The steel industry is a crucial economic sector and a major contributor to the climate crisis. In Linz, located in the Austrian province of Upper Austria, the steel factory of Voestalpine plays a key role in the national, regional, and local economy while being the country’s largest single CO₂ emitter. As the company aims to transition to greener production methods by 2050, aligning with the European Green Deal ambitions, this transformation presents future challenges and opportunities for urban and regional development of the Metropolitan Region. Current research on Circular Economy principles in the steel industry often prioritises technological aspects such as material flows while overlooking societal dynamics and their spatial implications. In Austria, urban sprawl and fragmented development have historically been linked to growth-driven planning models, as seen in the Metropolitan Region of Linz. In the region, peri-urban areas serve multiple functions, including housing, agriculture, and industrial production. These territories face significant pressures such as environmental degradation, land scarcity, and traffic congestion. This research addresses the gap in Circularity theories by examining how industrial transformations in the steel sector can act as catalysts for shifts towards a Circular Society. It explores the spatial and programmatic organisation of urban and peri-urban areas, emphasising alternative, interdisciplinary planning strategies that integrate economic, environmental, and social needs. By analysing past urban development patterns and projecting future potentials, the research proposes regenerative spatial strategies and urban design methods that promote sustainability and resilience in the Linz Metropolitan Region. Through a research and design approach, this thesis critically challenges conventional planning paradigms by testing radical alternatives to existing urban and regional development practices. The findings aim to provide professional-level insights and actionable strategies for policymakers, urban planners, and industry stakeholders, fostering a transition towards a more sustainable and inclusive urban future.

This thesis explores how the built environment can be designed to offer the potential to be activated by young, fluidly housed adults in Brussels—a group that continuously navigates unstable living conditions, from temporarily staying with friends or family, to occupying squats, to occasionally sleeping on the streets.

The project adopts a mixed-method approach, placing active processes of care and collective agency at its core.

It begins by contextualizing the broader issue of ‘homelessness’ and the specific urban conditions in Brussels. Building on this, the thesis uncovers the socio-spatial realities of young fluidly housed adults through a needs-based approach. Using literature review, ethnographic mapping, and informal conversations, it identifies eight key satisfiers and four interconnected systems that have the potential to improve liveability for this demographic.

These socio-spatial needs are then spatialised using three methods. First, ethnographic mapping in Schaerbeek West and the broader ‘Poverty Crescent’ identifies existing socio-spatial conditions with potential for bottom-up activation. Second, pattern language is applied to connect observed patterns of care and resistance with the previously defined satisfiers, enabling these insights to be scaled across multiple levels while highlighting the top-down actions needed to support grassroots initiatives. Third, environment-behaviour studies—specifically angular choice and angular integration analysis—are used to identify five key intervention sites within Schaerbeek West and to operationalize this process that can be applied in other contexts.

In the final phase, design explorations are carried out in the five identified locations to test how the previously defined patterns can be applied to shape the urban fabric through careful interventions. These explorations aim to create environments that young, fluidly housed adults can actively engage with and adapt to meet their needs—demonstrating how the built environment can foster more just and adaptable spaces that form an infrastructure of collective care and agency, ultimately improving the liveability of young, fluidly housed adults in a tangible way.

Addressing the housing crisis requires both long-term, top-down reform and immediate, ground-level action. While this approach does not resolve the systemic challenges of the housing crisis, it enables urgent, bottom-up improvements in liveability by placing young, fluidly housed adults at the center—as agents of care driving this transition. Both pathways are essential: one demands time, while the other can begin right now.

The green growth paradigm of economic and urban growth leads to undesired decoupling effects and locks urban development into a growth dependency, causing a decrease in socio-ecological resilience. Degrowth proposes to be a solution that focusses practices of commons, distributive justice, sufficiency, a downscaling of the economic system as well as a long-term balance between the socio-ecological and the urban-economic system. However, there is no insight yet whether and how the concept can be spatialized on a larger scale. This thesis argues that a systemic perspective is necessary to achieve this. To study this, it puts forward the case of the Metropolitan Region of Amsterdam (MRA), a growing region which is exceeding planetary and local carrying capacities and the flow of construction materials, a central resource of the urban-economic system. A pattern language is developed to trace path dependencies and modify them in a degrowth-appropriate way.

