In Colombia, the expansion of self-built neighbourhoods is driven by displacement, rapid urbanization, and entrenched structural inequality. In cities like Cali, self-built neighborhoods have become a critical response to the failure of formal housing systems, offering shelter to displaced communities, migrants, and the urban poor. Despite their longevity and contribution to the city’s social fabric, these neighborhoods remain largely excluded from urban policies, which favors a limited set of communities based on legal and technical criteria. This exclusion reflects a broader capitalist planning paradigm that prioritizes economic interests over social and territorial justice.

Yet in the absence of institutional support, residents of self-built neighborhoods continue to construct and care for their territories through collective organization, resilience, and shared values. Practices rooted in solidarity, care, and autonomy give rise to alternative forms of urban life that challenge dominant planning models. This research analyzes the trajectories of self-built neighborhoods in Cali to identify both the structural barriers that must be transformed and the territorial values that can guide more just, community-driven forms of urban planning. It argues for a redefinition of planning and design practices grounded in the social production of habitat and the right to the city, from below and with dignity.

Currently, the world is in a state of radical uncertainty, pressing the importance for strong democracies more than ever, in order to make sure decisions are made in a socially and environmentally just manner. However, in the past years, a global trend of democratic erosion has been identified. This trend is threatening even the older, well-established democracies. In the Netherlands, a growing distrust towards politicians has been identified as well. Solutions to restore this distrust and to bring citizens and government together, have a hard time addressing all different groups in society and are causing even more frustration among citizens. The main question this research focuses on is the following:

‘How can spaces for a radical pluralist democracy be identified, designed and used, in the context of The Hague’

In order to tackle the issue of democratic erosion, and to offer solutions to prevent the continuation of this phenomenon, this research proposes an exploration of the concept of the radical pluralist democracy, through a spatial lens based on Critical Urban Theory, by focussing on the role of the designer and by implementing a research by design method through Radical Spatial Imaginaries, resulting in a list of 10 critical reflections.

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.

This thesis explores the role of spatial planning in improving both access to and the quality of pedagogical learning environments in socioeconomically segregated neighbourhoods in The Hague, with the overarching aim of promoting systemic equity. It starts from the recognition that children in The Hague face substantial disparities in educational opportunities due to persistent socioeconomic segregation. These divisions not only limit access to high-quality learning environments but also reinforce cycles of inequality from an early age. While the connection between neighbourhood context and educational outcomes is increasingly acknowledged, integrated research and policy responses remain limited.

Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, the study combines theory, spatial analysis, and anecdotal evidence to examine how segregation shapes educational opportunity. It is structured around three phases: analyse, expose, and propose. The analyse phase develops a theoretical and spatial understanding of segregation in The Hague, tracing its origins and implications for children’s access to educational opportunities. The expose phase highlights lived experiences of growing up in segregated areas in The Hague, using theory, mapping, and socio-spatial analysis to bridge discourse and reality. The propose phase formulates a framework for intervention, outlining spatial and procedural objectives for improving learning environments. These objectives are synthesised into a structured set of strategic actions, intended as a practical and adaptable guide for evaluating and implementing improvements. The approach is inspired by the logic of a pattern language, though it does not follow it strictly.

To ground these strategies, the study includes neighbourhood zoom-ins of exemplary learning environments in The Hague that demonstrate the framework’s practical application. Together, the research reveals the systemic roots and spatial expressions of inequality in the urban landscape, offering planners and policymakers targeted strategies to mitigate segregation and foster more inclusive, enriching environments for all children.

The Brussels-Capital Region (BCR) exemplifies a paradox of urban complexity: home to Europe’s political center and progressive policies, yet persistently struggling with social housing shortages and a high number of homeless individuals. Against the limited public social housing and a private rental market shaped by the homeownership-led housing market in the BCR (Costa & De Valk, 2018), this research proposes to develop a transitional housing stage that can mitigate the housing problem of Belgian nationality roofless people, ultimately enable them to transit more quickly and stably into the regular housing market.

