Islands exist in geographical isolation, with limited natural resources, and surrounded by the vastness of the sea. However, their metabolic profiles are often shaped by fluctuating socio-economic systems shaped by international tourism influxes, creating circular pressure on already strained domestic socio-ecological systems. The relationship between tourism and metabolism has led to their development as import-oriented systems, highly reliant on external regions and broad infrastructuralization. The transition from agropastoralism to a service economy hyper-connected the area with the world but created local disconnections, with the imports- and infrastructure-based systems providing an illusion that resources are infinite, disclosing the complications of limitless growth.

The project addresses these challenges by examining the Cyclades at the local, regional, and global scale, appropriate to the various scales of metabolic flows. By adopting a multi-scalar approach to exploring island metabolism, it examines the notion of urban metabolism through its spatial footprint. Using islands as the tool for experimental conceptualization highlights the burden of infinite development by shedding light on the hidden metabolism that supports life in such geographies. The methodology includes examining historical transitions, mapping metabolic dependencies, exploring projective metabolic capacities of the islands, and proposing an alternative organizational structure and a cross-scalar design approach for landscape-based interventions.

Centering on the Cyclades archipelago and the Santorini island complex, the project investigates the impacts of seasonal tourism on island metabolism and the landscape’s role in rethinking the metabolic systems. Given the insufficiency of state policy in addressing the challenges, this proposal aims to shift the dynamics by exploring an imaginary through which metabolism-related activities could indirectly control tourism.

In this context, the project proposes the restoration, reactivation, adaptation, transformation, or addition of metabolic structures to revitalize dormant landscapes, promote inter-island collaboration, and blend production with consumption zones. The findings highlight the aftermath of dependency on a seasonal tourism economy and a fully outsourced or infrastructuralized metabolism. Rather than offering fixed solutions, it proposes adaptable structures that could initiate the change, aiming to raise awareness about scarcity and the need for behavioral change. By looking at the landscape as infrastructure, inspired by its past function, the project proposes the full utilization of it as part of the island metabolism, incorporating aspects of situated and artisanal knowledge, commoning, and care as an alternative to current carrying capacity assessments. Through spatial prototypes, it aims to elaborate further on these structures and their manifestation in space, emphasizing that the system is flexible and can be partially or fully adapted.

Overall, it highlights the potential of reactivating currently dormant but previously operationalized landscapes, fostering archipelago collaboration, and embracing the biospheric systems as active players in shaping flexible metabolisms.

The agricultural plains of Thessaly in Greece have been historically sensitive to flooding. These floods result in extreme socio-economic, spatial and environmental consequences, whose severity is heavily impacted by human actions manipulating the natural ecosystems of the region. Specifically, the extensive urbanization of Thessaly’s agricultural landscape – one of the main productive agricultural cores of Greece – combined with the anthropogenic alteration of the hydrological system to address the region’s water scarcity problem, are leading towards the appropriation and exhaustion of the water ecosystem. This has contributed to the extent of the negative consequences in extreme cases of flooding, such as this of September 2023, and to the system’s inability to cope, recover and adapt to these events. Therefore, there is an imperative need for the reconfiguration of the existing water and land management framework through transformative actions grounded on ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) and nature-based solutions (NBS), in order to enhance the system’s adaptive capacity to flooding. An area near the Karla Reservoir is used as a case study. The proposed transformations both inform and are informed by local practices, and are supported by land policies, aiming to create an integrated framework for environmental co-management with the intention of activating a process of evolutionary resilience of the Thessalian plain to flooding.

This project proposes a new conceptual framework for understanding risk and its components and a methodological approach for defining how the conditions of different systems affect risk and contribute to the systems’ biophysical and socio-technical limits. A set of criticality and transformability criteria is defined to locate the crucial areas – the critical zones – with the potentiality of transformation. This process is executed by superimposing the biophysical and socio-technical limits and taking into account the current coping and recovery capacities as expressed by the current centralized processes and local adaptation practices. Then, a set of transformative actions is proposed, consisting of biophysical measures drawing from soil and landscape-related nature-based solutions and of socio-technical measures aiming to enhance the learning capacity and preparedness of the community. These actions are subsequently implemented in a critical zone adjacent to the Karla Reservoir, through strategic, systemic, sub-systemic and specific design explorations, with the aim to concretely spatialize the proposed measures by showcasing possible negotiations between agriculture, water and nature. Finally, an adaptation framework and phasing through adaptive design pathways showcases and evaluates the operability of the proposed transformation. The overall goal of the project is the creation of a successful model for environmental co-management, integrating coping, recovery and adaptive capacity, and resulting in fostering evolutionary resilience.

