News

From February 2023, Roberto Rocco leaves the function of Faculty Diversity and Inclusion Officer, to be taken up by Robert (Bob) Gorny. Together with Cécile Calis in the new function of Community Officer, they will work as a team to help make BK an environment that fosters diversity and inclusivity in both structure and operation. We would like to look back with them on the past two years and look ahead to the coming period.

While the number of homes sold in the existing housing stock remains fairly stable, the fall in purchase prices continues steadily in the fourth quarter of 2022. The sharp rise in mortgage interest rates in recent months has direct consequences for households' borrowing capacity. In combination with the recent fall in purchase prices, this rise in mortgage interest rates is also making potential buyers more risk-averse.

“FOCUS: 25 students designing for Antoni van Leeuwenhoek" is a one-of-a-kind exhibition showcasing the creative possibilities of displaying the history of microbiology through the eyes of architecture students. The exhibition, located in OPEN Delft, takes place in honor of the year of Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, a key figure in the history of microbiology research. This year it has been 300 years since Antoni van Leeuwenhoek passed away in Delft after having lived and worked here for over 90 years.

Spaces of Display is a one-of a-kind exhibition showcasing the creative possibilities of displaying the history of microbiology through the eyes of architecture students. The exhibition ‘FOCUS: 25 students designing for Antoni van Leeuwenhoek’ takes place in honour of the year of Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, a key figure in the history of microbiology research.

Professor Thijs Asselbergs is advocating architect John Habraken's Open Building (Open Bouwen). "This way of building has a positive impact on circularity, adaptability and also promotes user influence." Following the case to renovate the Amsterdam UMC, Asselbergs was interviewed on the subject by FMTHealthcare.

What implications does office design have on gender equality? The project Dr. Amy Thomas is currently working on is through an NWO Veni grant and it’s called ‘Her Office’. It’s a historical investigation of how workplace design was somehow gendered or had implications for gender equality. Thomas is conducting historical research on this topic and was interviewed by TU Delta for this purpose.

A resident is facing a major renovation of his rental property. What does the renovation entail? What choices can a tenant make himself? What kind of preparations should he make, and what will the final result look like? Virtual reality enables residents to walk through all of the stages in half an hour, from demolition to the final result.

In an EHT podcast researcher Nan Bai explains how social media can help to understand citizens’ engagement with heritage sites. In response to Bai, Inez Weyermans of the City of Amsterdam’s heritage department, provides her views on dilemmas concerning the appreciation of Amsterdam’s famous Canal ring area.

This year Bieke Cattoor of the department Urbanism, section Landscape Architecture, is one of the new members of The Young Academy. The Young Academy is a dynamic and innovative group of scientists and scholars with outspoken views about science and scholarship and the related policy.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are among the main societal values advanced by our TU Delft community. To celebrate, raise awareness and learn from experiences in designing with and for diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) at Bouwkunde, a thesis award will be launched for Master’s and PhD theses that explicitly address diversity, equity and inclusion in innovative ways.