The thesis is grounded in a theoretical framework that explores how social segregation among roofless individuals is reinforced by stigmatization, housing filtering, and Flanders' long-standing obsession with homeownership. It argues that securing housing justice is essential for regaining full citizenship, ultimately reducing social segregation. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research combines quantitative with qualitative analysis, drawing from 21 interviews with experts, roofless individuals, and local residents. Participants were asked to evaluate the key spatial indicators necessary for reintegration and assign weighted scores to their importance. These factors—such as the number of markets and stores by each monitoring district, were then mapped at the BCR level to create a Reintegration Supportiveness Index for Belgian nationality roofless people.

Based on the results, targeted transitional strategies are proposed for selected districts that have relatively low Reintegration Supportiveness Value, focusing on: (1) Stakeholder collaboration to enhance different actors to involve in neighborhoods activities; (2) Flexibility in housing typologies to unlock potential transitional housing spaces; (3) Needs-based spatial improvements at the neighborhood level to improve city space for roofless people to have more opportunities to interact with neighbors and receive more systemic supports. By implementing the housing strategy, the thesis not only offers a way to reduce rooflessness, but also creates opportunities for various vulnerable groups to participate, ensuring that everyone has a place to call home, access to stable housing, and a better chance to integrate into society.

The mobility sector was responsible for 17% of total CO2 emissions in 2022 (CBS, 2024) and more than half of that was attributed to private cars. At the same time, public transport costs have increased (Durand & Krabbenborg, 2024), and services are limited in rural areas, (Hamers et al., 2014) resulting in mobility poverty. This is not an isolated issue. CO2 emissions cause climate change and sea level rise (National Delta Programme, 2023). Greenhouse gas emissions need to be reduced drastically, partly through an energy transition in the mobility sector. Thus, increasing mobility justice, transitioning towards sustainable energy and dealing with sea level rise, have to be approached in an integrated manner.

This report uses spatial justice and mobility justice as lenses to look at mobility and the energy transition in Noord-Holland. These transitions are approached from the perspective of commuters, both human and non-human. A conceptual framework is formulated, to assess the level of mobility justice, both in the current and envisioned situation.

Based on the radical perspectives of five different commuters, a combined vision is created, in three layers: nature, mobility and energy. Key vision goals are creating a safe energy landscape, transitioning away from fossil fuels in the mobility sector, adapting to living with water and creating mobility justice for all commuters. To reach this, new modes of transport are introduced, a shift away from private ownership of cars towards shared and public transport is encouraged and self-sufficient energy zones are introduced.

The vision is supported by a strategy. Policies are implemented on the layers of nature, mobility and energy. The transitions are spread out over three main phases: the first to prepare for a fossil fuel-free mobility sector, the second to prepare for flooding and the third to move towards mobility justice.

The current energy transition efforts in the Netherlands are insufficient to achieve a healthy society. The Netherlands Climate Agreement 2030 goal to reduce climate emissions by 50%, is projected to not be met unless more drastic measures are taken (Corder, 2024). In this report, the first step taken to achieve this is the mandated removal of fossil fuels. The removal of this industry in the port of Rotterdam is the catalyst for change that shapes a health-based strategic vision for the port and the surrounding Rijnmond region.

To achieve this vision, research was conducted to determine strategic interventions to be taken related to the necessary energy, climate and societal transition. The research specifically identifies the workers of the region as the transition community that is most negatively impacted by the removal of fossil fuels from the port. The research methods used include fieldwork, a literature review to define “health”, action mapping on a 100 year timeline, and analysis on relevant policy, spatial planning, and stakeholders.

The health framework created focuses on preventative measures, and includes the built, natural, mobility, and social environment. Radical imagination and theory on “degrowth” principles were also used to develop the vision. Ultimately, by dividing the port of Rotterdam into zones that each have their own identity based on our health principles, a 100 year strategy was created for a regenerative port, and in turn, a healthy region, that future generations can enjoy and take pride in.
This report defines a “healthy future” vision that can serve as an example for future regional planning efforts and policies. This example is not only applicable in the Netherlands but in all fossil fuel transition landscapes and communities, and not only for workers, but for all living beings.

