Densification Beyond Housing Units

Re-thinking Post-War Residential Neighborhoods in Eindhoven through Integrated Densification Strategies

Master Thesis (2026)
Author(s)

Y. Guo (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)

Contributor(s)

A. Snijders – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)

P.M.M. Stoutjesdijk – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)

Faculty
Architecture and the Built Environment
More Info
expand_more
Publication Year
2026
Language
English
Graduation Date
15-06-2026
Awarding Institution
Delft University of Technology
Programme
Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences, Architectural Engineering
Faculty
Architecture and the Built Environment
Downloads counter
7
Reuse Rights

Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download, forward or distribute the text or part of it, without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license such as Creative Commons.

Abstract

Eindhoven has shifted from an industrial city to a technology-oriented city, while many post-war resi-dential neighborhoods remain insufficiently adapted to contemporary housing and social needs. This project aims to explore how post-war residential blocks can be densified without relying on large-scale demolition or simply increasing the number of housing units. Pre-design research shows that Eind-hoven faces housing shortages, social challenges, and increasing pressure for urban densification, while existing post-war neighborhoods reveal different transformation potentials through communal spaces, housing upgrades, and new construction. Focusing on a portiekflat neighborhood with an L-shaped block layout in Eindhoven, the project combines rooftop extension, courtyard infill, improved access systems, and shared public functions into a hybrid transformation strategy. The final proposal supports a more inclusive and adaptive neighborhood transformation by adding new dwellings while improving accessibility, collective space, construction feasibility, and the living quality of existing resi-dents. For application in reality, the paper recommends a transferable design logic that can be adapted to comparable housing blocks according to their specific spatial, structural, and social conditions.

Files

License info not available