Within the confines of a traditional, longitudinal and narrow housing block in Rotterdam-West, this project proposes a double-sided, permeable and dynamic living environment for students and young professionals. Shared facilities foster community life, while also generating work opportunities and relationships …

For the elderly a major decline in health often entails a dramatic shift in living conditions. One of the harshest aspects is the loss of social context. Based on experiences in her own family, the designer sets out to redefine the puzzle of health, care and social context. By conceiving the needs in …

Urban Farming is a design project with a dual objective. It aims to provide a sustainable model for community engagement and food security in Rotterdam. Near Nieuw Mathenesse in the former harbor area now known as the M4H development zone, a sizeable waterfront site is chosen for a transformation of …

The project ‘A Paradise for Starters’ is concerned with a new typology for affordable housing and co-living. Economy of means is found in a double height dwelling unit with a width of 4 meters, which is open to one side. Because the units are placed obliquely, an open corner can be created with a semi-outdoor …

The concert hall of Tilburg shares its premises with the Fontys Hogeschool voor de Kunsten, in a combined design by Jo Coenen. They function separately, the concertgoer experiences another building than the student, yet an open-air courtyard in the center of the quadrangular building forms a uniting …

Cities are constantly in transition. Spatial production worldwide is generated by governments, business, developers, informal settlers, et cetera; sometimes cities expand, but increasingly there is a process of reurbanisation of existing urban patterns contronted with deterioration, dysfunctionality, …

This chapter explores the use of “responsive” or “interactive” urban media technologies as a tool or “building block” in the (re)design of urban public spaces. This is especially relevant as in the last two decades, urban development and digital technologies have brought out new types of urban typologies …

Over my time spent at the Academy, I discovered the value of the public realm in the shaping of cities. With the high pressure on new housing areas, the quality of life in the city is becoming increasingly important, and along with this, the layout and the use of the public domain. Museums and other …

Early studies conclude that high-rise apartment buildings present challenges for people’s quality of life, resulting in social isolation, social annoyance and anonymity for residents. Nevertheless, empirical research into factors supporting social interaction in high-rise apartment buildings is still …

Over the next 10 years, the City of Amsterdam plans to develop major housing schemes provide 90,000 new homes within the existing urban fabric. At the same time, an urban renewal program is being launched to revitalize the most deprived neighbourhoods. Together, these challenges call for more evidence …