The tourism industry has experienced significant growth over recent decades, resulting in overcrowding and carrying capacity issues in concentrated tourist areas (mass tourism). This influx strains local resources, especially water supply systems, in regions prone to scarcity, such as (semi-)arid and remote areas like islands. Many Thai islands, reliant on tourism, face water shortages exacerbated during high tourist seasons and periods of low rainfall. Inadequate wastewater management further pollutes local ecosystems as untreated wastewater is discharged into the sea, contaminating seawater and groundwater alike. The growth of mass tourism on these islands not only leads to ecological damage but also erodes cultural heritage, as traditional structures are increasingly replaced by modern resorts. My graduation project, “Modern Sala,” addresses these impacts by transforming a site into a recreational space for local residents. It emphasizes environmental awareness through sustainable water management, local material use, and natural integration. Modern Sala seeks self-sufficiency by cultivating food, reusing water, and purifying seawater for safe public swimming, restoring part of the environment to the community. Flexible, multi-purpose spaces adapt to evolving needs, positioning the project as a model for balanced, community-focused tourism development.

This paper aims to present and assess the prospective environmental feasibility and efficacy associated with the integration of Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology into diverse design methodologies within contemporary architecture. The primary focus of adjusting the flow of the chemical process through various design parameters will be elucidated for the hypothetical application into buildings. This chemical process involves the scientific method of utilizing the hollow-tube fibers with potassium hydroxide (KOH) as the primary carbon absorbent, where the CO2 contained ambient air is absorbed in fibers and converts into liquid state of K2CO3 + H2O. This carbon dioxide will be captured and transported through building services, for the future utilization and storage. This research highlights that the chemical flow of the DAC process can be effectively implemented through three distinct architectural design factors: façade modules, and an add-on mechanism for existing buildings and infrastructure. Despite the early introduction of DAC in 1999, its current status remains at the research level and cost demanding, yet to progress beyond industrial applications. However, the paper argues that when broadly applied in buildings powered by renewable energy sources, DAC integration has the potential to mitigate the escalating CO2 contamination, through ensuring buildings to capture more carbon than they emit, mimicking the principles of photosynthesis from the nature. Thus, the research prioritizes in opening a vision for new concept of sustainable architecture, directly responding towards the global climate issues, and acts as a first stepping stone beyond carbon reduction, towards carbon-capturing architecture.

Overpollution with plastic waste is becoming a leading concern globally, but even more so at island destinations popular among tourists. Tourists generate 3 times more waste than local residents, overuse local resources, and often lead to a change of the identity of the location (the so-called “disneyfication”). This project combines the topics of using recycled plastic elements in architecture, conceptualising more sustainable tourism patterns, and empowering local communities to become active participants in the fate of their land. The island of Bali, Indonesia, is used as a case study, as due to its international popularity, the symptoms of overtourism are apparent and already under discussion.

The object of the project is a community centre for an existing community on the island, which is growing in popularity among locals and aims to attract more foreign visitors- both as a source of income, and as a way to learn about the world first-hand. The design is developed in a way that caters both to the needs of the local community and the likings of temporary visitors, and facilitates meaningful interaction between them. The technical part of the research is focused on determining the availability of the plastic materials in the island’s waste, assessing its potential based on existing recycling technology and relating it to the architectural demands of the island.

The structural concept involves a combination of bamboo with vernacular connections and innovative plastic elements, all suited for community participation during the design process. The goal of it is to be easy to construct and be transferrable and adaptable to various programmes and locations with similar needs and characteristics- from Southeast Asia to the Caribbean islands.

A new product is developed and prototyped as part of the project: a plastic roof tile, which can serve a number of functions depending on its assembly, and which uses the inherent qualities and durability of the plastic material as shaping factors for its design.

