Slow Grounds
A Layered Architecture Of Time And Stay
A. Öcalan (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
S.M. Witteman – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
S. Corbo – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
N.A. de Vries – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
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Abstract
This master’s thesis explores how a mobility hub in a rural context can become more than an efficient transport interchange by creating a place for staying, meeting, and experiencing its surroundings. While contemporary mobility infrastructure is primarily designed for speed, efficiency, and transfer, this research investigates how architecture can also support different experiences of time and strengthen regional identity. The project is developed for the rural setting of Ter Apel, where the mobility hub serves as the starting point for exploring these ideas.
The research follows a research-by-design approach, combining literature review, precedent studies, and iterative design. The theoretical framework is based on Henri Bergson’s distinction between measured time and lived duration (la durée). These ideas are translated into architectural design principles that shape the mobility hub through different layers of time and use. The result is the concept of Slow Grounds, in which movement, waiting, and staying are integrated into a layered spatial experience.
The project demonstrates that mobility infrastructure can become more than a functional transport hub. By designing for different rhythms of movement and duration, the proposal creates a stronger relationship between people, place, and the local community. In this way, Slow Grounds presents a design strategy that balances efficient travel with meaningful experiences of place, contributing to both regional identity and slow tourism.