The current direction of energy production in the Netherlands will not reach the goal of climate neutrality by 2050. Existing methods are insufficient, storage is lacking, and space is scarce. Meanwhile, farmers bear the responsibility of consistently changing climate policies, facing uncertainties, and the NIMBY mindset blocks the drastic transformation of agricultural areas. The current profit model of energy suppliers demotivates local participation in realizing solutions. Rethinking the relationship between land, energy, community and politics, can transform these challenges into a bold and innovative approach that bridges these sectors.

By 2125, agricultural land will produce and store all green energy of the Netherlands and farmers will hold a secure position within a sustainable urban-agricultural system. Eliminating the current profit model of energy suppliers will result in a kickstart for local participation while balancing the spatial demands of renewable energy and the identity of agricultural land.

To address structural problems at the core, a radical approach is necessary, which results in working with several disclaimers over a timeframe of 150 years. A review on ethical considerations and defining a theoretical foundation, supports comprehensive decision-making throughout the project. By implementing the spatial qualities of the Dutch landscape in the definition of bioregions, the strategy can implement suitable energy production methods on agricultural lands surrounding our cities, to provide the local energy and food demand. Through investigating the possibilities of innovative technologies of energy production, ecological farming strategies and a restructured social contract, this project provides a strategy towards a local energy system.

With a case study of one of these cities, the project illustrates further spatial implementations and design possibilities, phasing movements and interventions to the year 2175. By addressing not only spatial and ecological needs within the energy transition, a social equitable path is provided, challenging the current state of affairs. The research concludes in proposing an energy transition with farmers perceived as the solution, while reshaping rural-urban relations in the future.

The Dutch energy transition is often framed through a narrow focus on technological fixes like solar panels and wind turbines. Yet this perspective ignores a deeper structural issue: the high levels of energy consumption embedded in daily systems—particularly the food supply chain. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Rotterdam/The Hague metropolitan region. This area functions as a critical artery in the globalized food system, encompassing the Port of Rotterdam, the Westland greenhouse cluster, and vast consumer populations. These interlinked zones form a linear, fossil-fuel-reliant network that impacts not only the climate, but also local communities, from underpaid migrant workers and overstressed farmers to urban dwellers disconnected from food origins.

The project responds to this challenge by reimagining the food system through the lens of degrowth and circularity. Its main goal is to shift away from global, high-energy supply chains toward a locally rooted, community-based food economy. This vision centers on spatial transformation: reshaping how food is grown, distributed, and consumed across urban and rural geographies. It calls for a redistribution of energy and resources, not only in physical space but also in terms of social equity and environmental justice.

The strategy involves the development of an alternative scenario: a Local-Circular-Degrowth model. This stands in contrast to the dominant Global-Linear-Growth trajectory, which continues to concentrate production and increase emissions. In the degrowth scenario, energy demand is radically reduced by localizing food production, shortening transport chains, and integrating food into everyday spatial practices. Urban areas begin to accommodate shared gardens, rooftop farms, and local distribution hubs. Former logistic corridors evolve into community harbors and multifunctional public spaces. Neighborhoods are designed to support co-living and co-farming, enhancing resilience and fostering community bonds.

This transformation unfolds over a century, guided by four timeframes—25, 50, 75, and 100 years. Each phase introduces specific interventions, starting with education for new-generation farmers and ending with the repurposing of regional harbors into hubs of food sovereignty. Crucially, the process involves a diverse set of actors: local farmers, policymakers, retailers, migrant communities, and citizens, all working collaboratively to co-create a just transition. By framing food, energy, and land as shared commons, the project envisions a future where prosperity is measured not in growth, but in the health of communities and ecosystems.

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.

