Research & design projects

Acquisition and project leader of NSFC, NWO and EPSRC Joint Research Project: 'Adaptive Urban Transformation (AUT) – Territorial governance, spatial strategy and urban landscape dynamics in the Pearl River Delta'  (grant no. ALWSD 2016.013 sustainable delta program) with Delft University of Technology, Department of Urbanism (NL); South China University of Technology, School of Architecture (SCUT) (China); The University of Sheffield, Department of Landscape (UoS) (UK) (funding ca € 1.000.000, 2018-2022). Read more...

The overall aim of the research is to develop an integrative and multiscale design and planning approach for adaptive urban transformation in fast urbanizing deltas. It uses the Pearl River Delta as a case study.

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Acquisition and project leader of NWO TOPSECTOR WATER CALL: 'Shorescape: Sustainable co-evolution of the natural and built environment along sandy shores' (grant no. ALWTW.2016.038) with University of Twente, Deltares, Hoogheemraadschap Hollands Noorderkwartier, Rijkswaterstaat, Witteveen en Bos, HNS landschapsarchitecten, Imares Wageningen (funding € 702.000, 2017-2022). Read more... 

This project aims at developing design principles for the dynamic occupation of the land-sea interface to enhance BwN-processes and contribute to the natural adaptation and sustainable development of urban coastal zones.


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Acquisition and project leader 'Design atlas heritage estate landscapes gelderland' with Province of Gelderland in collaboration with Gelders Genootschap (funding ca € 140.000, 2019-2021)

The project elaborates a landscape-based regional approach for the understanding, planning and design of heritage estate landscapes that takes spatial development with (historical) landscape structures as a basis, but also engages in a process with meaningful stakeholder engagement.


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Acquisition and Project leader ‘District Development Plans Water and Green for the City of Antwerp’ with OKRA landscape architects and City of Antwerp in collaboration with Nelen & Schuurmans (funding ca € 500.000, 2021-2025)

The District Development Plans Water and Green contains concrete guidelines for the (re)construction of public spaces and indicates where and how to give water and greenery a strategic and qualitative place in the streetscape at the district level. Several solutions and scenarios are offered to work in the short and long term towards climate-proof and healthy neighborhoods of tomorrow. Read more...

Image (C) Nelen & Schuurmans


Acquisition and overall project Leader ‘Polder landscapes of the world’ with Nieuw Land, Dutch Embassy India & Canada; ICOMOS NL; U of Beijing; U of Auburn, U of Toronto, etc.) (funding € 100.000, partly pending, 2017 ongoing). Read more...  

The project aims to develop knowledge and raise awareness of polder landscapes around the globe through systematic description, analysis and comparison. This book addresses polder landscapes as cultural expressions rather than only as results of water engineering.


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Acquisition and Head Designer ‘Shantou Inner Bay Urban Design’ with OKRA landscape architects, South China University of Technology and Guangzhou Urban Planning Institute (funding € 120.000, 2020)

Design vision for a resilient urban landscape of Shantou Inner Bay Area, China. The urban planning and landscape architecture design includes implementation of multifunctional flood protection for river and sea, enlargement of green-blue structures, transit oriented development and generation of innovative urban typologies.


Acquisition and Project leader ‘XR-Design Lab for the Built Environment’ with TU Delft, Faculty of Architecture and The Built Environment. TU Delft Strategic Fund (funding ca € 1.400.000, 2023-2027)

The main objective of the XR Design Lab for the Built Environment is to create an innovation hub for design-oriented research and education that exploits the power of XR-technologies for 1) gaining scientific knowledge for and about design, 2) generating and testing design ideas and plans, and 3) knowledge transfer and design didactics in architecture, urban design and landscape architecture.


Acquisition and Project leader 'De Haverleij: landscape-conscious area development at the transition from city to country’ with BPD Bouwfonds gebiedsontwikkeling, Heijmans and Municipality ’s-Hertogenbosch (funding € 85.000, 2023-2024)

The purpose of the study is to analyze and describe the Haverleij from the perspective of landscape-conscious area development at the transition from city to country. In addition, the intention is to interpret design principles, forms of cooperation and funding models for future landscape-conscious urban edge development.


Acquisition and Project leader ‘REOS-pilot Kennisregio aan Zee 2070: Landscape and urbanism as conditions for sustainable spatial-economic development in the Knowledge Region by the Sea 2070 - Building blocks for a regional perspective’ with the Municipalities Delft, Den Haag, Zoetermeer and Leiden, Province of South-Holland, Ministry of Economic Affairs and State Forestry Service (funding € 60.500, 2020-2023)

The purpose of this research is to develop spatial building blocks for a regional spatial-economic perspective with the natural and urban landscape as the basis for a long-term sustainable knowledge ecology and broad prosperity.


Completed projects 2006 - 2017

Acquisition and project leader ‘Landscape as business condition/Landschap als vestigingsvoorwaarde’ with Vereniging Deltametropool, Wageningen University, West8, Staatsbosbeheer, LEI, Ministerie van Economische Zaken, Rijksdienst voor Cultureel Erfgoed (funding € 129.000, 2016-2017)

Acquisition and overall project leader ‘First comprehensive polder & dike GIS of the Netherlands’ with Cultural Heritage Agency and Ministry of Infrastructure & Mobility (funding € 75.000, 2014-2015)

Acquisition and overall project leader ‘Urbanizing Deltas in transition’ with University of Houston (funding € 60.000, 2012-2013)

Project leader ‘Integrated Planning and Design in the Delta; Work Package International Delta Comparison (IPDD)’ (funding € 40.000, NWO-URD, 2011-2012)

Acquisition and overall project leader ‘Multimedia exhibition display landscape development Beeckestijn’ (funding € 12.500, 2011)

Acquisition and overall project leader input ‘Structural Vision Spatial Development 2040’ and ‘Landscape heritage policy Province of North Holland’ (funding € 158.000, 2006-2009 multiple projects)

Overall Project leader ‘Polder Atlas of the Netherlands’ with Nieuw Land (funding € 200.000, 2006-2009)

First comprehensive overview of the Dutch lowlands


Project lead together with E. van Uum & J. Buskens: ‘Regional Plan 2005-2021; City Region Arnhem Nijmegen’, with Vista Urban and Landscape planning, City Region Arnhem Nijmegen and Province of Gelderland (funding ca € 250.000, 2001-2006)