It was found that on the regional scale, the values promote a region-based economy by reducing material imports, strengthening local biobased value chains, and strategically preserving space for production. Infrastructure should be sized to connect regional nodes with each other while reducing ecological impact. At the city and neighbourhood scale, degrowth prioritises compact and mixed-use development, sufficiency in housing, and the integration of common spaces and small-scale production to enhance access and community well-being. Implementing degrowth goes along with a complex process of systemic change which will influence the whole structure of the built environment, particularly regarding materials, building and dwelling type, infrastructure, function, zoning and ownership. Applying degrowth focuses on reinterpretation and modification of existing spatial structures. For the MRA, this specifically includes shifting institutional goals, redefining land value, and addressing global responsibilities through scaling economic activity down to the region while distributing functions equitably and ensuring access.

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.

Urban public spaces face the growing dual challenge of responding to extreme temperature conditions, intensifying summer heat and persistent cold in winters, exacerbated by climate change. These issues, often separate in urban planning and climate adaptation discourses, have to be addressed through a holistic approach that integrates urban design, microclimate analysis, and public space usability. In Vilnius, Lithuania and other cities in continental climates, where both heat and cold stress are significant, urban form plays a critical role in shaping microclimate conditions and thermal comfort, which influences social well-being and activity patterns in public spaces. Therefore, the following research question emerges: “How could public spaces in Vilnius, Lithuania be adapted to seasonal temperature extremes, while simultaneously fostering social well-being throughout the year?”
The study conceptualises vulnerability through the aspects of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity, linking them to thermal comfort, well-being, and public space usability. Using a multi-scalar methodological framework, it evaluates Vilnius’s diverse public spaces, from enclosed compact spaces to sprawling suburban peripheries, under temperature extremes. The findings are used to create a design framework, comprising of a temperature vulnerability map, adaptable design strategies, and prototypes for year round temperature-proof public spaces.
By integrating heat and cold adaptation, this research advances the discourse on urban climate resilience, offering evidence-based solutions for creating inclusive, functional, and sustainable public spaces in continental climate zones. The developed adaptation patterns provide insights, that inform spatial implications for policymakers, urban planners and designers required to mitigate temperature extremes, while enhancing urban livability and community well-being.

The textile industry poses significant environmental and social challenges due to its globalised, linear value chain. In response, cities like Amsterdam are advancing circular economy strategies as part of broader political commitments to ecological sustainability and social equity, notably through frameworks like the Doughnut Economy. This thesis investigates how spatial planning can contribute to a more ‘care-full' circular transition of the textile value chain in the Metropolitan Region of Amsterdam.
Building on theories of care ethics and degrowth circularity, the research develops a spatial planning approach that integrates material circularity with socio-ecological values. Through a combination of policy analysis, spatial design exploration, and stakeholder engagement, the thesis demonstrates how spatial planning can operationalise circular ambitions at different scales. It argues that circular spatial planning must not only accommodate flows of textile production, reuse, repair, and recycling, but also intentionally design for care - care for materials, space, time, circular workers, and differences within communities.
The proposed 'care-full' approach includes activating underused spatial assets and repurposing existing infrastructures to support collective and commercial textile looping; improving spatial quality and accessibility; enabling shorter, zero-emission textile loops; capacity building in vulnerable communities through facilitating spaces for skill sharing and social interaction; valuing circular workers and raising awareness among consumers, and recognising the contribution of circular workers while promoting consumer awareness. Based on this framework, the thesis presents a spatial vision and strategic recommendations for the Metropolitan Region of Amsterdam that align spatial planning, policy frameworks, and governance mechanisms to support an inclusive and place-based circular textile transition.
By bridging urban design, spatial planning, governance, and circular economy policy, this thesis contributes to academic and political debates on how the circular economy can be spatialised in socially just and ecologically viable ways, thereby demonstrating an approach to operationalising the Doughnut framework. It demonstrates that spatial planning can play a critical role not only in closing material loops but also in fostering socio-ecological value for cities undergoing circular transitions.

