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Mazagaon and its 'bunders': An analysis of the history, practices, and narratives associated with the space and its cultural significance to the broader city of Mumbai
No full textThis research aims to investigate the cultural and historical significance of Mazagaon and its "bunders" within Mumbai's port area, specifically focusing on the informal economy, communities, and colonial heritageAR2A011Architectural History ThesisArchitecture, Urbanism and Building Science
Rebuilding Zeeland with gifted houses: How the gifted houses impacted the reconstruction of Schouwen-Duiveland after the Watersnoodramp of 1953
No full textThe Watersnoodramp (North Sea flood) of 1953 forever altered the landscape and lives of people in the Netherlands. The destruction of architecture in affected regions needed to be quickly rebuild in order to get lives back to normal as soon as possible. Internationally, countries came to help by donating houses to the Netherlands. Seventy years later, these houses are still dispersed in the three affected provinces in the Netherlands. The houses are proof of international aid and generosity and play an important part in Dutch history, however the awareness of these houses is fading.This research is dedicated to reveal the impact the gifted houses made on the reconstruction in Schouwen-Duiveland. By revising history and observing now, this research puts the long-term development (1953-2023) of these houses into perspective and highlights the strengths and weaknesses that can be recognised in order to learn from them in contemporary practices.Through an analysis of historical archives, news articles, books and fieldwork, this study investigates the multifaceted effects of international donations of prefabricated houses on the region's recovery process. Not a lot of academic research has been done on this topic, as only recently (2020-2023), the topic of protecting this piece of history has arised in the public, leaving a large gap of research of around 60 years.Schouwen-Duiveland has been affected most in terms of architectural damages by the Watersnoodramp. For this reason, most gifted houses were distributed over this island. The gifted houses made it possible for people to return to Schouwen-Duiveland relatively quick. The houses weren't entirely to Dutch customs, but alterations that were made created larger acceptance within communities.The gifted houses boosted the economy and have still proven their worth within the communities on Schouwen-Duiveland and other affected areas because of their qualities and location.Another Watersnoodramp is not unthinkable. In the future, the practice of gifting houses remains a valuable contribution for future reconstruction efforts in other disaster-hit areas. An ideal gifted house for everyone can never be designed, but cultural differences and unique character can contribute to the story-telling within cityscapes. To ensure suitability and acceptance, cultural differences, variety and flexibility are important aspects to be included in the design of a gifted house.AR2A011Architectural History ThesisArchitecture, Urbanism and Building Science
Donut Diet: Agricultural transition towards a circular, collective, and regenerative future
No full textThere is an imbalance in the nitrogen cycle, mainly caused by an increasingly intensive agricultural sector. This leads to the degradation of nature and the loss of biodiversity. Measures have been taken at European level to reduce the amount of nitrogen emitted by the agricultural sector, but this has caused a backlash as farmers in many European countries have protested strongly. Many farmers fear for their future and something must be done to safeguard their livelihoods and the quality of Europe's nature.To address this, we propose a vision for 2150 in which the food system of north-west Europe shifts from intensive agriculture to a regenerative, small-scale and collective farming system. We envision diversified and rotational land use to close nitrogen cycles and thus reduce the burden on the climate, giving the soil space and time to regenerate so that nature can thrive. Food and bio-based materials will be produced locally and seasonally, making food and material consumption more transparent and integrated into the daily lives of communities, transforming peri-urban and rural structures and the way we live in them. This regenerative production system, coupled with new incentives, will provide affordable food for all, while being more circular, organic, sustainable and fit for the future world we envision.To enable diversified farms, farmers will share facilities, tools and land to enable soil-based crop rotation. This will have an impact not only on the local diet, but also on the food and materials produced. Focusing on local production also means introducing other collective infrastructures that increase local and regional flows. It also means reducing some of our international infrastructure while increasing knowledge flows between countries to empower people in the Global South to process and produce food locally, thus ensuring a more equitable distribution of resources. Finally, at the heart of the strategy is the conservation of nature, which will shape the boundaries of the newly structured peri-urban rural agricultural landscape. The existing boundaries of the built environment will remain, with the emphasis on densifying and transforming our current structures rather than expanding them. In order to visualise the vision, we selected three pilot projects based on three different typologies and existing infrastructure: Nijkerk (sand, rural, a practical school and a milk processing unit), Utrecht (clay, urban and distribution centres) and Bodegraven (peat, peri-urban and dairy related businesses). These pilot projects show the necessary landscape transformation over time with the introduction of regenerative agriculture, food and material hubs along with food production within city boundaries, working towards a sustainable landscape and local diet.AR2U086 R&D Studio – Spatial Strategies for the Global MetropolisArchitecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences | Urbanis
Westergasfabriek: A Case Study Into Adaptive Reuse of post-industrial Heritage