The research and design hypothesize how data centers can complement the urban environment rather than make a negative impact, both environmentally and spatially. Data centers consume and produce a variety of valuable flows, ranging from electricity, cooling/heating and water use. The aim of the research is to discover whether it is possible to create synergy between these flows in a mixed-use building that contains both data center, residential and greenhouse program. All flows for the different programs are analyzed, quantified and visualized. Through the findings, the flows and programs are linked together. This in turn creates possibilities to redesign and optimize the processes of these flows and reduce the amount of resources needed (input) while at the same time reducing waste (output). Based on the research, a mixed-use building is proposed for the Sluisbuurt neighborhood in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Both a data center, residential program, greenhouse program and a diverse public program are combined.

'Zero Waste to Energy' appropriates part of a massive industrial complex to embed values of circularity and act as a seed of change. Storytelling, Material Flow Analysis and design come together to create a parasitic architecture, which weaves a vertical urban campsite and chapel into a chimney of the Netherlands’ largest Waste-to-Energy plant. Framed as the end point of a spiritual pilgrimage, the intervention reconciles the city with its industry, and society with its resources.

My graduation project seeks to create a community marketplace and elderly co-housing complex for Houthaven and Spaarndammer neighbourhood in Amsterdam that strengthen their connections with urban greenery and local hinterland.
The design focus on implementing local biodegradable material and resource in architecture and programme.

ReCoNet is a housing complex which is designed to reconnect in three scales: Marco, Meso and Micro. The composition of ReCoNet is designed around the concept of a recycling community. Taking social, ecological and economical sustainability as its key point, ReCoNet aims to create a well-balanced and versatile contemporary solution that maximises the potential of the use of recycled plastics in the built environment.

Many industrial buildings had remained the situation of vacancy since the late 1970s, reusing has become a term to be used as a sustainable method of preserving the cultural identity of these industrial buildings in order to prolong their life-span.
The Hembrug site is a plot which was formed in the 19th century by reclamation of land in the coastal area between Amsterdam and Zaandam. It was taken into use in 1895, as a weapon production base. However, the production came to a standstill in the 1990s, after which the factories were finally closed in 2003. The government decided to develop the mixed terrain for living, culture, nature and business in the coming years. However, industrial buildings on the site from industrial era are not adequate for the spatial and functional requirements in the contemporary society. Compare to demolition, renovation not only honors the past but also means looking into the future. It can help to create more space, reduce energy consumption and preserve the cultural value while bringing the building up to the latest technical standards.
My research focus on finding the suitable renovation strategies to the industrial heritage buildings, case study was used as the fundamental methodology while the descriptive research helped to summarized them into three main prototypes with the perspective of the spatial order between the existing building and its new intervention. The research findings are applied to the Hembrug Site and the design process also follows the strategies as well.

While the West-Port of Amsterdam is undergoing a big transformation to a more sustainable future-oriented industry, 70.000 new homes will be built right at the border of city and industry as part of development project Havenstad. The municipality has an ambition to realize a datacentre of 500MW capacity, which is four times the size of the Zeewolde datacentre.
This project is an attempt to tackle both the spatial as the environmental impact of this industry. Through the research of metabolic energy flows it was found that up to 60% of energy can be recovered from liquid cooled datacentres in the form of waste-heat and by creating decentralized datacentres in public buildings, 65% of Amsterdam could be heated for ‘free’ by datacentre waste heat in 2040. De Centrale is an example of such a decentralized datacentre, within a public indoor swimming pool. Together with a mixed recreational and industrial program it manifests itself as an energyhub at the terrain of the old Hemweg coal plant. The 800 m2 datacentre produces the full heat-demand of the swimming pool, with a surplus which is used to heat the residential area of Havenstad. The landscape around the pool includes a helophyte filtering park, which cleans the harbour water and an urban beach offers a new public space to the city. Within the design, a symbiosis between port and city is established through form, scale, construction, materialization and composition of the façade.