The ongoing energy transition across Europe presents significant challenges and opportunities for industries traditionally dependent on fossil fuels, particularly the chemical sector. As a cornerstone of the European economy, the chemical industry must balance the urgency of transitioning to sustainable energy with the need to maintain competitiveness and profitability. One such industry hub, Chemelot in the southern Netherlands, finds itself at a pivotal moment in this transition. As a major contributor to the regional economy and a key player in the chemical sector, Chemelot’s shift toward sustainability holds profound implications not only for its own future but also for the local communities and natural environment that surround it.
This report examines how Chemelot can navigate the complex energy transition in alignment with the European Union’s Green Deal and climate targets, while balancing the economic, social, and environmental needs of its region. The research explores the cross-scalar impacts of this transition, addressing the local challenges faced by surrounding communities, the spatial implications for the region, and the broader cross-border implications within the European context. The study focuses on the tensions that emerge between industrial growth, environmental preservation, and social equity, and seeks to identify strategies that reconcile these often-conflicting demands.
A central element of this research’s visioning process is the development of an urban-industrial symbiosis model that integrates the economic needs of Chemelot with the broader community and environmental priorities of the surrounding area. This ideal vision is situated within a larger framework of national policies, EU climate targets, and regional development plans, ensuring alignment with both local and cross-border objectives. By analysing the power-interest dynamics and policy frameworks in play, as well as understanding the attitudes of various stakeholders, we create a development strategy that balances conflict resolution with the identification of synergies.
To achieve this, co-design methodologies, such as pattern language, are employed to spatially address and facilitate conflicts and synergies. This approach allows for a more nuanced understanding of how stakeholder interests intersect and evolve. It ensures that the transition process is inclusive, with opportunities for stakeholders to collaborate in shaping a shared vision. The result is a phased strategy for Chemelot’s growth, positioned within a larger metropolitan area, which not only enables industrial expansion but also fosters sustainable regional development.
The findings of this research suggest that Chemelot’s energy transition can become a model for the future development of similar industrial hubs, contributing to the larger goal of achieving sustainable, inclusive, and climate-resilient urban-industrial landscapes. It also highlights the importance of collaboration and communication among stakeholders to ensure that the transition is just, equitable, and environmentally responsible.

Amid the rapid climate change and resource depletion, there is a dire need for energy transition in all sectors for resilience. In the Netherlands, agriculture dominates land use and the economy but remains fossil-fuel dependent, contributing to environmental degradation. The industry must incorporate eco-sensitive practices while facilitating the energy transition, placing farmers at the core of this systemic transition. Furthermore, globalisation has created a distance between producer and consumer, spatially and mentally (Bock & Wiskerke, 2024), creating tensions between the farmers in the countryside and consumers in the cities, which the systemic change needs to factor in. With its fertile landscapes and high solar and wind potential, Flevoland presents a unique opportunity for synergising health, agriculture and renewable energy in the Netherlands (Staps et al., 2015). A few biodynamic farms already demonstrate eco-sensitive practices, integrating hydrogen, solar, and wind. However, these initiatives are marginalised by globalisation, market pressures, consumer demands, and policy frameworks. Therefore, this project attempts to conceptualise HOW biodynamic farming principles in Flevoland can be upscaled and combined with the sustainable energy transition to strengthen the (regional) food supply chain. Through spatial mapping and critical analysis of the supply chain and consumer behaviour, the identified opportunities and challenges are translated into a spatial vision for our transition community, i.e. the biodynamic farmers, through three zones: urban, transition, and agricultural, each supporting varying producer-consumer dynamics and shortening the chain while integrating farming, biodiversity, innovation, and renewable energy for a multifunctional and interconnected landscape. The project further delves into the existing policies and identifies synergies, conflicts, and internal dilemmas within the proposed spatial vision. The project developed scenarios to understand the exemplary measures to address the internal dilemmas and upscale the biodynamic farms in Flevoland. These measures are further translated into interconnected strategic actions predominantly as physical spatial interventions and policies to regulate market dynamics and facilitate the energy transition. All of these are supported by collaborations between stakeholders with varying vested interests and raising their awareness through educational reforms. The different zones and types of transition zones are key to implementing this vision. They are reflected at multiple scales, ranging from Flevoland at a regional level to a neighbourhood-scale pioneering pilot project in Oosterwold. The multiscalar approach, thus, accounts for an adaptive cycle that first creates a demand that enables the agricultural transition comprising spatial and legislative reorganisations, altogether reforming the environmental system. All these aspects together form a resilient food system, focusing on healthy, regional, and energy-efficient food production while giving room to nature and water.

