The Mediator
Connecting polarities to frame a cultural ecosystem
F. Aull (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
H.J. Bultstra – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
A.M.F. van Dam – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
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Abstract
This Graduation Report investigates how architecture can support the ambition of the Nij Begun agenda by positioning tourism as a means of regeneration for the province of Groningen. For decades, the province of Groningen contributed substantially to national wealth through gas extraction (De Vries et al., 2025, p. 11). At the same time, this process caused long-term physical, social, and economic damage within the province. In response, the Nij Begun agenda identifies tourism as one of the instruments for supporting regional recovery (De Vries et al., 2025b, p. 12).
Located in Winsum, the project proposes a tourist hub near the Marenland campsite. Within a decentralised setting, the design acts as a regional interface, gathering visitor flows and redirecting them towards Groningen’s landscape, agricultural production, and local culture. Rather than concentrating activities in a single location, it distributes tourists across the wider region and supports local economic structures.
The design is structured by the concept of cycles, which implies that the hub at Marenland serves as a point of arrival, return, and departure. Tourism is therefore understood not as a single act of consumption, but as an ongoing engagement with the region. By offering multiple spatial and programmatic entry points into Groningen’s cultural ecosystem, the project encourages longer stays and deeper involvement with local qualities.