Balancing the Tides
A new Spatial Ethic for Tourism in the Scheveningen Coastal Resort
L.W. Waalders (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
L.P.J. van den Burg – Mentor (TU Delft - Urban Design)
G.A. Verschuure – Mentor (TU Delft - Landscape Architecture)
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Abstract
The Scheveningen coastal resort is under pressure. Since the rise of global tourism, fuelled by growing prosperity and the affordability of faraway holiday destinations, once-glamorous North Sea resorts have fallen into decline, carrying a sense of faded grandeur.
Yet in Scheveningen, the challenges are not solely economic. As sea levels rise, the resort faces a growing urgency to strengthen its flood resilience. At the same time, tourists, businesses and residents are competing for space, influence and visibility, often at the expense of the natural environment. The result is a landscape where environmental risks and conflicting interests collide, raising pressing questions about the future of the resort.
This thesis identifies a fundamental imbalance between the resort’s spatial organisation and the needs of tourism, local communities and natural ecosystems. Drawing on theories of strong sustainability and sustainable tourism, it underscores the urgent need for a tourism model that prioritises ecological resilience, while also fostering a sustainable living environment for residents and a regulatory approach to mass tourism.
In response, the project proposes an integrated urban masterplan that seeks to restore a sustainable spatial balance between ecological resilience, residential liveability, and sustainable tourism dynamics. Adopting a mixed-method approach, including fieldwork, morphological, heritage and stakeholder analysis, the research investigates the spatial dynamics and identity of the resort, informing a design proposal rooted in local character and environmental context.
The core intervention involves a seaward expansion that introduces a new dune ridge, providing a soft approach to coastal defence while integrating densified urban development with regenerative ecological zones. A complementary mobility strategy manages tourist flows to mitigate pressure on both local communities and natural ecosystems.
While developed specifically for Scheveningen, the proposal introduces a design approach that could inform similar transformations in other coastal resorts facing comparable ecological and social pressures.