The Netherlands is currently undergoing an energy transition towards sustainable and renewable sources, aiming to eliminate CO2 emissions by 2050. This report focuses on the transition community of sustainable settlers, young people (25–45) who strive to lead a more sustainable lifestyle, yet often feel powerless to effect change. In addition to the energy transition, this group is strongly affected by the national housing shortage. This shortage is particularly pressing in Utrecht, where rapidly rising housing prices make it increasingly difficult for this community to find affordable housing. By combining bottom-up and top-down approaches, a vision is developed for this community of the future within the province of Utrecht. Using microgrids as a key energy theme, the energy transition is accelerated by introducing decentralized energy systems in urban areas, promoting sustainable energy generation while reducing stress on the national grid. This report analyses the current state of Utrecht to define a vision across four key themes from the perspective of sustainable settlers: housing, work, mobility, and energy. These individual visions may present conflicting interests. However, their integration leads to a cohesive overall vision. A strategic plan is formulated based on this vision, using stakeholder analysis to identify and map various interests. A set of targeted actions is outlined to create a realistic future scenario for the province. These actions are tailored to different types of settlements and can originate from either top-down or bottom-up initiatives. They are strategically deployed to shape a long-term strategy for Utrecht. This results in a forward-thinking strategy where spatial planning aligns with sustainable energy, affordable living, and accessible transport. The strategy distinguishes between three settlement types: city center, suburb, and peri-urban, each with specific needs, ensuring a balanced and inclusive approach. Together, these layers form a coherent vision for a more resilient and sustainable province of Utrecht.

Zeeland is a delta region with a rich cultural heritage that plays a key role in the Netherland’s energy transition and is known as the ‘energy plug’ of the Netherlands. Despite its potential, Zeeland is becoming a left behind region in the Netherlands due to student migration, aging population, lack of engagement, limited opportunities and scores the lowest on the national innovation index of the Netherlands.
This proposal aims to reimagine Zeeland as an innovation hub by focusing on spatial planning strategies that integrate education, industry, renewable energy and cultural landscapes within a decentralized governance. The project centres on the students of Zeeland, both theoretical and vocational, as the chosen community to create a vision for Zeeland’s future, while ensuring the involvement of all relevant stakeholders in the strategy process. A mixed-methods approach is used, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative research to understand the regional challenges and opportunities the region.
The design advocates for the decentralization of provincial governance and the establishment of independent knowledge clusters within Zeeland. These clusters, shaped by the province’s spatial characteristics, will be more aligned with the development needs of students and the opportunities in both renewable energy and industry.
The design advocates for the decentralization of provincial governance and the establishment of independent knowledge clusters within Zeeland. These clusters, shaped by the province’s spatial characteristics, will be more aligned with the development needs of students and the opportunities in both renewable energy and industry.
If the project is successful, this approach could position Zeeland as an innovation hub in not only the national, but also European scale. Redirecting investments from nuclear energy projects to other renewable energy solutions will support industries, lower energy prices and also preserve the region’s cultural landscape. Ultimately, in the future, Zeeland will become a region that attracts and maintain talent, supports innovation and contributes to the broader energy transition.

Informal settlements in Greater Cairo house a large portion of the population, who face increasing social inequality and environmental vulnerabilities. Manshiet Nasser, a desert settlement east of Islamic Cairo, is one such area struggling with challenges like environmental hazards and limited infrastructure. The Zabbaleen community plays a vital role in Cairo’s waste management by recycling approximately 80% of the city’s waste, yet their contributions often go unrecognised. This research explores how urban design can achieve environmental justice for the Zabbaleen, focusing on creating a safe, healthy, and clean environment while positioning the community as drivers of change.