This thesis challenges the dominant paradigm of flood risk management in the Netherlands, which has led to rigid and technocratic landscape practices. The research reimagines flood management as a driver of socio-ecological transformation rather than a threat to be controlled. The thesis tests this approach in The Scheldt Estuary. The study investigates how deactivating existing flood defences might enable new relationships between human and non-human systems. And, how it would reshape the delta as a living and adaptive landscape. It does this through spatial analysis, design exploration and critical reflection.

Four research questions guide this exploration, addressing: - The historical and social narratives underpinning Dutch coastal management; - The projected ecological and spatial consequences of returning to Deltaic Conditions; - The potential of design to reframe flooding from a threat into a generative force; - And, the strategic pathways to foster symbiosis between human and non-human ecosystems.

Three design scenarios illustrate how different levels of engagement with tidal processes (retreat, adaptation, and cohabitation) could inform a new form of “Tidal Urbanism.” An approach that is responsive to changing conditions while remaining sensitive to deltaic contexts. This approach serves as the base for the vision . The thesis concludes with a vision for the Scheldt Estuary in 2130. It imagines a landscape that has shed human boundaries and embraced its identity as a marshland. Flood management evolves into an adaptive system of flow regulation. Coastal design becomes an act of radical co-creation, where humans and non-humans shape space together. Rather than resisting change, this vision welcomes the tide. It offers a future built not on control, but on coexistence. Transformations that would arise from this vision are explored, such as tidal reintegration, modular and delta-sensitive urbanism. The realisation of this vision demands radical changes in space as well as in governance and organisation.

Ultimately, this project reframes resilience not as the elimination of risk, but as the capacity to live with uncertainty; ethically, iteratively and collectively.

This thesis examines the current care crisis as a dual condition: a human crisis stemming from dismantled welfare systems and lack of social connectedness, and an environmental crisis reflected in the escalating effects of climate change.It highlights how the most vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, are disproportionately affected by these overlapping crises on a global scale.
Additionally, it critically examines current perceptions of aging populations, particularly in the context of a world experiencing rapid urbanization and aging societies.

These issues are analyzed through spatial scales, starting with a regional focus on Hungary, narrowing down to the capital, Budapest, and further to the VII. district (Erzsébetváros). At country scale, the thesis investigates the structural shortcomings of the welfare system, examining how government policies fail to support elderly populations and how it is reflected in media narratives. It also assesses the spatial injustices caused by climate change, identifying the areas most vulnerable to its effects. On a more localized level, the everyday lives of elderly residents are studied at the neighborhood and street scales. Insights gathered from these phases are synthesized to create a pattern language.

Building on this analysis, the thesis proposes design interventions aimed at creating caring urban spaces that promote social connectivity and climate resilience. These interventions are intended not only to address the needs of the elderly but also to foster a more inclusive and adaptive environment for the entire community.

This thesis investigates the socio-ecological degradation of the Indus Delta – particularly its mangrove ecosystems – caused by upstream freshwater loss, coastal urbanization, and extractive economic activity. Situated at the intersection of the Karachi metropolis and the agricultural landscapes of Sindh, the project combines research and design to examine and reimagine the interdependencies between communities, ecologies, and governance systems. Drawing on field observations, informal interviews, critical mapping, and systemic analysis, the study traces both localized practices and broader structural forces that shape the delta.

The research culminates in a spatial strategy structured around three networks of care: preservation, production, and recreation. These interlinked strategies aim to restore ecological balance, support adaptive livelihoods, and build synergies between human and more-than-human actors. Envisioning a gradual inland-to-sea transition in land uses that respond to salinity, biodiversity, and socio-economic needs, the project offers a replicable model for climate-adaptive coastal urbanism rooted in situated knowledge, collaboration and care.

