West Java International Airport, also known as Kertajati Airport (KJT), has remained underutilised despite its designation as a primary hub and its inclusion in national strategic programmes. This underperformance cannot be explained solely by operational or market factors; it is also rooted in structural imbalances within West Java’s territorial organisation, in which Jakarta and Bandung continue to dominate while eastern West Java, where KJT is located, remains peripheral. Within this context, KJT has been predominantly treated as an isolated entity rather than as part of a wider regional system.

The changing plans of KJT illustrate how the airport has operated without a clear regional development framework or trajectory, leaving its future uncertain. In response, this proposal explores an alternative perspective on airport development by reconstructing metropolitan area and reframing the airport as a fragmented territory that must be integrated, with collectivism as its central value. Future development possibilities are studied and evaluated in terms of how they contribute to the wider region, rather than to the airport alone. The outcome of this assessment is a pathway in which KJT’s development progresses while becoming embedded within a more balanced territorial structure.

The strategic framework adopts a multi-scalar approach, ranging from the metropolitan spatial structure to two key strategic areas, including the airport-port corridor and its aerotropolis. By emphasising regional integration and redistribution, the project positions KJT not simply as infrastructure, but as a leverage point for reconfiguring metropolitan relationships and supporting more balanced development across eastern West Java.
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Since the 90's, Vilnius region (Lithuania) has been experiencing rapid and poorly managed market-driven development of urban sprawl - a result of institutional, economic and societal shifts in the post-communist European context. This has resulted in extensive car-dependent residential areas which lack infrastructure, services and quality public spaces, creating major accessibility and social cohesion challenges. This thesis explores how and why these accessibility and social cohesion challenges manifest themselves in residential urban sprawl areas in Vilnius region, and how spatial, governance and policy interventions in both dimensions can mutually reinforce each other to create more inclusive and sustainable living environments.

Analysis revealed that a lack of daily amenities and public spaces, as well as a lack (and poor organization) of appropriate mobility infrastructure in urban sprawl areas drives people away from local public spaces through a lack of local meeting places, dependence on the inner city, as well as hostile and car-centric streets. Furthermore, insights showed that urban sprawl and its associated challenges in Vilnius region are the result of a set of systemic failures and dysfunctions, including missing governance scales, flawed financial systems and legal structures, as well as mismatches between formal and real spatial planning tool powers.

This thesis proposes an integrated exploratory framework of spatial, governance and policy interventions which directly responds to these findings. Utilizing SE Vilnius as a case study, the spatial design proposes the development of a network of walkable, mixed-use compact centralities, while the policy and governance interventions directly target the structural fail points. Together, these create a framework to improve accessibility and social cohesion in urban sprawl areas, transforming them towards more sustainable and inclusive living environments. ... Read more

Jakarta faces mounting challenges of social segregation, environmental threats. While urban development has traditionally prioritised large-scale formal and market-driven growth, the city’s Kampungs have often been overlooked despite their capacity to foster resilient communities, adaptive economies, and strong social networks.

This project explores how the social practices embedded within Jakarta’s Kampungs can change urban planning practices towards a more just and sustainable form. Through fieldwork, spatial analysis, and research-by-design, four Kampungs were studied to identify the social infrastructures and spatial practices that enable communities to adapt to environmental, social, and economic pressures.

The research identifies four core values—Care, Identity, Resilience, and Ecology—as the foundation of life in the studied locations. These values are translated into spatial principles that guide urban transformation: Porous Borders, Chains of Amenities and Socio-Spatial Temporalities, Mobility Networks, and Ecological Corridors. Together, they create conditions for stronger social cohesion, ecological performance, and coexistence between formal and informal urban environments.

