Samenvatting

In light of the ongoing environmental, climate, economic, and social crises, architects, designers, and citymakers are rethinking the (design of the) built environment with an emphasis on sustainability and inclusivity. While uncertainty and technocratic processes are prevalent, they also present opportunities to explore future scenarios and recognise the proactive role of change in transformative processes. The concept of ‘adaptivity’, across various design phases and scales, offers a potential approach for envisioning future urban strategies. This paper takes a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to examine the different facets of adaptivity and its application in design. By addressing the multi-dimensional nature of space and time, this design approach can support the development of diverse methodologies to tackle urgent circular, economic, climate, and social transitions. Moreover, by revisiting existing theories through a review of literature and case studies, the paper positions them within today’s volatile context and proposes new variables and vocabularies that go beyond traditional frameworks. Ultimately, this paper seeks to enhance our understanding of adaptivity in the built environment, through student design projects developed in The Netherlands and Belgium where its principles are used to respond to changing conditions, showing a thorough collaboration across research, education, and practice.