The Netherlands, with its intricate history of battling water, faces a pivotal moment as rising sea levels challenge traditional water defenses. This research navigates the intricate landscape of water management, focusing on the vulnerable region of Hoedekenskerke in Zeeland. The central thesis proposes adopting the Living with Water strategy posed by Deltares, urging a paradigm shift towards a symbiotic relationship with nature. The study employs a funneling methodology, ranging from a regional risk analysis to a nuanced exploration of the spatial relationships between the hinterland and water infrastructure. Through a detailed examination of dike failure probabilities and consequences on an urban scale, Hoedekenskerke emerges as a key focal point for urgent adaptation. Beyond their structural function, dikes are revealed as multifaceted elements, representing landscape features, cultural heritage, and symbols of trust. The research concludes with a call to embrace a more adaptive and mindful coexistence with water. And to work towards a future where the Netherlands can chart a resilient course—one that relocates its vulnerable hinterland to the higher ground that the waterworks provide while honoring the intricate legacy of hydraulic engineering that defines its identity.

Left-over spaces within the city present problems on various scales and mediums. While these left-over spaces, named as Urban cracks, are necessary for the city’s structure, they hold untapped potential. This project aims to systematically identify, analyze, uncover, and activate these spaces in Rotterdam, specifically in the Brandgrens area. The objective is to define them as “0th places,” where the space functions as a regulated yet adaptable zone to host site-specific activities and remains flexible to allow for change.
The Brandgrens area was chosen due to its significant history, particularly after the World War II bombings, where new developments emerged adjacent to the old urban fabric. This pattern can occur in any city, as new developments continuously create new urban cracks.
The methods used included Research by Design, Critical Mapping, Fieldwork, Data Mining, Morphological Analysis, Modeling, and Literature Review. The results produced an analytical framework to identify these spaces within the city, understand their various relationships (a map of opportunities), and develop a final detailed design showing different scenarios and a city-scale strategy to extend the intervention’s effects.
The conclusion is that these spaces can indicate problems in their surroundings, if not within themselves. They require further study from different perspectives and approaches to bridge the gap between urbanism and architecture and to enable people to reclaim their space. While the project can be applied globally, the differences in urban fabrics, functions, cultures, social groups, environments, and economic situations mean that urban cracks, their potential, and their necessity will vary. The exploratory approach in this project allows for flexibility in addressing the ambiguities related to urban cracks in different contexts.

In recent decades, China's rapid urbanization and economic growth have caused significant ecological damage, especially in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD). Jiaxing, at the heart of the YRD, exemplifies these challenges. Historically, Jiaxing's identity and prosperity were intertwined with water, supporting agriculture, trade, and cultural activities. However, modern urban development has drastically reduced water areas, altering the landscape and detaching residents from their water-centric lifestyle. This shift has led to ecological, economic, and social issues, eroding the city's identity.

This paper aims to restore Jiaxing's identity as a water city, ensuring a sustainable future by following Cheshmehzangi's (2015) theory. At the regional scale, it will analyze the interplay between the city and its water elements using Mačiukėnaitė and Povilaitienė's (2013) framework, focusing on infrastructure, ecology, society, and symbolic roles to revitalize urban identity and city vitality.

At the environmental scale, the study will examine the relationship between citizens and their urban environment, emphasizing forms, activities, and impressions. Using the Holistic Urban Landscape theory, it will propose strategies to maintain spatial atmosphere and improve urban space quality. The paper will conclude with the design of urban nodes to demonstrate the feasibility of these strategies.

