Design for Systemic Change

This interdisciplinary design studio explores the future of the TATA Steel plant and the North Sea Canal area, addressing the challenges of industrial legacy, environmental toxicity, and the transition toward a circular economy. Students from architecture, urbanism, landscape, industrial ecology, civil engineering, and sustainability fields will collaborate on long-term spatial strategies that balance environmental, economic, and cultural concerns.

Working closely with partners — the North Sea Canal Area (NOVEX), College van Rijksadviseurs, and Havenbedrijf Amsterdam — students apply systemic design methods such as backcasting and tipping point analysis to envision resilient transformations. Site visits, expert lectures, and workshops on systemic design, heritage, and industrial transition will support students' research and design processes.

The studio emphasizes innovative media use (3D modeling, animations, point cloud scans) to communicate complex systems and future scenarios, culminating in a public exhibition and online campaign. Final projects bridge design, policy, and public engagement, addressing urgent real-world challenges at the intersection of infrastructure, climate, and societal change.