The study examines Manshiet Nasser’s connections to Cairo’s broader context, the daily routines of the Zabbaleen, and the perspectives of various stakeholders on the community’s living and working conditions. Findings reveal significant risks from environmental hazards, marginalisation, and conflicting priorities among stakeholders. A pattern language approach was used to design interventions that adapt the urban fabric, support community development, and optimise the recycling chain. These patterns connect findings from analysis and literature to participatory and context-based design strategies.

The proposed urban design addresses key challenges by cooling the urban environment, diversifying waste business opportunities, and reducing health hazards. Stakeholder involvement is essential for translating aspirations into interventions and negotiating conflicts. While achieving environmental justice requires physical upgrades and mindset changes, this research highlights the potential of informal communities to lead change. The project aims to inspire designers and policymakers to envision alternative development pathways for more equitable urban futures.

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.

Migration within the European Union (EU) is becoming a complex phenomenon driven by various social, political, economic, and environmental causes. While migration is an ordinary event, vulnerable groups such as asylum seekers, refugees and irregular migrants often face significant hardships and risks throughout their journey. In recent years, the EU has grappled with unprecedented pressure of irregular migrants in its external borders, leading to strict border controls and externalisation of migration management with third-world countries. With this, there is severe stress in housing, healthcare, labour markets, and education in individual countries with the sudden increase in population with diverse cultural backgrounds. Discrimination, xenophobia, and political shifts towards far-right ideologies have also posed challenges to the humane treatment of these vulnerable groups. This raises questions about why the E.U. does not want to accept these communities despite its ageing and shrinking society.

This project explores the consequences of migration in the EU, with a particular focus on refugees and asylum seekers. Beginning with an analysis of EU migration policies and attitudes towards refugees, the project focuses on the Netherlands, examining its asylum-seeking process amidst political shifts. The research then aims to imagine the inclusion and integration of refugees living in isolated temporary asylum shelters in cities, using case studies and literature to identify spatial and non-spatial aspects crucial for fostering a sense of comfort and belonging in a new country. By proposing spatial strategies and policies to create opportunities for stronger socio-cultural connections in cities of the Netherlands, the project aims to facilitate stronger bonds between refugees and native citizens. Through a combination of top-down and bottom-up approaches, it seeks to reshape formal regulated interactions, fostering informal settings for everyday interactions. The project's outcomes are evaluated to assess its impact on forming a new inclusive society.

This thesis explores the effects of patriarchy in the built environment and investigates solutions to gender inequality in the city. Although gender inequality has been fought against throughout the last century, women and men still do not enjoy equal social positions. One of the biggest manifestations is that of a difference in gender roles, wherein women are still expected to fulfil most - if not all - of the unpaid care labour in the family. The city fails to support activities connected to care labour, both in causing longer travelling times as well as failing to provide the building of community. Theoretical research on the topic of gender mainstreaming, supported by fieldwork in Vienna, a city that has been implementing these principles since the 1990’s, has provided an extensive overview of implementations that support gender equality in the city, which are combined in a pattern language.
The pattern language has been applied in a design for the exemplary location of Katendrecht, where they have been developed into a design for a gender equal neighbourhood. This project shows that design that offers diverse environments, facilitates community, increases the accessibility of public space and amenities, and prioritises slow and shared mobility results in a gender-equal city.

The Netherlands is facing the challenge of population growth and increasing diversity through migration, especially in larger cities like The Hague. These trends put pressure on the built environment and exacerbate social tensions. To address this, the thesis aims is to enhance spatial inclusion and social cohesion by densifying the built environment for the increasingly superdiverse population in the Haaglanden Region. Implementing the theories of an open and just city, as well as aligning this to the concept of space’s social logic and the 15-minute city is key to achieving this goal.

