PRATUM HABITATS
a habitat for all
F.E.M. van Hoorn (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
O. Klijn – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
R.S. Guis – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
Marcin Dabrowski – Graduation committee member
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Abstract
This thesis explores the possibility of designing dwellings with the current inhabitants, the animals, in mind first. Over the past 50 years, wildlife has decreased by 73%, while the human population continues to grow and take more and more of the land, further destroying the nature that we depend on. This thesis aims to raise awareness of the design process and start integrating other animals into it as soon as possible, with the aim of reducing the impact of building in nature. The Midden-Delfland area has been chosen as a case study to explore this issue, with the focus being on the ‘Delfland Small Five’ to gather information on designing for them.
The main question is: How can architectural design principles be created to promote biodiversity in Midden-Delfland while looking at the Small five, while recognizing that different species respond differently to different densities?
To achieve this, literature studies have been conducted to gain insight into the lives of the Delfland Small Five, while case studies have been analysed to gather information on similar buildings. The worlds of humans and animals can complement each other through dwellings designed to blend into the landscape, preventing visual disturbance for some species and enriching or limiting the vegetation required by others. This, combined with careful maintenance, can ensure that habitats are sustained. It must be kept in mind that these principles have not yet been tested in real life, and that they should be tested in a real environment to ensure the results are feasible.