This report covers the development of the Blade Barrier: A sound barrier constructed using decommissioned wind turbine blades.
The ever-growing wind industry faces a composite waste problem. Wind turbine blades only last a few decades, and are difficult and therefore not economically desirable to recycle.
One proposed solution to this issue, is to repurpose the blades. Over the last years, several small-scale projects (such as playgrounds and urban furniture) have been realised that show how these high-end objects can serve new purposes successfully.
As the wind industry has grown exponentially over the last two decades, the resulting composite waste stream is expected to follow this same growth in the coming decades. For this reason, more impactful solutions are required.
To this end, the Blade Barrier is proposed by Blade Made, a spinoff startup from Superuse Studios. A roadside sound barrier has the potential to incorporate a large number of blades into its construction, and extend their life-in-service for another two to five decades, simultaneously eliminating the need for virgin materials.
The blades represent the starting point of the project, while the sound barrier is the final goal. The project is about connecting these two points through various research and design methods. Analysing the blades offers an understanding of the opportunities and limitations of the material, while research into sound barrier design yields insights into what makes a well-performing barrier. Throughout the project, the expertise of experts has been consulted to be able to expand this understanding and make well-grounded design decisions.
Based on this research a design vision is formulated, focussing on aesthetics, circularity and scalability. After the creation of three concepts, the idea for a green urban corridor was selected. This concept has the potential to transcend the simple idea of a sound barrier, and fulfil multiple purposes. It could offer a cleaner and more biodiverse urban area, and create an enjoyable surrounding on the resident side of the barrier.
Through an iterative process, this concept was further developed. The result is a design that is adaptive to the availability of blades and the requirements of the barrier location. Acoustic simulations are used to validate the performance of the design, and physical prototyping steps were taken in order to elaborate upon the production process. Vegetation is incorporated into the design to enhance its aesthetics and acoustics, and to stimulate biodiversity.
The design is applied to a location in Rotterdam to show how it integrates within the urban environment. The flexibility of the design enables it to be constructed in various different locations with varying types of blades. This way, it offers a solution to the blade waste problem anywhere on the planet.
The design was presented to the wind industry at the 2022 WindEurope conference in Bilbao. The design was received well there, and several parties are currently in touch with Blade Made to explore the possibilities for the construction of a Blade Barrier.
To this end, the report concludes with several recommendations toward the realisation of the design.

As freshwater scarcity has become one of the most important environmental and social issues of the 21st century, the way the built environment interacts with water must be reconsidered. Today’s urban water cycle in Curaçao is characterized by linear, centralized, polluting, costly, time and energy consuming and does not contribute to cultural value. Architecture can play part in creating a more efficient and sustainable urban water system, while increasing the public awareness of issues related to the freshwater cycle. Heritage of water typologies and systems like water plantations, cisterns and wells give example of how Curaçao used decentralized micro water catchment systems (MWCS), in the pre-desalination period, to provide freshwater for the communities inhabiting it. In addition to the concept of these heritage inspired designs solutions (HIDS) the concept of current nature-based solutions (NBS), referring to ecosystem-based and biomimetic approaches, are analysed as alternatives. The integration of HIDS and NBS is a much-needed step forward towards an integrated and holistic approach of spatial planning and design in general and water related design and management in particular.

‘Regenerative Ruins’ focuses on the neighbourhood Otrobanda, centrally located in the capital Willemstad of the island Curaçao. The island has a rich history of urbanization in which the natural freshwater cycles have been neglected. As a result, the island is dependent to obtain its freshwater from a centralized desalination plant. The trend to live in the peri-urban area of Willemstad also led to an exodus of the formerly renowned labour district of Otrobanda, resulting in a cityscape dominated by decaying monuments. The project provides a solution to both problems by transforming a dilapidated monument into a regenerative decentralized freshwater production space, whereby the existing envelope becomes a central freshwater harvesting courtyard.