The region consists of many urban density types, each with different potentials for inclusive densification. The Mariahoeve neighbourhood, a typical postwar neighbourhood located on the outskirts of The Hague, offers many opportunities for inclusive densification. The strategies to be introduced for Mariahoeve are the introduction of courtyard typology buildings, a network of urban quality types, and main streets. The main streets expose the neighbourhood’s interiority through their enhanced permeability, and function as places of co-presence, raising awareness and affording interaction among different individuals. In a context of superdiversity, raising awareness through primary visibility is key in enhancing a sense of community.

The thesis concludes with a design proposal that strategically implements density to enhance connectivity, legibility, visibility, spatial diversity, and equity, to create an inclusively densified neighbourhood.

This research investigates the intricate relationship between evolving socio-political dynamics, spatial planning and gender intolerance in Poland, with a specific focus on the
experiences of the queer community. The study addresses the urgent need to bridge societal divides intensified by the rise of anti-LGBT resolutions and divisive political practices. The problem statement underscores the gravity of gender intolerance in Poland and its direct consequences on the marginalized queer community. The escalating social polarisation
serves as a call to action for research. Methodologically, the research critically examines social norms, guided by theoretical concepts such as ‘power’, ‘queering’ and ‘inclusivity’. It explicitly incorporates citizen engagement as a crucial component to enrich the understanding of the
queer community’s spatial experiences in urban environments. The central research question explores how evolving socio-political dynamics and spatial planning can dismantle gender intolerance and promote inclusive communities in Poland. By uncovering the relationships between these dimensions, the study aims to provide insights and tools for designing truly inclusive environments. The goal is to create spaces that are inclusive, diverse, and equitable,
reflecting a commitment to fostering a more just urban landscape.

The increasing effects of commodifying urban structures result in the appearance of smooth environments (Boer, 2023), which lead to static, exclusive environments in which any form of otherness or spontaneity is removed. This in turn affects important democratic processes, for spaces for commononing, negotiating and conflict in the public realm are dimnished or erased.

By exploring theories of urban depth, a solution towards Just Cities can be found in viewing the urban as a sequence of territories that that unlock a variety of spatial conditions that can serve as the spatial framework for otherness to happen. A thorough understanding of the spatial environment as well as local social structures helped inform where strategic design interventions could act as a catalyst to enrich local depth structures in the Jordaan. Consequently, local territorial conditions are met which supports the opportunity for a diversity of norms to simultaneously make a spatial claim in the public eye. As a result, space for counter-narratives are established that help challenge and deconstruct unequal power structures, as well as provide the just spatial conditions required to participate in fair democratic processes that shape ourselves, the city, and society at large.

Cities are responsible for a great amount of CO2 emissions related to transportation (CBS). However, the greatest amount of CO2 is caused by private transport and is mainly associated with peri-urban (the peri-urban area is a common place to live for the natural environment and also near accessibility to city facilities) and rural areas due to the lack of public transport, proximities to Services of General Interest (SGI) and access to jobs. This problem is especially evident in the cross-border regions.
When zooming in on North-West Europe, more specific issues around transport, mobility and battling CO2 arise. The European railway network, which spreads across national borders, is a patchwork filled with gaps around those national borders. Considering that a large share of the European Union’s territory consists of border regions and includes more than one-third of the EU’s population, this fact is rather alarming (European Mobility Atlas, 2021). The spatial vision and strategy presented in this report will focus on the challenge of carbon emissions caused by the transport and mobility sector with a focus on cross-border and last-mile connectivity of peri-urban areas.
The region of Maas-Rijn is used as a case study. This project explores how the region can become a place where what is not in your direct vicinity, is still within reach in the next 30 years. In saying this, the project is not only referring to physical proximity to amenities, services and (infra)structures but also to the possibility of accessing job opportunities, education, social networks, communities and other intangible resources.
Based on our analysis, the relevant trends and values are identified for a region covering three different scales: Local scale within national borders, Cross-border scale, and Multi-nation/ European scale. Key findings emphasize the role of enhancement of short-distance transport trips, the reduction of motorized vehicle use of any kind by promoting development aimed at close proximity to physical and intangible resources and promoting the use of active/ non-motorized modes of transport of any kind. More medium and long-distance/ not daily movements will be replaced by the use of sustainable alternatives, such as EVs, optimized public transport networks and smart sharing systems.