This thesis investigates the practical connection between health-promoting evidence and the spatial design of blue spaces. This endeavour aims to develop instrumental resources that facilitate the integration of the health benefits of natural environments into actionable strategies, thereby augmenting the development of design research and enhancing understanding of the nature-health nexus. The research methodically examines three interrelated aspects: understanding the academic contexts and methodological preparation from the design perspective, development of qualitative and quantitative design knowledge for fulfilling health benefits of blue spaces, and applications and reflections on proposed knowledge through design workshops and interviews. Initially, the thesis outlines the relationship between blue space and health from a design perspective, identifying a significant, unexplored gap. It then proposes a methodological framework to translate health-promoting evidence of blue spaces into design knowledge for practices. Subsequently, this thesis employs interdisciplinary techniques, integrating both qualitative and quantitative approaches, to generate varied types of design knowledge, including distilling worldwide precedent cases, summarising diverse geospatial and visualisation tools, and translating site-based evidence using spatiotemporal crowdsourcing data. The effectiveness and usability of the proposed knowledge are evaluated through design workshops, complemented by expert interviews across various fields, providing insights that reflect on the research outcomes and suggest future directions. Overall, by focusing on the interactive relationship between research and design, the principal contribution of this research lies in its attempt to translate theoretical evidence from public health into practical design interventions, exploring the potential of interdisciplinary tools and methods in facilitating this process.

My design focuses on creating a community space in Kanarya, Istanbul, with two main goals. The primary goal is to establish a safe space that provides all the necessary tools which are needed after an earthquake disaster. The residents of the neighborhood can come together in the self-sustaining building, which serves as a gathering point (based on the AFAD designated areas) after a disaster to have a safe space, away from the probably destroyed city. Later the building will facilitate the community with its “healing” character and give the community the space to recover after a disaster. The second goal is to use the proposed building before a disaster occurs. The reasoning behind that is so that communities can get familiar with the facilities, and create memories and a sense of belonging to the place. The building design, of a community kitchen, in the neighborhood Kanarya (before the disaster) contributes not only to the daily lives of residents but also to the overall development of the are by creating employment opportunities and facilities that attract people from neighboring localities. The community kitchen aims to provide inhabitants with a daily goal that aligns with the community’s needs. Keeping these requirements in mind, the community kitchen in Kanarya will include a market area and workshop spaces. Here, residents will be able to grow food, cook together, start small crafting projects, such as knitting, and have the opportunity to sell their creations, which aims to provide economic growth within the community. Many design decisions made during the design process are primarily based on the experience of people after the earthquakes on the 6th of February 2023 in Kahramanmaraş. This knowledge was mainly acquired during my work for the Architectural Recovery Team, a foundation created with fellow students to reconstruct long-term housing after the disaster. Besides that, my design decisions are based on the research conducted about disaster preparedness and the psychological influences of space to create a resilient city.

The thesis critically examines existing dichotomies in the spatial and tem- poral aspects of (elder)care provision ranging from concepts of private and public space, over the family, the welfare state, and the private market as central units of care. Moreover, it actively questions the contemporary spa- tial representations of these three units because eldercare is often hidden in the private household, the nursing home in the urban periphery, or ageing is treated as a lifestyle for the affluent. The theoretical repositioning of these aspects is then reflected in a spatial understanding through the scales: from the regional of the Grand Re- gion Luxembourg to the neighbourhood level in Howald, Bonnevoie, and Hamm. The context shows a highly mobile labour market in general and in the field of health and long-term care. Currently, Luxembourg is dependent on cross-border workers from its neighbouring countries. With the general ageing of European populations, the ageing of cross-borders will be a chal- lenge for the labour market in the region. Next to this challenge, the thesis examines the relationship between care and the private household. More- over, the family as an institution of care is becoming ever more heteroge- neous regarding cultural background, composition, and size, which is often not reflected in policies and models of care provision and housing. Ranging from theory on social reproductive labour, gender, and spatial jus- tice, the thesis uses utopian precedents to imagine new ways of communal life centred around care. It presents scenarios that explore future trends in mobility and technology and their application in care work. These scenar- ios function as imaginaries for a collective future beyond binary concep- tions of care work and offer a new direction in the planning of housing and care provision. By later presenting the personal experience of the caregiver and receiver through speculative storytelling, the study advocates for more agency for both groups alike in planning and governing care.