No full textAdaptive reuse can be defined in a multitude of ways, but in this case it refers to the renovation and revitalisation of a building or site into a new purpose brought forth by societal and urban needs. This concerns many different projects, yet this paper aims to explore the nature of post-industrial designs and how they may be developed into something new. A rather broad concept narrowed down through the use of previously established research and a focus on a specific case study; The Westergas factory in Amsterdam. Being the first large-scale municipal-owned gas factory in the Netherlands, it bears a heavy identity among the rest of the city. It also happens to be a prime example of effective post-industrial redevelopment in a way this thesis aims to explore. Thus, the primary question proposed is as follows:“How does the adaptive reuse of the post-industrial redevelopment project ‘Westergasfabriek’ in Amsterdam realise the preservation of industrial heritage while meeting contemporary urban needs?” A brief theoretical study was performed to establish a framework to answer such a question. This delves into previously researched adaptive reuse, defining optimal renovation requirements for heritage and multiple case-study in papers to narrow down the scope of this thesis. Secondly, the main case study is explored while using this framework, going through the development of the chosen project and identifying key aspects of its success into its revitalization. This is done using primary sources in the form of archival research and municipal documents, aided by secondary sources such as papers, books, photographs and official websites.AR2A011Architectural History ThesisArchitecture, Urbanism and Building Science
Time Series Analysis of Nonlinear Head Dynamics Using Synthetic Data Generated with a Variably Saturated Model
No full textThe performance of time series models is assessed using synthetic head series simulated with a numerical model that solves Richards' equation for variably saturated flow. Heads were simulated in a homogeneous unconfined aquifer between two parallel canals; measured daily precipitation and potential evaporation are specified at the land surface and root water uptake is simulated. The head response to a precipitation event is nonlinear and depends on the saturation degree and rainfall before and after the precipitation event while evaporation reduction occurs during summers. Synthetic series were generated for 27 years and three different soil types; the unsaturated zone thickness varies between 0 and >5 m. The synthetic head series were simulated with a linear and nonlinear time series model. Performance of a linear time series model with four parameters, using a scaled Gamma response, gave R2 values ranging from 0.67 to 0.96. The nonlinear time series model with five parameters simulates recharge using a root zone reservoir after which the head response to recharge is simulated with a scaled Gamma response function. The nonlinear time series model was able to simulate all synthetic head series very well with R2 values above 0.9 for almost all models. The head response of the nonlinear model to a single precipitation event compares well to the response of the variably saturated groundwater model. The provided scripts may be used to simulate synthetic head series for other climates or for systems with additional complexity to assess the performance of other data-driven models.Water Resource
Zaha Hadid: success factors and challenges as a woman and person of color in architecture: What factors contributed to Zaha Hadid’s success and what challenges did she face as a woman and a person of color in the field of architecture?
No full textZaha Hadid’s architectural journey emerges from her early exposure to diverse cultures and her natural curiosity sparked at a young age. Born into a family of influence in Baghdad, Iraq, Hadid’s upbringing, characterized by travels and exposure to significant buildings, laid the foundation for her prestigious career. Despite facing gender biases in the architectural profession, Hadid’s determination motivated her to pursue her passion at the Architectural Association in London, where she improved her visionary skills under the mentorship of renowned architects.Transitioning from a “paper architect” to a builder of architectural wonders, Hadid’s growth period witnessed the realization of her avant-garde designs, overcoming skepticism and challenges. Her distinctive style, marked by fluid forms and unconventional angles, earned international acclaim, resulting in her historic recognition as the first woman to receive the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2004. Embracing Parametricism as a new architectural paradigm, Hadid’s late period demonstrated her adaptability and innovation. From the MAXXI museum in Rome to the London Aquatics Centre, her projects pushed the boundaries of architectural geometry, leaving a lasting mark on the built environment. Despite facing criticism and challenges, Hadid’s consistent commitment to progress and creativity elevated her to the prominent position within the architectural community. Tragically, her early passing in 2016 marked the end of an era, yet her legacy endures through the Zaha Hadid Architects firm, which continues to realize her transformative vision. Currently, her impact is felt worldwide, motivating upcoming generations of architects to question norms and explore new possibilities.AR2A011Architectural History ThesisArchitecture, Urbanism and Building Science
Harnessing iron‑sulfur enzymes for synthetic biology
No full textReactions catalysed by iron-sulfur (Fe-S) enzymes appear in a variety of biosynthetic pathways that produce valuable natural products. Harnessing these biosynthetic pathways by expression in microbial cell factories grown on an industrial scale would yield enormous economic and environmental benefits. However, Fe-S enzymes often become bottlenecks that limits the productivity of engineered pathways. As a consequence, achieving the production metrics required for industrial application remains a distant goal for Fe-S enzyme-dependent pathways. Here, we identify and review three core challenges in harnessing Fe-S enzyme activity, which all stem from the properties of Fe-S clusters: 1) limited Fe-S cluster supply within the host cell, 2) Fe-S cluster instability, and 3) lack of specialized reducing cofactor proteins often required for Fe-S enzyme activity, such as enzyme-specific flavodoxins and ferredoxins. We highlight successful methods developed for a variety of Fe-S enzymes and electron carriers for overcoming these difficulties. We use heterologous nitrogenase expression as a grand case study demonstrating how each of these challenges can be addressed. We predict that recent breakthroughs in protein structure prediction and design will prove well-suited to addressing each of these challenges. A reliable toolkit for harnessing Fe-S enzymes in engineered metabolic pathways will accelerate the development of industry-ready Fe-S enzyme-dependent biosynthesis pathways.BN/Greg Bokinsky La