The principles are tested through design interventions in dinstinctive but troubling districts in Jakarta: Kapuk Muara and Rawa Terate, which are subjected to segregation, environmental vulnerability, and ecological restoration. The resulting concept, Kampung Metropolis, proposes an alternative way of working for Jakarta that recognises Kampungs not as troubling communities, but as valuable sources of knowledge for creating a more inclusive, resilient, and socially just city. ... Read more

Twente is at the risk of becoming a left-behind region within the Netherlands. Altough the region is economically stable, it is underreperestented in national government plans, even compared to other low-density regions. Regional plans state that development will within the core cities of Twente. This creates territorial inequalities in the Twente region that may lead to left-behindedness in the periphery of Twente.The research aim is too lessen this by creating a strategy through the lesns of moibility and amenities, leading to the following research question: How can the development of mobility and amenities increase territorial equality between cities and peripheral areas within the region of Twente? Spatial analysis indicate specific settlements that suffer from the most territorial inequality. To combat territorial inequality, shared amenity zones are set up. Within these zones, all amenities are accessible through sustainable mobility within 30 minutes. Place based approaches for different settlements show how small-scale developments can reduce feelings of left-behindedness and increase territorial equality. ... Read more

The global housing affordability crisis demands systemic change. Securing shelter is very unaffordable across much of the world, but especially in large, global cities. To chart a course to housing affordability, this study examines housing in one of those cities: London. Making use of a literature and policy review, interviews with local housing experts, and socio-spatial and theoretical analysis, this report sets out a critique of the current housing system, a diagnosis of the current affordability crisis, and finally a concrete housing strategy for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Based on findings in early research stages, the focus of the strategy is on advancing housing decommodification. That is, increasing the share of available housing that is protected from volatile and inequitable market forces through social housing expansion and rent control, among other measures. Original spatial analysis of housing tenure distribution in Tower Hamlets brings systemic analyses to the ground, and informs a strategy that responds to real threats to affordability that act in space. Housing decommodification, as articulated in this report, is necessary to respond to the urgency of the housing affordability crisis we face, and constitutes a step towards re-centring the vital social, rather than financial, role that housing serves. ... Read more

Moerdijk is a strategic industrial and energy hub in the Netherlands, where ongoing port expansion due to the energy transition and the need for grid expansion are placing increasing pressure on existing settlements. As a result, the village of Moerdijk is facing relocation, directly impacting the lives of approximately 1,100 residents who are required to leave their homes. This project addresses this spatial and social disruption by proposing a new vision in which displaced communities become active agents in shaping both their future and the surrounding natural landscape.

The proposal reimagines relocation as an opportunity to establish a network of self-sustained settlements embedded within and around nearby Natura 2000 areas. These communities are designed to be mutually supportive and environmentally integrated, fostering a symbiotic relationship between human habitation and ecological systems. Two primary settlement typologies are developed, one that reflects the spatial identity and physical properties of the existing Moerdijk village and another that is in turn closely connected to regional infrastructure, enabling accessibility while maintaining principles of self-sufficiency. Both settlements have as purpose preserving social cohesion and cultural continuity.

Using multiple methods that combine spatial analysis, stakeholder perspectives, and environmental assessment, the project explores how decentralised, community-driven development can respond to large-scale industrial pressures. The vision positions these new settlements as guardians of nature, where human presence actively contributes to the protection and resilience of vulnerable landscapes against further industrial encroachment. The strategic framework is based on the key principles of reinforcing community resilience through collective relocation, integrating self-sustained living within ecological systems, and leveraging human settlement as a protective layer for natural areas. By aligning social, environmental, and spatial objectives, the project proposes an alternative model for managing displacement in industrial regions. This approach could redefine how relocation processes are approached in the context of the energy transition, transforming affected communities into drivers of ecological stewardship and spatial innovation. The Moerdijk region can evolve into a model where human and natural systems coexist in balance. ... Read more

The shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources requires significant infrastructural transformation at the regional scale, with substantial impacts on surrounding communities and landscapes. These spatial impacts are particularly pronounced in energy-intensive clusters such as the chemical industry complex Chemelot in South Limburg. While the transition affects a wide range of communities, this research focuses on local young adults (aged 18-25), a group often underrepresented in decision-making processes despite being in a formative stage of life and therefore crucial to the region’s long-term socio-economic competitiveness. The energy transition is not only a technical and infrastructural challenge but also a socio-spatial one, affecting environmental quality, public health, and regional liveability. Issues such as pollution, infrastructural pressure, and spatial conflicts highlight the need for integrated and inclusive solutions. To achieve just outcomes, the energy transition should not come at the expense of local prosperity; rather, it should aim to enhance living conditions and future opportunities for local citizens and involve them in planning decisions.
Therefore, this research addresses the question: How can the regional landscape of Limburg be designed such that the changes associated with the energy transition of the chemical industries have a positive impact on the urban prosperity of the local young adults (18-25 y/o)?
The project adopts a design-oriented and pragmatic methodology, combining spatial analysis, future visioning, stakeholder perspectives, and research-by-design. It applies a community-informed multidimensional framework of urban prosperity, adapted from UN-Habitat (2013), to structure analysis, vision and strategies. The project proposes a vision and spatial strategy aimed at transforming Limburg into a sustainable and inclusive knowledge region by 2050, in which the chemical industry and local communities have shifted to green energy sources and are more closely interconnected. The findings demonstrate how a community-based and spatially integrated approach can support a just and effective energy transition. The results are relevant for policymakers, urban designers, and planners, offering an alternative future perspective in which infrastructural transformation contributes to environmental quality, regional resilience, and social inclusivity in industrial regions.
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Our research is conducted in and for the newest land in the Netherlands, the Flevoland polder. While the initial focus of our study was on energy distribution and empowerment of non-central areas, we quickly realized that our chosen site plays a far more significant role in the energy chain by supplying to large regions across the country as the Netherlands’ largest producer of green energy, generating a surplus that remains largely underutilized. Drawing on degrowth and postgrowth theory, particularly the concepts of defuturing and localized production (Hickel, 2020; Kallis, 2018), our project frames this surplus as an opportunity to redesign socio-ecological systems that prioritize sustainability, equity, and community autonomy.
Fieldwork for us meant interviews with farmers, energy professionals, researchers, and innovators, as we began to recognise Flevoland’s core identity as a hub of energy production, agriculture, and pioneering spirit. We at this point identified our chosen research community as the next generation of Flevoland pioneers; children of the first farmers only 40 years ago who now manage farmland and seek innovative, sustainable practices.
At the same time, external pressures, such as plans for data centre campuses, create tension and raise questions for the ownership of this energy surplus which the people themselves produce as individuals or as local companies.
In response, our project advises a group of interventions that derive from degrowth principles: establishing a community governance organization with legislative ability; cultivating energy systems that enable household, neighbourhood, and polder-scale independence and utilization of surplus; introducing climate-informed farming techniques; and integrating data centres and hydrogen infrastructure in ways that benefit the local community.
Our interventions are brought together for the people of Flevoland by the people of Flevoland, aiming to reinforce local autonomy, sustainable production, and resource sharing, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem while protecting the polder from external actors seeking to exploit its energy and land. ... Read more