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 Syrian conflict, beginning in 2011, has escalated into a complex crisis marked by the aggressive response of the Assad regime and geopolitical power struggles. Humanitarian consequences, including mass displacement, neoliberal reconstruction policies, and environmental degradation, pose substantial risks. The 2023 earthquake has made the humanitarian situation severely worse. Oversimplification, selective compassion, and a business-oriented research approach hinder comprehensive academic engagement. This multifaceted problem manifests as the appropriation, oversight, and commodification of the Syrian narrative, evoking a sense of a stolen story among Syrians. The thesis will reclaim the Syrian narrative by researching the procedural urban practices that have contributed to the conflict and have led to the worsening of the violations. It will investigate how spatial planning can be a narrative tool to provoke change, provide alternative realities, and bring war-torn societies back together. That is, by first analyzing and mapping the unjust spatial consequences of the authoritarian practices before and after the uprising and, second, embracing the current grassroots movements. As a result, the thesis will provide a framework for change that deals with the political complexity of the context and provides a conciliation tool toward social-political reconciliation. Those different outcomes contribute to bringing justice, freedom, and co-existence back to Syrians.

This research introduces The Forest of the Future, a transformative visionary that reimagines European forests as multifunctional, sustainable spatial structures extending over land and sea. It confronts current environmental challenges, including deforestation, biodiversity loss, and climate change, by proposing an innovative spatial strategy for the BeNeLux bioregion within a broader European context. The strategy aims to integrate forestation within other land uses enhancing ecological, social, and economic values towards a sustainable future by 2100. Based on conceptual frameworking and a multi-criteria decision analysis, it evaluates current land use, soil quality, climate zones, biodiversity, and the state of marine environments, proposing new forest types and forestry-based regenerative agricultural practices. The envisioned forest network serves not just as a carbon sink but as a catalyst for biodiversity, sustainable agriculture, and community well-being.

Achieving this transition requires a multifaceted approach, including policy reform, stakeholder engagement, and the development of a strategic implementation plan that aligns with regional and European sustainability goals. This strategy requires a combination of regulating, stimulating, engaging and capacity building instruments, Additionally, the transition to a forest-based land use system requires a combination of policies tailored to ‘planting the seeds’ in the near future, launching the Future Forest, and ones ensuring the healthy maturation of those ecosystems over the following decades. The research concludes with an evaluation of potential impacts on greenhouse gas emissions, suggesting significant contributions towards Europe’s climate goals of climate neutrality.

Only 1% of the surface water in the Netherlands has been classified as ‘good’, making it the EU member state with the worst quality of surface water (Didde, 2022). Polluted rivers cause problems such as worsened human health, reduced biodiversity, and poor soil fertility. To comply with the Water Framework Directive, there is an urgent need to transform water management in the Netherlands. This report adopts a research-by-design approach to address the issue of water pollution on a pilot project scale, specifically the river Eem in the Netherlands. The policies and interventions implemented in the river Eem area are categorised according to their transferability to different programming areas, namely urban, industry, or agriculture, creating a toolbox that can be used to upscale the same approach in various parts of the Eurodelta. The report answers the following research question: How can the transformation of the Eem Valley turn the river Eem into the healthiest river in Europe as a pilot for the Eurodelta? It catalyses rethinking pollution flows from human activities, industries, and agricultural practices. The goal is to develop sustainable practices for the land surrounding the river and create a synergy between improved soil and water quality. Finally, the report concludes with a toolbox of interventions and policies that contribute to improving river water quality. The toolbox forms the basis for implementing this small-scale approach on a larger scale

