Cultivating Community in Delft

Farm-Inspired Living

Some of the most pressing issues in agriculture right now are the fast growing population, a lack of connection between the consumer and the produced food, and the impact on the environment caused by the bio industry. Almost half of the planet is already used for farmland, and without big changes or innovations it will only increase. The housing market is also under a lot of stress, with a shortage of affordable houses. And there is a general lack of sense of community as urban living can lead to social isolation.

In designing a housing project in the Netherlands, the hofje offers a compelling inspiration due to its emphasis on community, efficient space usage, and cultural resonance. These traditional courtyard-centered residences foster social interaction, integrate green spaces, and provide a human-scale environment, making them ideal for creating sustainable and community-oriented living spaces that align with Dutch values and architectural heritage.

Challenge

I looked to integrate farming and urban living, instead of seeing these as two separate issues. My design addresses both these problems and provide a solution to both at once, creating a new symbiotic relationship between agriculture and housing in the urban setting.
How might we integrate urban farming techniques and multi-family housing in the hofje typology?

Objectives

  • Design communal areas for urban farming in the hofje to maximize food production and sustainability.
  • Maintain hofje’s traditional balance of communal and private spaces for farming activities while preserving personal space and privacy.
  • Propose an easy-to-use urban farm for people with basic agriculture knowledge
  • Propose universal solution for urban farming network development.

Project overview

Design process

Using a hollisitc design approach, I explored how urban farming could be seamlessly incorporated into multi-family housing within the hofje typology. Through research, site analysis and iterative design reviews, I developed and refined design solutions that harmonize residential living with sustainable agriculture, resulting in a cohesive architectural proposal.

Research goals

Research Queastion
  • How can urban farming be integrated into hofje typology to meet urban food production needs sustainably, optimizing space, water, and energy efficiency.
Sub-queastions
  • What is the estimated population of people for whom the city farm will produce food?
  • What are the urban farming techniques that can best be used in the hofjes?
  • What pain points and frustrations might cause people to abandon gardening?
  • What are the space and environmental implications of the designed farm compared to a traditional farm?

Site Analysis

To tackle this problem I will be working on two scales, the neighborhood scale and taking the whole of Delft into account.

Location

The farm will be in the heart of Delft on Rotterdamseweg. It is located next to the TU Delft Campus and is adjacent to the canal connecting the city with The Hague and Rotterdam. In the future, the proximity of the canal can be used to distribute products and exchange goods with traditional farms located to the south and north of Delft. The preexisting buildings on the site can serve as office and storage spaces.
City scale
Neighborhood scale

Secondary Research

Key Facts

Global population expected to exceed 10 billion in less than 80 years, requiring agricultural innovation to meet the growing food demand.
The public has lost touch with their food, causing significant waste and a lack of awareness about food production efforts and impacts.
The natural environment is impacted by farming in various ways, including nitrogen emissions, water usage, and biodiversity decline.

Hofje

Courtyard buildings are a phenomenon on a global scale and, depending on the country, took on different characteristics. In the Netherlands, these are hofjes, dating back to the 13th century, and are remnants of a charitable tradition requiring Christians to perform seven works of mercy. In the beginning they were charity shelters but over the centuries the purpose changed depending on the political and social situation.

Hofje’s Principles

Simple and Modest Life

Hofjes promoted simplicity, modesty, and communal well-being over individual wealth, fostering humility.

Privacy

Hofjes offered personal privacy through individual living spaces, balancing solitude and community interaction. The design supported privacy with its inward-facing layout.

Inward Composition

Houses in hofjes were arranged around a central courtyard, fostering a self-contained, focused community. This design encouraged interaction within a shared, sheltered environment.

Residential Community

Hofjes were tight-knit communities where residents shared responsibilities and supported one another.

Common Garden

Uniform houses encircled a central garden, symbolizing equality among residents. The garden served as a communal space for relaxation and shared activities, enhancing unity.

Quiet Oasis

Hofjes created a peaceful retreat within urban settings, with central gardens offering tranquility and respite from external chaos. This calm environment was essential for residents' well-being.
Hofjes embody universal values like social goals. It involves community living, co-ownership, shared food production, and mutual assistance. The concept addresses modern challenges such as population growth, redefining food production, and combating loneliness. An internal garden can address contemporary issues like biodiversity, water collection, microclimate improvement, and agriculture.

Target Groups

The strategic placement of the project, situated between the campus and a residential area, positions it as a natural hub where students and long-term residents can interact and build relationships. The inclusion of various amenities and communal spaces in the project will encourage these groups to engage with one another, breaking down barriers and creating a sense of community.

Studio

Single
Student
Young professional

2 person apartment

Single parents
Couple
Roommates

3 person apartment

Couple + Child
Roommates
Single parent + 2 kids

4+ person apartment

Multi-generational families
Couple + 2 kids
Senior housing

Plant selection based on Dutch preferences

Analysis of Dutch eating habits in a 2021 report shows that most Dutch people still don't meet dietary guidelines. Daily veggie and fruit intake is low, with adults not following key recommendations like increasing produce consumption and cutting down on sugary drinks and salt. Commonly eaten items include lettuce, tomato, cucumber, spinach, chives, blueberries, and strawberries.
Lettuce
Tomato
Cucumber
Basil
Spinach
Chives
Strawberry
Blueberries

City Scale – Urban farm network

Decentralizing and locating farms in the city can make agriculture reduce its destructive impact on the environment. Food kilometers will be shorter for the plants produced in the city. Products will not need to be frozen or packaged as they will sell quickly over short distances. The advantage is not only lower energy consumption but also improved nutrition thanks to the creation of short supply chains.
The concept of a 15-minute city created by urban planner Dan Luscher assumes that everyone should be able to access most places within 15 minutes on foot or by bike, which are the easiest means of travel.
Based on Luscher's assumptions, proximity within a 15-minute radius was chosen as the key factor for farm location. Using QGIS, city surfaces were generated to calculate reachable areas by bicycle to the farm. This analysis helped determine the target audience and the farm's coverage area.

