Non-parasitic Economy
Towards a symbiosis between coastal cities and water
Jun Chen (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
Diego Andres Sepulveda Carmona – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
Luisa Calabrese – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
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Abstract
Coastal areas have always played a vital role in the economic, social, and political development of most countries. They support a diverse and productive coastal ecosystem that provides valuable goods and services (Airoldi et al., 2005). In these areas, urbanization and other land-use activities are rapidly increasing. However, human activities represented by urban expansion, agricultural production, and industrial development have led to the deterioration of ecosystems in coastal areas (Zhai et al., 2019). Climate change and extreme weather events will also pose an increasing threat to coastal ecosystems. In the long run, the current model of economic development is not suitable for the future development of coastal cities, but it does not mean to stop the urbanization of coastal areas or their development activities. The project selects the Metropoolregio Rotterdam Den Haag (MRDH) as the research object, and explores the possibility of the symbiotic development of human activities and ecosystems in coastal areas. The main idea is not only to change the economic model, but also to consider the impact on ecosystem services, which means that the material flows in the region will be changed. In order to achieve this goal, it is necessary to strengthen the participation and collaboration of stakeholders in the area, and multifunctionalize the biophysical space as well. Revising the relationship between coastal cities and water is beneficial to natural restoration, urban economic and spatial resilience, and reducing the risks.