The Netherlands has a strong tradition of draining peatlands, often for agricultural purposes, resulting in CO₂ emissions, soil subsidence, and biodiversity loss. A higher groundwater level is often presented to combat these issues as it offers benefits for ecosystem restoration, reducing land subsidence, and achieving climate adaptation. However, implementation remains limited due to conflicts with conventional agricultural practices, possible methane emissions, water quality concerns, and policy contradictions. This study examines how spatial planning in the peatland region of Midden-Delfland can support climate adaptation through strategic groundwater elevation, while balancing environmental sustainability, infrastructure resilience, and agricultural viability.
Using a spatial Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) combined with expert insights, the research identifies areas where groundwater level adjustments are most necessary, feasible, and desirable. It proposes a spatial transition strategy that strengthens the region’s landscape identity while enhancing resilience to climate change. Wet crop cultivation (paludiculture), such as reed, cattail, cranberries, or peat moss, is explored as a viable alternative in areas with thick peat layers and high greenhouse gas emission potential. Strategies such as water retention and multifunctional land use should form the foundation of climate-adaptive planning.
For this transition to succeed, several conditions must be met. First, freshwater availability is essential, as scarcity poses a significant risk to the effectiveness of groundwater elevation. Second, contradictory policies, such as subsidies promoting opposing objectives, must be resolved and clear, consistent sustainability frameworks for the agricultural sector are needed to take the lead in driving this transition forward. Third, economic uncertainty due to changing political priorities underscores the need for fair compensation for when transitioning to paludiculture and for providing ecosystem services. Lastly, a cultural shift is needed in how landscapes are valued. Provincial policies focused on preserving open views may unintentionally block transitioning to paludicultures. Whether heritage protection should limit climate adaptation remains a key question for further research. This study presents a planning framework that incorporates ecological, spatial, and socio-economic perspectives for making peat landscapes climate-resilient, applicable not only in the Netherlands but also beyond.
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This paper studies the feasibility of building with locally grown materials from the Amsterdam Metropolitan Region (AMR). Materials choices are based on the use of paludiculture in the peat meadows and agroforestry in the clay landscapes. A diverse range of construction products can be manufactured from these raw materials and are able to form modular elements. Research by design has been conducted to detail a building which uses alder, poplar, typha and reed. The resulting landscape use and growing times give insight into the broader impact in the AMR of locally grown construction materials. This research continued into a design project which consisted of a manufacturing centre for locally grown building elements and a residential top up in which they are used. ... Read more

In response to the growing challenges of sustainability, liveability, and accessibility in peri-urban regions, this thesis aims to understand how the principles of the 15-minute city model can be implemented to peri-urban contexts through the lens of public values. While the 15-minute city, originally conceptualised for urban areas, aims to localise all daily needs within a 15-minute walk or bike ride, translating it to car-dependent peri-urban areas is neither straightforward not possible within the current confinements of the concept. This research bridges that gap by exploring how a human-centric, value-based approach can inform the spatial adaptation of proximity-based planning principles in peri-urban regions, specifically focusing on the Dutch municipality of Ede.
Peri-urban areas have been overlooked in urban planning for a prolonged period of time. Characterised by highly dynamic spatial and social conditions, these areas suffer from relevant urban challenges such as car dependency, reduced access to amenities, population growth, and political distrust. All highlighting the urgent need for renewed attention towards this landscape.
To implement the relevant planning principles behind the 15-minute city in the peri-urban landscape through the lens of public values, two key frameworks are integrated together. The Public Value Sphere framework (Herzog, 2021) and the Human Needs framework (Cardoso et al., 2022) bridge the gap between the planning principles and public values, which have been specifically defined in this context. The former provides five public value sphere for the peri-urban context; economic opportunity, ecological quality, social equity, liveability, and health/safety. Each sphere encapsulated spatial public values that relate to the built environment.
The latter, rooted in Max-Neef’s theory of Human Scale Development, distinguishes between ‘needs’ and context-specific ‘satisfiers’. Be identifying diversity, proximity and accessibility as the core 15-minute city principles their five ‘needs’ are distinguished as Inclusiveness, mixed-land use, sustainability, walkability, and connectivity. By relating the concept of public values to the ‘satisfiers, this thesis constructs a conceptual framework that allows public values to spatially translate 15-minute city principles.
Empirical data extracted from focus-groups, organised for the InPUT project, a co-creation workshop with a specially developed pattern language, and a final round of digital feedback from participants formed the participatory process that enabled the specification, operationalisation and translation of public values into a spatial strategy. This pattern language serves as a tool for the designer to communicate with citizens and let them articulate their desires.
By mapping the (mis)alignment between perceived values and desired spatial outcomes, this thesis offers insights into how humans act, think, and communicate desires. The result is a set of context-specific spatial interventions that guide the implementation of 15-minute city principles through five main identified public values. It demonstrates how spatial interventions based on public values can contribute to a just and sustainable transition of the peri-urban landscape.
Ultimately, this research calls for a shift in the urban planning from time-based planning to value-based planning approach that priorities the human perspective through meaningful participation. In this approach, it is the role of the designer to understand the meaning people associate with spatial interventions and thereby understand underlying public values of stakeholders through identifying the ‘why’ behind peoples choices.
In doing so, the role of the designer becomes one of a translator, capable of identifying, articulating, and translating the public values that often remain implicit in spatial discussions. It starts with a simple question: “Why?” A question that reframes the urban planning process not as a search for the most desired solutions, but as a practice of finding values.
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The Northern Campine is experiencing depletion. Various forms of this phenomenon are already evident; natural areas are suffering due to intensive agriculture, resulting in a loss of biodiversity. Coupled with climate change, this depletion will worsen. Villages are experiencing a drain on services and a shift in population. This study seeks to develop a regional strategy centred on regenerative sustainability. Rather than focusing on a single aspect, the multiple dimensions of soil, production, society, and history are taken into account. Through spatial and policy analysis, as well as spatial and institutional imagination, the main research question, “How could regenerative sustainability counter ecological and social depletion resulting from intensive land uses and rural shrinkage in the Northern Campine region?” is addressed. Building on the regional strategy, a simulation is conducted across three stages of implementation. This simulation illustrates the various levels at which choices are made, the effects these might have on policy and design, and includes a potential framework for participation. The most significant finding concerns the implementation of regenerative sustainability. The spatial choices made in alignment with it primarily resolve spatial issues. While policy and governance matters can be addressed through spatial design and analysis, they are not entirely resolved. Nevertheless, this study investigates the possibilities arising from a focus on soil as a foundation and regenerative sustainability. ... Read more