In 2022, Europe experienced severe drought, notably affecting Northern Italy’s Po region, renowned for its industrial and agricultural significance. Consequently, the region’s food production sector encountered severe challenges in water management, struggling to meet its water requirements. Rice production, leading in the demand for water resources, is especially vulnerable to the evolving rainfall dynamics. Through research by design, this Master’s thesis addresses improving water security for rice production while nurturing a symbiotic relationship between humans and nature. The research identifies conflicts arising from widely adopted dry-seeding techniques in rice farming and the abandonment of traditional water retention practices, exacerbated by climate change and leading to diminished water availability. The proposed design interventions seek to retain water in the landscape, replenishing aquifers, and prioritizing habitat restoration. This thesis suggests a paradigm shift in water management and agricultural perspectives, emphasizing the intrinsic link between water, human well-being, and ecological health. By integrating traditional flooded practices and ecological restoration into agricultural systems, it presents a holistic approach to water management. Additionally, the strategy stresses the importance of fostering awareness and active engagement with the natural environment to strengthen the human-nature connection. The insights gained from this study can inform future policies and practices, ensuring a sustainable and resilient future for the rice production landscapes of northern Italy and beyond.

This research explores the spatial implications of climate change and sea level rise on the Dutch Delta’s productive landscapes, focusing on integrating spatial design and water management within a risk framework. The transition from adaptive planning to planned adaptation is highlighted as crucial for addressing the unpredictability of climate change impacts, advocating for a shift in strategy from a reactive to a proactive approach in delta management.
Design experiments play a central role in this research, employing critical cartography and sectional drawings as tools to analyse and synthesise localised adaptation strategies to the vulnerabilities posed by sea level rise. These design tools facilitate the exploration of innovative spatial responses that accommodate climatic uncertainties, contributing to the resilience and sustainability of the landscapes.
Designing with uncertainties underpins the research methodology, embracing the unpredictability of future climate conditions as a foundation for developing adaptive spatial strategies. This approach entails a paradigm shift towards accommodation and planned adaptation, emphasising the need for flexible, integrated planning that can evolve over time. The research underscores the potential of nature-based solutions to synergise productive and protective systems, enhancing ecological, social, and economic resilience in the face of climate change and sea level rise.
Through a combination of theoretical frameworks and design experiments, the research presents a forward-thinking vision for the Dutch Delta. It proposes a methodological approach to landscape and urban planning that navigates the complexities of climate adaptation, demonstrating how productive landscapes can be reimagined to thrive in an uncertain future.

An MDP project performed in the scope of the Delta Futures Lab in collaboration with the Dragon Institute. The report delves into the enviromental threats the Mekong Delta is facing and provides a design framework to deal with these problems. Furthermore, a case study is chosen to display how the framework can be adopted in a practical setting, envisioning what a future looks like where the Mekong Delta co-exists with water.

This master thesis aims to turn the tide regarding current water management in the peat polder.
To reverse a century old habitude to drain land for agricultural purposes, causing subsiding land below sea level. Climate is changing with increasing temperatures, higher peak precipitation in winter, draught in summer and rising sea level. Peat polders in the Western part of the Netherlands are subsiding due peat oxidation as water levels are kept low. Polders have subsided below sea level and need to be pumped out as an annual surplus of precipitation causes the polder to fill up. In coastal zones pressure from the sea causes salt water to seep to the surface. These problems in combination with climate change, questions a livable future in the polder.
The primary objective of this research is to critically examine and propose alternative water management practices of polder ecosystems. By examining methods for tolerating presence of water within our living environment. The terp proves to be an interesting way of living in harmony with water of the past. Elements of the terp such as fluctuating water levels, following soil characteristics, adaptable housing, and use of waste as building material, provide solutions for an alternative water system in the polder. Implementation of these elements are illustrated by an animation, showing a variety of possibilities to grow out of the polder. A zoom in on a small portion of the Noord-Kethel polder is used as a test ground for a masterplan to show how conceptual ideas from the animation would be implemented in practice.
In the Design a new water system is implemented to allow bigger fluctuation, decreasing peat oxidation. Then, the concept of the terp is implemented into a design which consist of two phases. The first phase shows an increase of one meter in water level resulting in the adaptations to landscape elements. The second phase of the design is a continuation of the first, as a next meter of water level increase is implemented. In the second phase, current polder changes from a green open landscape to a blue open landscape with meandering green strings, creating a resilient landscape, ready for future changes. The design implements a change in mentality, in which inhabitants need to be willing to adapt.
The Design is an addition to the ‘adapt’ scenario of the Delta Program. By proposing a graduate change to current polder landscape, resilient land above sea level is created, providing new forms of housing, cultivation, and nature within the Dutch Delta. The approach is an anticipative way of interacting with water, similar to the Dutch approach in the Golden Age. The change of mentality in current polder landscape towards an adaptive landscape is a challenge that needs more research to accomplish the design.

