The thesis mainly focuses on defining and redefining the essence of designated heritage architecture under the framework of the grounded theory. Heritage architecture essence manifests in chosen building’s value, characteristic and potentials, which are the foundation for continuity and change aimed at guaranteeing its future life.3 However, unlike other graduation studio, in which architectural research as the starting point of design, the conclusion from the heritage research serves as a guide book that determines designers’ choice throughout the design circle. The guide book is non-universal that it will be revised through the design process in order to have a better compatibility with the building. From this point of view, the research process of the thesis should be able to be continuously defined and redefined. Compare to other qualitative approaches, in the grounded theory research, “it is assumed that the object of study is not fully explained ‘on the first take’; rather, repeated observation, data collection, and structuring the data into a working explanatory framework are all part of an iterative process that leads to an emergence of a theory.”

The graduation project is a transformation and reuse design of a previous office building, De Beurs, in Almere Stad. De Beursgebouw was designed by E.D. Partnership of architects and engineers Amersfoort in 1979 and finished in 1981 as the first building constructed in this area (Fig 1), and Almere is a New Town established around 1970s in Flevo Polder. De Beursgebouw located on the north of Almere Central Station, surrounded by two high speed main roads on the south and east side. The Almere center is in the south side of station. http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:092be184-361d-4a14-8b3c-5c59612659e4
De Beursgebouw has been empty for around 10 years since economic crisis in 2008. Because it was one of the city growth witness, citizens of Almere share a common memory of it, especially about its unique façade form, iconic big metal machine on the roof and the unusual ramps and stairs at entrance. In my case, the building, together with its neighbor abandoned office building on the north, are transferred into an amateur art center as a citizen gathering place with creative entertaining and catering venue.

Lelystad's first commercial area, Lelycentre, was originally intended to be the starting point of the planned city centre in the first phase in 1964, emphasising the connection to the fourth planned polder of the Zuiderzeewerken. Markermeerpolder's rejection in the 80's meant that the decision was made to develop the city centre elsewhere causing Lelycentre lose its intended position. Today Lelycentre shopping centre, which once resembled Rotterdam’s Lijnbaan, serves the local communities with a quiet but healthy bustle of activity. However the majority of surrounding office buildings have gone through a series of changes in use over the last 40-50 years and are now vacant. One such building is the former police station, which the police vacated in 2018 in favour of a more central city location. The police station is integrated into Lelycentre's characteristic elevated infrastructure and boasts a unique and recognisable façade. It is positioned as the southern gateway into Lelycentre. In a masterplan wherein much of the existing vacancy is filled with housing, this work explores a situation where the former police station a.k.a. ZIJP gebouw is transformed into a cultural centre for new and existing residents. The main challenges are establishing a balance between the architectural qualities of the existing office building whilst introducing transparency, openness, accessibility in direct contrast to the existing monumentality and sense of anonymity. Preserving and revitalising the elevated infrastructure is key, whilst creating a new relationship with the transformed ground level. The final point is to design sustainably and introduce passive design concepts.

The graduation studio is called ‘Adapting 20c Heritage’, and the renovation assignment deals with young heritage in Almere city. Almere is a planned city in the south-west of the reclaimed province Flevoland, and my graduation project is about renovation of the Beursgebouw, which is the first office building in Almere Stad. The Beursgebouw has been the office for company Oranjewoud from the very start, and since 2005, it remained vacant until now.
Based on findings of preliminary research and analysis, I started thinking about my own design assignment, and my focus point turned to the social value and communal spirit of the Beursgebouw. My ambition for the renovation is to make a new social platform where people from different generations and different groups come together and interact with each other, thus benefitting the Beursgebouw as well as the Almere city.

Project tackles the issue of low density and underpopulation in Lelystad by an attempt to retroactively densify the city historical core. The architectural intervention consists of revitalization vertical addition of dwelling function on one of the Lelystad very first buildings - the shopping center Lelycentre. Building is assesed in aspects of cultural and architectural values and building technology and scenario for its adaptation is proposed. Project touches the issues of safety, quality of public space and livability of the neighbourhood and explores the possibilities offered by high density and proximity of mixed functions.

The Beursgebouw, as the first office building in Almere has been vacant for ten years. Also, Almere as the youngest city in Netherlands pay more attention on the green city development. My graduation project is to renovate the Beursgebouw in to urban farm. The new program contains two parts, one is urban farm research center and the other one is urban farm interpretation center. The part of professional urban farms will be exhibited for the public which has educational meaning for public.