Amsterdam used to house large timber industries. These have declined with the industry moving abroad to the forests themselves. This despite growing interest in building with timber. This thesis explores the viability of reintroducing this industry by creating local forest industries as well, to reduce reliance on imports and the environmental costs of the transport.
The research consists of literature research into the history of timber industries in Amsterdam, mapping local forestry potential, interviews with local existing sawmills, and case studies. This all to evaluate the capacity for sustainable timber industries. Results of this indicate that transforming farmland into biodiverse production forest can double current timber yields. That is combined with promotion of chain recognition and public education which is essential to kickstart such industries. It also indicates that there is lots of efficiency to be gained by educating the public about timber usage and already using what is grown currently, lots of which is wasted at the moment. The results indicate a possibility for such industries in the city. Starting with a knowledge gap which then would start the demand. Visibility which could hold forest owners accountable for their usage and a growth of almost 2x of the current forest supply would allow the old timber industries from yesteryear to return. ... Read more

The goal to reach carbon zero by 2050 is pushing the Port of Rotterdam rapidly replace fossil fuel with hydrogen. The transition entails many spatial, environmental and economic changes that impact some neighborhoods more than others; in particular five neighborhoods (Rozenburg, Pernis, Heijplaat, Hoogvliet North and Old Charlois) in and surrounding the port. These already disadvantaged neighborhoods will face more burdens than benefits if the transition, and the gentrification that will follow, is left without intervention.

This study investigates how the energy transition towards hydrogen can be guided to ensure a just socio-economic and spatial transformation for these existing harbor neighborhoods. Through a research-by-design study, a vision is created from the perspective of the selected transition community (harbor neighborhoods), supported by qualitative and quantitative research methods. Subsequently, a strategy is developed that takes into account the
relevant stakeholders and policies necessary to implement the vision. The vision is explained in more detail in the latter part of the report, substantiated by a timeline and its related spatial strategies comprised of four key projects.