As a result of climate change, there has been a shift in the global weather pattern. The hydrological regime in river basins across the world is subjected to unprecedented extreme weather conditions. In the Thames Basin, the narratives about resilience against sudden floods and extended droughts have focussed on sustaining London through large, expensive infrastructural projects. As such extremities become common over time across the basin, the relationship between the megacity and its ecological hinterlands is turning increasingly strained.

The increasing intensity of water-related disasters like droughts and floods across the basin are a sign of disruptions in the flows of the water cycle, and the disproportionate degree of responses to addressing them signifies the biases within the power structures that control the supply, distribution, and treatment of water. The thesis seeks to examine these imbalances of power within integrated river basin management through the lens of urban political ecology to address the inequalities in how citizens in different settlements across the basin are exposed to water risks in terms of compromised quantity and quality of water.

In addition to seasonal flooding risks, the entire basin is subjected to threats to water security as a result of population growth, changes in rainfall patterns, and high levels of pollution. This threat to water security is affecting the countryside’s ability to sustain its agricultural practices in the face of declining national food security. The project further seeks to adopt a site-sensitive approach to water risk management that acknowledges the water needs of the countryside. Moreover, with its position upstream of the basin, the actions towards water management taken here to slow the river and increase groundwater infiltration could help reduce the intensity of fluvial flooding downstream and work towards recharging fresh water supplies.

As the capital of Peru and one of the largest metropolises in South America, Lima's rapid development has attracted worldwide attention. In recent years, the water crisis has become a pressing problem as people flock to Lima with a thirst for opportunity.

Lima is located in a coastal desert area on the Pacific coast, backed by the Andes Mountains, a unique natural condition that has resulted in the formation of this 'city without rain'. The 1,2 million residents of the city obtain their daily water supply from water trucks and water tanks. However, seasonal flooding accompanies the dearth of water. The abundance of water in the Andes does not appear to alleviate Lima's water crisis; rather, the three principal rivers that originate in the Andes, Chillón, Rímac and Lurín, are always accompanied by flooding as summer approaches. At the same time, along with the unequal distribution of water resources and water pollution, residents in large cities have developed a very negative attitude towards water.

In contrast, Huamantanga, located in the Andean highlands, still relies on natural groundwater recharge systems and traditional man-made water systems. However, these systems have suffered damage due to climate change and mismanagement. At the same time, for the town's residents, a single mode of production has caused population loss and the devaluation of traditional water-related practices.

The graduation project proposes landscape interventions as a means of water system restoration. From the Andean highlands to the lower Chillón River, Huamantanga and Lima have the opportunity to be connected through the restoration of the water system, thus helping to alleviate Lima's water crisis. The different communities through which the water system flows are also viewed as stakeholders in sustainable water management, and the project will provide multiple environmental, social, and spiritual improvements to their water-related lives.

The design framework focuses on the restoration of water systems at different scales, utilizing water as a central element. Through an in-depth study of spatial and landscape identity, the project highlights the role of the landscape in facilitating water system restoration and the consequent positive changes in people's water-related practices. The analysis zooms in on two specific sites: Huamantanga town and the floodplain located in the lower Chillón River, offering a concrete understanding of how the landscape can contribute to water system restoration and shape people's water-related lives.

Due to global warming causing climate change, extreme conditions like droughts and floods are increasingly happening. Currently buildings in the Netherlands are experiencing the consequences of these extreme conditions, which they are not build for. Especially the foundations are a big problem. Therefore this paper is aiming to find a foundation typology for a family home in a flood prone area which is able to resist the dynamics of this location. Interviewing experts about foundation typologies and floodplain dynamics, analyzing data about the river and soil compositions and using literature to put the paper in context with existing information and academic content, provided information as to what type of foundation this problem needed. Though it would be logical, the technical solution is not the best when also taking into account the social, political and environmental factors. Therefore a combination of typologies is proposed.