There is an imbalance in the nitrogen cycle, mainly caused by an increasingly intensive agricultural sector. This leads to the degradation of nature and the loss of biodiversity. Measures have been taken at European level to reduce the amount of nitrogen emitted by the agricultural sector, but this has caused a backlash as farmers in many European countries have protested strongly. Many farmers fear for their future and something must be done to safeguard their livelihoods and the quality of Europe's nature.
To address this, we propose a vision for 2150 in which the food system of north-west Europe shifts from intensive agriculture to a regenerative, small-scale and collective farming system. We envision diversified and rotational land use to close nitrogen cycles and thus reduce the burden on the climate, giving the soil space and time to regenerate so that nature can thrive. Food and bio-based materials will be produced locally and seasonally, making food and material consumption more transparent and integrated into the daily lives of communities, transforming peri-urban and rural structures and the way we live in them. This regenerative production system, coupled with new incentives, will provide affordable food for all, while being more circular, organic, sustainable and fit for the future world we envision.
To enable diversified farms, farmers will share facilities, tools and land to enable soil-based crop rotation. This will have an impact not only on the local diet, but also on the food and materials produced. Focusing on local production also means introducing other collective infrastructures that increase local and regional flows. It also means reducing some of our international infrastructure while increasing knowledge flows between countries to empower people in the Global South to process and produce food locally, thus ensuring a more equitable distribution of resources. Finally, at the heart of the strategy is the conservation of nature, which will shape the boundaries of the newly structured peri-urban rural agricultural landscape. The existing boundaries of the built environment will remain, with the emphasis on densifying and transforming our current structures rather than expanding them.
In order to visualise the vision, we selected three pilot projects based on three different typologies and existing infrastructure: Nijkerk (sand, rural, a practical school and a milk processing unit), Utrecht (clay, urban and distribution centres) and Bodegraven (peat, peri-urban and dairy related businesses). These pilot projects show the necessary landscape transformation over time with the introduction of regenerative agriculture, food and material hubs along with food production within city boundaries, working towards a sustainable landscape and local diet.

Portscapes are one of the most important hubs in the global economic system that facilitate the movement of goods and shape the socio-economic conditions of their surroundings. However, in times of climate change, they face unprec- edented challenges to completely transform their current ways of operating and fully reduce their contribution to a linear economy and socio-spatial injustice. These challenges go far beyond purely economic considerations and calls for a closer analysis of their current spatial impacts and system flows.

Despite their significance, the spatial effects of Portscapes and their role in a shift towards sustainability and circularity is rarely the main focus of urban and regional design efforts. Drawing upon key theories such as circularity, decentralisation, socio-spatial justice, and sustainable land use, our approach involves a multidisciplinary analysis of ports and Portscapes in the Eurodelta portlandscape in North-Western Europe. Through analysis we have identified the different functioning of portscapes, the stakeholders they encompass and the spatial dynamics shaping ports, Portscapes and Port Landscapes.

Our goal is to develop a strategy for the future of the European Portscape after a successful transition towards circular and just development to create a sustainable Eurodelta. This is achieved through a set of five objectives; integrating the ports, Portscapes and portlandscapes; increasing the resource efficiency of Portscapes; regenerating Portscapes for humans and nature; embracing technological innovation; facilitating a socially just transition.

The spatial implications of these five objectives should not be neglected, and our strategy outlines what changes need to happen and when. In four Phases of spatial interventions and regulatory frameworks, we propose to build a just and truly circular Portscape, in harmony with the Eurodelta Port Landscape.

This report holds key implications for both academia and practice, as further light is being shed on the spatial dynamics of Portscapes and potential transition pathways. By understanding the interplay of ports with their surrounding environments better, policymakers, urbanists and other related stakeholders can make informed decisions that promote sustainability and resilience. Ultimately, our efforts regarding the creation of more sustainable Portscapes contribute to broader (global) goals of addressing climate change, promoting socio-spatial justice and ensuring inclusive development.