The vision of Port Archipelago construed on four guiding themes (energy, housing, connectivity and amenities) successfully accommodates the needs of existing communities and helps them adapt to the social and spatial changes triggered by the hydrogen transition. Urban metabolism and spatial justice are weaved into the vision to fairly distribute the benefits and burdens of the gentrification that is likely to occur in the port. Spatially, the vision will enable the transition community to sustain their identities and everyday lives while at the same time embracing the spatial and environmental transformations of the port. Lastly, the Port Archipelago vision will lead to successful community regeneration by providing opportunities for the harbor neighborhoods to build the capacity to act as active stakeholders in new settings and interact with newcomers of the port. ... Read more

Zeeland’s landscape is currently dominated by fossil fuel-based industries. Four big companies emit huge amounts of greenhouse gasses. As the energy transition progresses and stricter limitations to these polluters are set, they will have to drastically change their processes or phase out. Though necessary, this threatens the livelihood of these practically educated employees. To come to solutions that fit within a just transition, this research explores how spatial transformations can empower these workers.
The study uses spatial analysis, policy and plan review and stakeholder research to come to a vision of diversification of the labor market spaces and voices. This vision is worked out according to three spatial design principles: smart land use, multifunctionality, and evolving place identity. Smart land use prioritizes the redevelopment of brownfields and salinized farmland over using more unused land to develop. Multifunctionality means the use of large open spaces for more than one type of industry. An evolving place identity means that the future is built upon a past that is seen as a vital stepping stone instead of something to be ashamed of.
The results include the conclusion that for a just transition to take place, there is a need for worker-centered policies, retraining initiatives, and spatial strategies that allow individuals to choose their own pathway through the energy transition. This report presents a multisectoral and integrated strategy, working out the sectors of tourism, food production, and clean and green energy production. An expanded mobility network ties these changes together, allowing for better accessibility within and into Zeeland.
By positioning workers at the core of the transition, Zeeland can serve as an example for industrial regions navigating similar structural changes. A more diverse future will make Zeeland more resilient to both the current energy transition as well as other uncertainties and changes.
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The Port of Rotterdam is currently undergoing a crucial energy transition, promoting the production of sustainable energy in the port to provide the Netherlands with clean energy. In current approaches, though, non-human species are severely underrepresented in the spatial design of the port. This makes the port inherently unsustainable because this approach destroys current ecosystems that are beneficial for the well-being of the space and the well-being of humans living and working in these spaces. (Jørgensen, 2009; Latour, 2012). This research builds on the Post-Anthropocene philosophy and expands on this concept by integrating spatial justice and an ecosystem approach into it. In this approach, we aim to create a design that considers humans and seagulls as inhabitants of one ecosystem. Based on spatial data about seagulls and humans, we create an analysis of the spatial needs of the two species. In the analysis, we also investigate differences in energy production sources and discuss which sources are spatially and ethically just. These analyses combined form the base of a just vision of the Port of Rotterdam during the energy transition. After this, we visualize the feasibility of the new vision for the port by creating a potential strategy to achieve the created vision. This strategy visualizes the timeline in which future policies and spatial interventions are represented. We zoomed in on three key projects, which we based on key principles our strategy aims to represent spatially. The report concludes with a discussion on how the research has impacted current energy transition approaches and reflects on the conceptual foundation this research builds upon. The reflection will additionally cover ethical constraints, this research’s impact on the Sustainable Development Goals (United Nations, n.d.), its relevance to science and society, the incorporation of public goods, and recommendations for further research. ... Read more