With combined efforts from water management, architectural and hydraulic engineering students, an interdisciplinary and resilient design is set up for the Paraná Delta. The design relates to all the current environmental, architectural and flood risk challenges - among others, as well as the potential issues in the future since the Paraná Delta is a highly dynamic environment.

The report tackles Galveston's flooding challenges, which are currently in development with the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) ring barrier. However, the current design, predominantly addressing coastal flooding, falls short in dealing with pluvial flooding, relying heavily on pumps. This top-down approach neglects environmental and stakeholder considerations, resulting in a decoupled response to compound flooding, lacking adaptability, and overlooking the impact of chronic flooding on local businesses. The central research question revolves around reshaping the Galveston ring barrier in The Strand area for enhanced functionality against both coastal and pluvial flooding, sustainable management of catastrophic and chronic flooding, and improved public space value. The methodology consist of a literature review, fieldwork in 'The Strand,' stakeholder engagement in Texas, the design of multiple alternatives that deal with the issue at hand and evaluation through a Multi-Criteria Analysis. Two alternative designs, sensitive to identified issues, are presented for the Strand area. The outcome emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach incorporating the knowledge of the different academic backgrounds of the team, with designs adaptable for broader implementation in Galveston.
The design alternatives centres on measures to counteract flooding, specifically cloudburst roads, retention areas, and a promenade. Caution is advised in interpreting results, emphasizing the need for further investigation into hydraulic conditions. Climate change effects are underscored, considering sea level rise, precipitation rates, and increased hurricanes. The project area, focusing on a 1 km stretch, offers local adaptation measures, with potential extension to larger areas to explore system behaviour on a larger scale. The study notes the uncommon implementation of sustainable drainage systems in the United States,
highlighting the importance of addressing common failure causes such as incomplete knowledge and poor communication. While two measures for pluvial flooding are examined, the report suggests a more detailed design should consider additional factors like green roofs and their impact on runoff speed and drainage capacity.

What long ago started as a small fishing village, seeking refuge from the Romans, slowly evolved into the city of Venice that we know today. With its unique location came unique problems, most of which were related to the interplay between Venice and its lagoon. By severe measures in the past it has continued to withstand the test of time.
In the decades to come, Venice, once again, has found itself in a difficult situation. Like has been done in the past, drastic measures are required to deal with the current and upcoming difficulties threatening the survival of Venice. These difficulties range from over-tourism to sea-level rise and the subsiding of the city. Acting like the Magistrato alle Acque acted in the past, extreme visions where laid out as possible solutions to these threats.
A workshop week with focus on interdisciplinary design formed the basis for two extreme visions which are laid out in this report. With the aim of answering the main research question: How do flood defense systems influence the spatial aspects of the territory in the context of a high dynamic landscape in the Anthropocene?
The plan for the Perfect Lagoon is one of these, which has focuses on tackling all of the current and upcoming problems were the emphasis lies on preserving and perfecting the lagoon using the building with nature philosophy, while also saving the city from drowning. Preservation is done by solving the sediment budget problems. Due to the constantly eroding system, salt marshes and land is slowly disappearing.
In this plan, drastic actions will be taken to counteract the constant erosion as well as the effect that sea level rise will have on this unique estuary. Drastic measures like redirecting rivers and re-purposing the MOSE contribute towards this goal.
After preservation comes restoration as one of the goals is to restore and increase ecological value, restoration of salt marshes and removal of negative influences like pollution.
As a second vision, the plan of the Symbiotic System deals with the same problems but here the emphasis lies on interconnectedness of Veneto. More attention is paid to mass tourism. The plan aims to turn Venice into a modern interconnected metropolitan area. The city and the lagoon will be treated as two separated system where the focus lies completely on the city of Venice. The lagoon will be left to its own devices in order to find a new, still unknown, equilibrium.
These visions are then further worked out and explained, and for both visions, technical design are made to, step-by-step, bring these visions closer to reality. From these visions along with their technical design we can conclude that flood defence systems have a major influence in the spacial aspects of the territory. Not only in its primary function, but more importantly in the secondary functions. Both primary and secondary functions can be used to create a paradigm shift for the territory. Using the multidisciplinary approach, an integral design can be made for the flood defence, in which the opportunities in a territory can be maximized.