting element

Master thesis (2020) - K.C. Ip, E.J. van der Zaag, E.J.G.C. van Dooren, J.A. van de Voort, D. Stead
Classical music oftenly is associated as boring, muddy; as an activity for the older people. Eventually this older generation will be gone for good, leaving even less pubic than it now has. As this problem grows the relationship between classical music and the public shifts. The lack of connection becomes more obvious, making it more and more distant. Through the case study of the concert building De Doelen in Rotterdam, a design study with the concept of the "promenade architecturale" is held to explore the insights on how to revitalize this subculture by making connection with the public on many different levels. In order to also design an acoustic well-functioning concert hall, a research paper is written about the architectural interventions in optimizing the acoustic aspects of a concert hall. ...
Despite the museum playing a central role in society as public centre of collective memory, artefacts are dogmatically presented in highly introverted "white cubes". In response, the Leiden Civic Museum relies on a strong relationship between "content" and "context" in order to both reassure its collection of societal relevance, as well as to offer visitors a more stimulating museum experience. ...

Turning an abandoned coal mine into a culture mine to help a community find its future

An investigation into how our world is shaped by narratives and storytelling, the design results in the re-imagining of a mining community. Having no story for their future, the design is an exploration of potential and how the community can be nudged into creating the stories they need to think positively about the future. ...