The ongoing housing crisis is the most urgent socio-economic and socio-spatial problem we face today. The underlying causes of this crisis are rather new and are the result of the neoliberal shift in socio-economics in the Western World. Although, the causes of this new urban crisis are new, its symptoms and working dynamics were seen multiple times in history. As such, multiple historical urbanism movements engaged with the problem in the past, producing substantial results especially in the interwar period and the decades following World War II. This Thesis proposes an unconventional approach to the historical analysis of urbanism, formulating a hypothesis that claims that the recycling past urbanism concepts is a very real, yet subconscious process; theoretical urbanism already constantly reaches back to historical concepts and principles and reuses them under different names. The thesis attempts to systematise this process and deploy it to extract historical concepts related to housing crises and to evaluate them based on the context and aspects of the problem they engaged with to allow the selection of the ones that are adaptable to the present context of the Thesis. Budapest is currently witnessing one the worst housing crises in Europe; this, combined with the rich and troubled historical experiences of the city in terms of housing provision, provides an excellent case study to test the hypothesis. Following of initial theoretical research aimed at displaying the likelihood of the Hypothesis, a proposal-making process will take place that will include a Policy Framework, a city-scale Spatial Strategy, and a Spatial and Urban Design proposal. Acknowledging the importance of relationality and territoriality of planning concepts, a great emphasis would be placed on the repurposing of these concepts to the specific context of Budapest later in the proposal-making process. ... Read more

This thesis explores the potential of sustainable cruise tourism to inspire regional and urban strategies aimed at maximizing benefits for secondary port cities. In recent years, there has been a growing concern about the impact of tourism on urban environments, especially on the effects of cruise ship tourism. This form of tourism brings immediate mass impact and minimal contributions to local economies. As a result, it causes spatial disruptions, alterations to public spaces, and protests in cities such as Venice and Barcelona. To face these challenges, some ports have implemented bans and restrictions. However, despite these measures, the cruise industry has continued to expand. This disparity will increase the number of cruise ship visits to secondary ports.

By using literature reviews, stakeholder analysis, and scenario building, this research explores how a change in the cruise industry in terms of the use of smaller vessels and regional cooperation, can impact an entire region. The study highlights that maintaining a solid connection between the sea and land is important for sustaining a maritime mindset, boosting the economy, and preserving local culture, thereby fostering residents’ stewardship.

Additionally, secondary cities can benefit economically from cooperation with larger urban centres, as outlined in the Agglomeration Shadow/Borrowed Size theory. Despite the potential benefits, the implementation of sustainable cruise tourism faces challenges, including resistance from established cruise companies and the need for significant public support. Empowering local governments to lead the transition is crucial, particularly in overcoming the dominance of major cruise operators. Cooperation among regions is also essential to ensure equitable distribution of tourism and economic benefits.
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In Greece, the prevailing growth-paradigm has been manifested in the commodification of rural areas through tourism, and the continuous neglect and abandonment of the non-touristic territories. This has resulted in their societal and environmental degradation, exemplified through the recent devastating floods and wildfires, that also stem from the pressures of climate change. Within a context of intense political corruption and tardy governmental response, the nuanced topic of rurality is failing to be addressed adequately. We cannot continue business-as-usual, but should aim instead towards transitioning to a post-growth society. However, there are significant barriers present, like the limited societal acceptance, lack of alternative spatial imaginaries and intense bureaucracy. To bypass such hurdles, bioregionalism proposes the formation of a place-based administrative body - researched here through the case-study of the Spercheios river basin. Considering the overwhelming and ambitious nature of the post-growth agenda, in combination with the lack of adequate communication tools to engage disinterested stakeholders that are locked-in-growth, traditional planning approaches would not suffice. Alternatively, after the exploration of the site-specific conditions and a tracing of growth in the landscape itself, a contextual spatial imaginary is formed, conducted through a combination of fiction writing, speculative design interventions and physical artefacts. This narrative is explored through the perspective of a rural dweller of the bioregion of Spercheios, who meanders along the region in the scope of one day. They explore the adaptation to energy and water sufficiency from the scale of one individual house, to the neighbourhood, to the village, and reckon with food production through extensive agroforestry practices. They engage with bioregional decision-making processes in a weekly meeting, and observe nature-based solutions along the river as they commute towards the coast. There, they explore the restoration of the wetlands and the adaptation towards living with more water in the lowlands. Finally, they end their day back at the square of the village, reflecting, sharing stories and bonding with others. Through this narrative, implications, opportunities and limitations of the post-growth approach are investigated, while also exploring experimental methods of communication and engagement - ultimately attempting to imagine the post-growth future tangible, within grasp. ... Read more