De-centralised policies and care-focused homeless support in the Netherlands has led to an over-simplified definition of homelessness in Rotterdam, where the gemeente fails to recognise and address some of it’s most vulnerable groups. Through literature reviews, interviews with actors from the homeless sector, and observations and conversations conducted during voluntary shifts at a homeless shelter; this thesis analyses the pathways into and out of homelessness in Rotterdam, identifying the groups experiencing similar prejudice or treatment, and evaluating the means necessary to end their homelessness. This is compared against the existing services available across Rotterdam to understand the social support system as a whole, and the role architecture has and should have in helping the homeless. This thesis then identifies two groups: EU labour migrants and sofa-sleepers, as potentials for non-care based support as part of a symbiotic community structure, centred around a temporary, demountable, transitional housing scheme. A detailed building programme ensures activation of the ex-homeless and integration of the public through third spaces on the active ground floor plinth. The first floor houses the ex-homeless units which are derived through a process of self-build technologies and open building principles. The temporary city represents a reformed, more humanistic image of homelessness; one that challenges the ‘us’ versus ‘them’ dichotomy, because it illustrates the great lengths we’d all go through to create a home.

As the housing shortage in the Netherlands is rapidly increasing, hence the need to develop more housing is as well. It is needed to make these new houses more sustainable to honour the Paris climate agreement. It is known how to make buildings energy neutral. To push further the development of a sustainable urban environment research is done by investigating shortening the transport into the urban environment to a minimum by implementing food production and black water sanitation on site. Based on data provided by the Dutch nutrition centre (Voedingscentrum), the amount of food needed is calculated and divided in what could be feasible to produce within a neighbourhood and is translated to 36 m2 per capita. Blackwater and organic waste are produced and digested on site. Biogas forms from organic waste and biosolids and can provide a potential energy of 626,1 kWh per capita. Ammonia and fertiliser can be harvested with a struvite reactor and has a potential of 20,5 kWh per capita, and the struvite harvested is 474,5g per capita per year. A total of 646,6 kWh per capita is gained

To reduce carbon emissions and restrict global average temperature rise, coal power plants are being decommissioned in the EU under the Paris Agreement. In the next few decades, defunct coal-powered plants would pop up all over the EU and the world. This raises concerns regarding the modern industrial landscapes, their possibilities and opportunities. New strategies and frameworks are required to protect and highlight our modern industrial heritage. The thesis explores the possibilities of integrating defunct coal power plants into the city by using existing structures and materials on-site; an idea to conserve the local distinctiveness and landscape generating an enhanced sense of place. The thesis presents design principles to re-purpose non-functioning modern industrial landscapes (coal-powered plants) to integrate them within the expanding city and create a multi-cultural hot-spot promoting a circular and sustainable future.

The area of Amstel III will drastically change by 2040 into a lively urban district. This change allows for the rethinking of the urban metabolism of the area, to shorten the material cycles and by better utilization of resources. Through estimation and calculations on potential flows related to energy, water, and organic material the potential impact of urban farming is given with a plausible configuration for the 2040 scenario. Organic waste flows are significant enough to provide the necessary nutrition for about 4250 tonnes of food yearly, which is a large portion of the diet consumed in Amstel III. To enable this food production urban farms of 70 ha of arable land and 80 ha of CEA need to be integrated into the urban plan, and additional engines such as a local biodigester, CHP and simple WWTP are necessary. Furthermore, there is much potential in the harnessing of solar, wind and thermal energy in the district, potentially making the district for nearly 75% independent on energy. The impact of the proposed configuration of the metabolism could save valuable depletable mineralized fertilizers, for example about 12 tonnes of phosphorus and 29 tonnes of nitrogen can be recovered each year in the form of digestate, as well can 15000 tonnes of carbon dioxide be captured from the organic waste to be utilized for food production in CEA.