Nitrogen is an essential element of planetary life. Yet, human actions create such a surplus of its derivatives like ammonia (NH3) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) that the naturally occurring amounts doubled, causing a cascade of environmental and societal problems.
Our research studies dairy farming in North-West Europe with a focus on the Netherlands, as this industry is responsible for most nitrogen-related problems. The starting point of the project is the parliamentary letter ‘Nationaal Programma Landelijk Gebied’ (National Rural Area Program), which offers the alternatives of quitting, transforming or relocating dairy farms in areas where the nitrogen surplus exceeds critical loads. We reevaluated this approach using the methods of extreme scenarios, in-depth stakeholder analysis, as well as layering and clustering areas with high nitrogen deposition, pasture lands and socio-geopolitical issues. This led us to the realisation that a substantial spatial and societal transition is needed in order to reach balance again. The goal of this study is therefore to recalibrate the nitrogen cycle by radically changing current dairy production practices. We created a gradient from quitting to transforming farms and pastures, based on the theories of transitional landscapes and socially just transitions, resulting in a toolbox of eight strategic interventions, as well as a thorough policy framework. We choose a multi-scalar approach to test the new typologies, starting from the Netherlands, looking at the Groningen - Friesland - Drenthe region, further zooming in on the municipality of Ooststellingwerf, showing the phasing of the strategy from a human perspective. Essential lessons learned are the importance of collaboration on all scales, as well as the flexibility and openness towards change, whether it is technological or societal. Finally, based on these findings we extended our zoom to the scale of North-West Europe, giving suggestions to regions with similar problems.
This project describes a possible future based on our interpretation of the parliamentary letter, giving an intriguing input to decision makers on what their policies could mean, hoping to change the discourse regarding nitrogen, shifting its perception from pollution to a valuable resource. Welcome to Nitrotopia!

With the rise of all-electric buildings the load on the electrical grid grows. This could slow down the energy transition and densification of existing neighbourhoods as the current grid is not capable to withstand a higher load. This research gathers literature on different peak shaving techniques to create a clear overview and investigates the impact on the load profile when techniques are combined. This new insight in combined techniques will provide a solid basis to develop a more detailed modelling tool to simulate the actual energy use and generation on a daily and annual basis. The load profiles of these techniques are combined with the existing energy demand curve to see how these techniques reduce peak loads that occur during the day. To asses the influence on the annual load curve the ZED-tool was used to simulate peak shaving techniques on a case-study building. The results show that a combination of outside insulation, sun shading and a heat pump flatten the daily and annual load profile significantly. However the implementation of east and west facing façade PV in combination with wind energy decreases the peak loads the most. Finally when all techniques are combined with a battery a building block can become not only energy neutral but almost self sufficient.

These research results were developed into a design for the renovation of a post-war appartmentbuilding in Haarlem Schalkwijk. In the new design other topics like densification, flexibility and climate adaptation were addressed as well to improve the post-war neighbourhood. This design is a base for a bigger renovation strategy that could be implemented in multiple post-war neighbourhoods in the Netherlands.

This work examines the critical theory of public participation through a case study of the post-shipyard area redevelopment in Gdańsk, Poland, interrogating the relevance of such processes in a context where cultural heritage is crucial, but there is also an urgent need for new development. This centrally located, (post)industrial waterfront has undergone multiple restructuring attempts over the past 30 years. The negotiation between a vision for an integrated inner-city district and commemorating its heritage value as the cradle of the Solidarność (Eng. Solidarity) movement have stood in the way of substantial progress.

The narratives of the stakeholders and participants involved revealed the importance of positioning the most recent consultations in the wider history of public involvement in this area. Examining the latest participatory consultations not in isolation, but rather as a consequence of earlier grassroots initiatives, allows to trace their evolution from bottom-up to top-down. The interviews revealed differences in the meaning behind notions such as heritage, naming, values, and conflicts used by the participants, suggesting these discrepancies can influence dialogue in participation. Finally, the work links the findings back to the critical theory of public participation, using the concepts of crossbenching (Miessen, 2010) and agonism (Mouffe, 1999) to describe the mechanisms found in the case study.