Archive

No one knows exactly how Vladimir Tatlin's Tower was put together. There are only a few drawings, sketches and images of the tower. And a limited number of previously made scale models; but are they accurate? Currently, Bas Vahl (Modelling Techniques) and Peter Koorstra (Form Studies) are reconstructing and building a new scale model of this extraordinary tower in the model hall.

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.

Like many, Professor Zef Hemel discovered the pleasure and usefulness of walking during the corona period. "By walking, you reconnect with your natural surroundings, it does something to your body and mind," he reports in the Leeuwarder Courant. In recent weeks, he has explored the countryside of Groningen while hiking.

Subsidence, salinisation, climate change, population growth, social dichotomies and dwindling resources. Nature systems and societies in urban deltas around the world are struggling. The Netherlands is no exception and, for this reason, professor of Delta Urbanism Chris Zevenbergen is making the case for greater imagination in science and public administration.

EdX course Global Housing Design has been selected as one of the finalist for the edX Prize for Exceptional Contributions in Online Teaching and Learning. The 10 finalists represent best-in-class online learning experiences that deliver learner-centric, impactful outcomes on the edX platform.

The International Design Seminar (INDESEM) has a long and fascinating history. Since the first edition in 1964, each INDESEM has brought students and professionals from all over the world together to explore one relevant architectural issue of their time.

The construction sector faces major challenges. By 2050, the built environment should not only be emission-free, but also circular. Within the NWA programme 'Transition to a circular and emission-free building industry’, the application of the multidisciplinary consortium CirCol has been granted.

Over the past few weeks, Building Technology students were at work in Delft's Buitenhof district. Their assignment was to talk to local experts within the neighbourhood and then come up with an innovative project that would also serve a social function.

During the Education Day on 10 November, Christien Janssen, lecturer Building Physics (AE&T) at the faculty Architecture and the Built Environment, was awarded as Best Lecturer of TU Delft 2022. Christien was chosen from eight Faculty Lecturers of the Year 2022 educators, who were elected by students for their educational endeavours.

Energy uncertainty has increased the interest in energy renovations, notes Professor Henk Visscher. Now we need large-scale implementation. But how is that to be accomplished?

As a result of skyrocketing inflation, the European Central Bank (ECB) has raised refinancing rates several times, which has also caused mortgage rates in the Netherlands to triple in the past three quarters. These sharply rising mortgage rates directly affect households' borrowing capacity. In addition, it puts indirectly pressure on consumer confidence in the general economy and in the owner-occupied housing market. A drop in the purchase price like in the third quarter of 2022 is logical in such a situation, even if the number of homes sold still remains fairly constant.

The corona pandemic, summer heat, high gas prices... the indoor climate has been getting a lot of attention in recent years. Atze Boerstra, Professor of Building Services Innovation at TU Delft, specialises in technologies that control the indoor climate. On 11 November, he will deliver his inaugural speech on the topic: Indoor Climate Systems Design in Times of Uncertainty.

Tool robots have a short but rich history in architecture, including materials research and new construction techniques. Researchers Henriette Bier and Pierre Oskam, with a team of landscape architects, architects, and roboticists, are creating bio-cyber-physical capsules called 'planetoids' in the Robotic Building lab.

The handling of building permits is often slow and opaque. A European project led by TU Delft geo-informatics should improve the process. 3D-Professor Jantien Stoter explains.

How can architects and urban designers embrace and embed in practice challenges and opportunities posed by an increasingly data-driven society? As Theory of Architecture and Digital Culture professor at TU Delft, Georg Vrachliotis intends to increase data literacy among students and professionals. “We’re just entering a new phase in a continuing process.” On 28 October he will give his inaugural speech.

Are you an entrepreneur in the built environment? This is your chance to win up to 30.000 euros to boost your business!

The complexity and interconnectedness of today's urban challenges demand integrated and innovative approaches to the planning and design of sustainable, fair, and inclusive cities and regions. This, in turn, requires us to challenge and rethink current planning practice and education.

How to develop a new connection system for vertical components that allows for an easy assembly and disassembly while being visually unnoticeable? Such a demountable mechanical connection system is important in order to increase the reuse and recycling of building materials and components in construction.

Er is een ontwerpende aanpak nodig om de Nederlandse delta in de toekomst veilig en leefbaar te houden. Onderzoekers, stedenbouwkundigen, landschapsarchitecten en ingenieurs maakten in het kader van de Redesigning Deltas beweging vernieuwende ontwerpen voor 5 regio’s in Nederland.

At the closing ceremony of BK-Archiprix, the participants for the National Archiprix were announced. The jury selected the nine best projects to compete in the Archiprix, the leading annual competition for upcoming design talent.

Two new educational resources have been made available that can support educators in teaching for and about circularity in their course(s) and help them provide their students with relevant learning materials. Both learning environments are completely open and accessible to all educators worldwide but also to anyone interested in circularity.

BlendEd is a platform for new interdisciplinary classes, modules and courses on urban topics from both a social science and design and planning perspective. It displays 26 educational videos, covering the topics of Sustainable Housing, Strategic Urban Planning and Heritage Values.

Bringing about change in construction is difficult. In circular construction projects, for instance, ambitions are often not achieved because cooperation has to take place differently than what we are used to. Although circular techniques are often available, their deployment for transition to a circular construction economy does not happen automatically. Professor of Construction Cultures Alfons van Marrewijk makes the necessary connection between engineering and social sciences so that change does take place.

The Netherlands is struggling with major issues in the areas of mobility, housing construction, sustainability and climate. These great challenges result in multiple interests coming together in area development. Environmental and planning law are therefore in the spotlight.

The staircase in the Oostserre filled with students and staff. A panel with interesting names and a very special guest: Herman Hertzberger. In honour of his 90th birthday, there was a BK Talks 'Lessons' and is the exhibition 'The Hertzberger House Photographed by Johannes Schwartz for Het Nieuwe Instituut Collection' on show. A successful start to the BK Public Programs.

This Summer, Klaske Havik was awarded a Honorary Doctorate from Tampere University, Finland, "in recognition of the study of architectural writing and of texts on architecture and urban planning”.

Four students of the BK master and bachelor and two teachers have designed an artwork with dry stackable bricks for the exhibition BAKSTEEN | BRICK in the KAdE art gallery in Amersfoort. The title of the work is 'What do you want, brick?' Does a brick want to be a wall?

The International Federation of Landscape Architecture has announced Adriaan Geuze as the winner of the premier worldwide Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe Award in landscape architecture. Adriaan Geuze’s outstanding contributions to the promotion of the profession in conceptual and practical respects represent the best values of the IFLA world community.

“Construction law can be seen as part of a galaxy: different parties, legal frameworks and interests all influence each other,” describes professor Evelien Bruggeman. “Balancing those forcefields is paramount to give technological developments a place in society.” On 16 September, the professor of Building Law at the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment will give her inaugural speech, showing how digitisation in the built environment can find a place in the galaxy of construction law and the force field of technological and societal innovation.

The number of offered and sold new-build homes in the first quarter of 2022 appears to have fallen back to the level as it was shortly after the credit crisis (2008-2013). In addition, the number of new build homes for which a building permit was granted in the first five months of 2022 was about 15% lower than in the previous year. In the owner-occupied sector, this is even more than 20%.