The Hague. The Dutch city with the most traffic congestion of all cities. Cities are growing and urban mobility is getting worse. The amount of freight going in cities is ever increasing. The way food is grown, distributed and consumed has been changed over the years. Technologies in mobility changes - think of the impact of the railroad - the behaviour of the people changed, restaurants emerged and gigantic supermarkets have a huge impact on thousands of cities. What is the impact of these trends and innovations on the built environment and how will the city respond to the next trend? With the rise of online orders, the spatial requirements our cities already changed. Within the food industry, there is a rapid increase in online grocery purchases. Picnic is the fastest growing company in the Netherlands. This trend results in an increase of movements in and out of the city. Leading to even more congestion. In the first half year of my graduation I researched the effects, the flows, the spatial requirements and the energy demand of a new proposed urban distribution centre. This distribution centre is supplied at night by cargo trams using the unused tram network. The groceries are distributed during day by an electric fleet with the shortest action radius as possible. So firstly the project creates a m ore efficient system to the the large scale mobility problem by functioning as an urban distribution centre. This results first hand in a decrease of the amount of movements within the city and the amount of motorized covered kilometres. Secondly, the building host several food related functions such as a bakery, brewery and a fully public food court. A clear synergy within the food chain is made which is totally transparent and visible for all the passers-by. To fully show the new future food supply chain, the main pedestrian pathway is elevated, avoiding the busy intersection below the building, going through the building and connecting the city centre of The Hague with its business district. So even when the food chain is digitalising and thus getting more distant to human this project shows all the processes and logistics behind your daily consumption. To get us a little bit more connected to this fast and complex chain. The project becomes a link in the city by optimising and destressing urban mobility, a link in its context by connecting two districts and a link in the food supply chain by showing the processes and background of your daily consumptions. Bon appetit.

Circular agriculture as a tool of rural revitalization in Qilian ,China:
Design a cooperative farm with positive food and energy flows to enhance people to stay

‘Revitalising Parkstad’’ is an architectural strategy that demonstrates how Parkstad can make use of its environmental deficit of the past to shape its future. After closing the mines Parkstad is now suffering from shrinkage, unemployment and fragmentation. Besides that there is the problem of upcoming mine water that forms a problem regarding the ground water quality. In order to tackle these issues Parkstad is working as a corporation of eight municipalities to improve the liveability by stimulating tourism that will simultaneously boost the economy of Parkstad. Similar to the linear economy of the coal mining industry, the economic and social growth that will come with improving touristic attractions are strongly accompanied by an increasing amount of waste, causing unnecessary losses of materials and energy. In order to maintain the population and the increasing amount of visitors in Parkstad, there has to be a change in the relationship between people, energy and the environment. To ensure a sustainable future, an urgent increase is required in energy generated through local available and renewable sources, like geothermal energy from mine water, and circular waste streams. By generating an overview of the input and output on energy, water and materials of the urban metabolism of Parkstad Limburg, a strategy was proposed to improve the resource efficiency to become a circular economy. The most important component of this strategy is the central park situated at the former Oranje Nassau IV mine, where mine water is purified. Here tourists are able to experience how the flows of ENERGY, WATER and MATERIALS come together. The mine water treatment park has three functional levels: the technical buildings, connecting heat and water infrastructures and as a storage and distribution facility, to serve the local heat network, as a public meeting point with recreational and educational facilities to host public activities, and as a symbol for Parkstad as a region of energy and circular economy. They learn about circularity that is partly constructed in cooperation and participation with inhabitants.

Cultured Meat Factory is a project that dwells in the intersection between technology, nature and culture. With the overall goal to understand how technology can change society, I chose to speculate on the future of food production. Bioengineering has offered us tools to produce meat without the slaughtering of animals. It means not only potential animal liberation but also, various impacts on the landscape, on economics and social relations with food.
The meat factory works as a cooperative model. It aims not only to supply the yearly demand of meat but also to democratize access to technology. The cultural aspect of the program enhances community participation on the decisions regarding the production of the food itself but also, through the “bio-hacking labs” allow the common folk to understand and replicate those techniques, further developing the technology itself. It takes food production away from big corporations, giving it back to the community, creating resilience, diminishing inequalities. Although the program is not site specific, it does fit within the context of Parkstad. A post-mining community struggling with unemployment and lack of identity, the idea of a new production facility that doubles as public square not only creates new opportunities for economic growth but also potential community engagement and, by making livestock production obsolete, new greener and ecologically oriented opportunities arise to re-create Parkstad as a future garden city.