Dijk/Gebouw: Architectuur als kustverdediging

Framework The chosen graduation studio Architectural Engineering at the faculty of Architecture at the TU Delft focuses on the connection between architecture and engineering. The personal fascination with coastal defence structures turned out to be a great starting point due to the given location of Scheveningen. Research during the first semester led to a more specific site: an old seadike on the edge of the harbour. This location is seen as a ‘case?study site’ to project the plan on. In the building design, both engineering and architectural aspects strongly question, influence, and amplify each other. In the end this resulted in technologically driven architecture, which is the main focus of the chosen Architectural Engineering graduation track. Research The design is strongly influenced by findings from the technical research. The goal of the primary technical research was to gain knowledge on the aspects of the future water threat, wave loads and flood defence systems. The findings were translated into architectural tools resulting in a toolbox that was used to support the further design process. This was the starting point for the development of the integrated building design. In the end the plan resulted in a building design which tells the story of strengthening, adjusting, and replacing the dike with water defending architecture. Design The cohesion between dike and building characterizes the design of the building. Both elements are strongly interlinked by the chosen spatial and constructional principles. The result is an integrated building design which can be seen as a hybrid structure. Context, program and function are mixed in such a way that the building is a defence structure and at the same time offers a great place to live near the beach of Scheveningen. The result of integrating the residential program with the main function of defending is an innovative idea on thinking of coastal defence structures and protection against the water threat. In the end, the real innovation lies mainly in the fact that the dwellings that need to be protected are now used as the core elements that have to arrange the security. Larger context This graduation project is a plan which defines opportunities for architecture in sea?defending structures in intensively urbanized coastal regions. Due to the generic character, the wider social context of the plan is quite large. The ideas to rethink the dike not only as a solid element but more as a multifunctional water defence will stimulate further discussions on this topic. On the scale of Scheveningen the plan will increase the spatial quality of the harbour area and it’s surroundings. In the end, the future water challenge in urban regions is of great importance and can be further discussed with this graduation plan.Architectural EngineeringArchitectural EngineeringArchitectur