Optically Transparent Flax Fiber Reinforced Composite Materials
No full textTransparent Natural Fiber Composite Materials may pose a more environmentally friendly alternative regarding energy efficiency and low CO2 emissions in contrast to traditional composites, exhibiting transparency for future smart building or photovoltaic applications. The present study involved a research effort for the development of a lightweight flax fiber-reinforced composite material, which will exemplify high optical transparency. A detailed focus is conducted, on minimizing light absorption phenomena with delignification methods of flax fibers, eliminating light scattering via a Refractive Index Matching procedure between the reinforcement and the polymer matrix and via fiber modifications which tackle several issues such as enhancing the imperfect interphase between the hydrophilic reinforcement and the hydrophobic matrix, or providing finer polymer impregnation of the fibers. Acetylation, nitric acid, or TEMPO-oxidation treatments that modify the fiber’s nature and morphology are implemented to tackle these obstacles. Transparent Flax Fiber Reinforced Composites of 35-45 % fiber volume fraction were fabricated with wet-lamination and hot press forming techniques, indicating a maximum total light transmittance of approximately 70% (at low thickness) and 56-58% (at high thickness), depending on the fiber modification implemented. Regarding mechanical properties, a maximum specific flexural strength of 153 MPa/(g/(cm3)) and a specific flexural stiffness of 11.95 GPa/(g/(cm3)) was achieved for these materials. The transparent FFCMs showed comparable values of total light transmission correlated to reference materials like GFRPs or other natural fiber-reinforced composite materials, with similar volume fractions, signifying the success of achieving high optical transparency.Materials Science and Engineerin
Moving forward together: A systemic design intervention for policy-making in a Forensic Psychiatric Centre
No full textForensic Psychiatric Centers (FPC’s) provide treatment for patients placed under the Dutch Entrustment Act, aiming to protect society and rehabilitate offenders (De Boer & Gerrits, 2007). Recent developments, such as the 2017 murder of Anne Faber, have increased pressure on FPC’s, with a steady rise in patient numbers and budget cuts of 10% over the past 5 years (Knoester & Boksem, 2020; DPG Media Privacy Gate, n.d.). This strain is exacerbated by staffing shortages and high turnover rates. Operating within the FPC system requires precision, given the severe consequences of errors, and involves navigating diverse stakeholder interests, each with their own risk and error considerations.The policy-making process of the FPC has to address this complexity. The traditional, linear approach to policy making has been said to not always be well equipped for dealing with this complexity. With these given factors, the opportunity was observed to explore the potential added value of a Systems oriented Design approach in the process of policy making. This project has been initiated within that question: “How can Systems oriented Design approach play a role in the process of policy-making in a Forensic Psychiatric Centre?”Literature and empirical research findings reveal that the process of policy-making is hindered by different factors, both in the ‘hard’ systems, like the Document Administration Platform, and the ‘soft’ systems, which lies in the relationships between actors in the system. In the latter case, a Systems oriented Design approach can be beneficial. The design vision therefor focusses on these relationships:“The FPC as a collective, that together strives towards an open and learning organization.”The leverage point that was deemed most fruitful to bring this vision into the organization, is the moment of starting the process of policy implementation, when the transfer of responsibility from the Policy advisor to the workforce occurs.The final concept includes a design intervention to promote this feeling of a collective within a large organization. The intervention aims to address the feelings of uncertainty and distrust that accompany the moment of transferring responsibility from one party to the next. The intervention “The Implementation Kit” proposes the hosting of a Handover Ceremony to facilitate this transfer. It aims to clarify the roles and responsibilities in the implementation process that is to come, and offers moment to celebrate this new development. By including employees from different departments and disciplines, it can strengthen the connections between parties that don’t often meet in their usual daily activities. Lastly, recommendations are made to the further development and implementation of the Implementation Kit, based on validation interviews with both internal and external parties. The feasibility of applying this concept outside the FPC’s context is also discussed.Strategic Product Desig
A Solarpunk Energy Landscape: Decentralizing the Energy Transition Towards Sustainable Energy Communities
No full textThe EU Green Deal aims to ensure a socially just energy transition, but the shift towards renewable energies often replicates the centralized, top-down approach of traditional fossil fuel systems, negatively impacting rural areas. This report reimagines this paradigm by advocating for decentralized energy communities, particularly in regions experiencing the neglect often seen in ‘shadow agglomerations.’ It argues for a shift where decentralized energy production empowers both cities and rural areas, enabling them to attain energy self-sufficiency and ownership. The research uses a multicriteria analysis to explore the Eurodelta and Zeeland regions, forming a vision that supports the strategic development of energy communities in Zeeland and Rotterdam. This approach aims to facilitate a more spatially equitable and just energy transition, enabling regions overshadowed by major urban centers to become essential in achieving sustainable energy production, thereby reshaping the energy landscape towards a more distributed and participatory model.AR2U086 R&D Studio – Spatial Strategies for the Global MetropolisArchitecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences | Urbanis