Scenarios Development

The area reachable within 15 minutes determined the location for designated restaurants supplied by the farm. Other urban farm network facilities were also based on this timeframe, potentially on vacant lots across Delft. Calculations for the second and third scenarios were adjusted for 10 and 5 minutes respectively, forming the basis for determining the necessary crop production.
5 minutes by bike
10 minutes by bike
15 minutes by bike
Reachable area of future farms
Reachable area of my design
Availble sites for farm network
Analysis of 3 scenarios showed that the farm can be easily reached in 15 minutes on foot, 5 minutes by car, or by bicycle. This provides convenient access to fresh products for residents, reduces food miles for restaurant deliveries, mainly done via tracks, and supports the concept of a 15-minute city.
5 minutes by bike
15 minutes by foot

Neighborhood scale

On a neighborhood scale the goal was to introduce farming into the everyday life of regular people in order to build a new connection, respect and awareness about the food we consume every day.
To properly address these objectives the neighborhood must consist of two parts. In the housing segment I will use soil based cultivation, as it is more accessible to the general public, and fits better with the idea of creating a sense of community by working together and sharing a public space. In the commercial farm segment of my project I will use soilless cultivation because of its efficiency and low environmental cost
Housing segment
Commercial farm segment
Vegetable demand per person per year was multiplied by Delft's population. Estimated restaurant product usage was based on 2 facilities' expenditure. Target yield was calculated to determine cultivation space, representing harvested production per unit area.

Program

Program for Commercial farm
Program for Housing

Developing Masterplan

To effectively address the design challenges at every scale, I developed a comprehensive set of guidelines that serve as a roadmap throughout the process. These guides are tailored to ensure consistency, focus, and alignment with the overall project goals, helping me navigate complex decisions and maintain a clear direction. By following these structured principles, I can systematically tackle each design problem, ensuring that the final outcome meets both functional and aesthetic requirements, while also staying true to the project's vision and objectives.
The separate courtyardswill all be connected to promote a sense of unity in the neighborhood.
Paths will connect the design to the neighborhood, changing in elevation and direction to create discovery.
View entire site analysis

Site Plan

The abundance of greenery in the shape of both farms and more natural growthcreate an attractive environment for everyone including visitors. There are courtyard spaces that are not used for farming, which will serve as recreational zones. Every courtyard within a hofje will have a fountain centerpiece. It’s a reference to traditional hofje typology.

Developing Hofje

Modularity

To make program adjustable, I’ll be using a grid of 3,60 by 3,60, and same sized colums and beams, that have the same dimensions everywhere in the buildings. The shaft placement is repetitive allowing me for the optimization of the layout. With this module-based construction I will have the flexibility to choose from many different options within the grid.
Grid 360x360cm
Column15x15cm
Beam15x30cm
Shaft placement
Construction module 360x360x360 cm

Customization

Depands on the needs of the users and context there is several ways the hofjec can be arranged. Due to modular nature of the construction apartments can be in different sizes and configurations.
Outline of the building volume
Customizable building segment
Depands on the needs of the users and context there is several ways the hofje can be arranged. Due to modular nature of the construction apartments can be in different sizes and configurations.

Regular scenario

View all scenarios

Primary Design Decisions

The design choices are illustrated in the modular construction's slice segment. This approach allows for a clear understanding of how individual modules are integrated to create a cohesive and functional structure, reflecting the project's core principles.
The building's height and shape is influenced by the adjucent neighborhood and hofje typology, resulting in a close community feeling.
Exposed materials add authenticity and honesty to the design, making it easier to maintain.
The façade vegetation is both aesthetic and functional, complementing agricultural elements and aiding water management.
The design of the building's exterior reflects the rhythm and simplicity of the hofje typology.
The incorporation of the living wall and integrated farming is crucial to the core philosophy of the design. This approach not only enhances the aesthetic appeal but also promotes sustainability by bringing nature into the building.

Hofje Design

Farm Placement

+1 | Elevated courtyard

The courtyard will be used for farming with the intention of creating a feeling of community between families.  Water source in the middle can be used for farming and is a reference to the traditional hofje courtyards. The south side of the courtyard will get less sun, so the area is not used for farming but for recreational purposes.
Plan +1
Open-field farming in a courtyard

+2 | Apartment integrated greenhouses

The greenhouses are positioned strategically to add to the rhythmic quality of the façade. They will be for family bonding, as parents and children can grow crops and gain understanding about their food together.
Greenhouse in an apartment
Plan +2

+3 | Green wall

The lack of greenhouses on 2 walls facing the courtyard due to an insufficient sun exposure is compensated by a vertical cultivation. The lower part of the living wall is used also as a railing. Because I don’t need the 1 meter of soil for cultivation, the bottom part of the pot is used as a storage space for tools.
Plan +3
Green wall

+4 | Community greenhouse

At the top floor the greenhouses will be used by students, small families and studio owners, making sure the people furthest away from the courtyard will still get a sense of community within the building. The ends of greenhouse serve as communal leisure areas.
Top floor greenhouse
Plan +4

Apartments

The apartments are internally centeredaround a common space, reflecting the hofje and creating a feeling of community and connection between family members. The sliding doors give the opportunity to create or block as much space as desired.
Apartment plan
View from the entrance

Climat Design

Each hofje will have its own cooling system, connected to underground cold and hot storage. In the summer scenario the temperature is used to cooling down the grey water, which is used in the floor cooling system. There is also the possibility that cross ventilation and floor cooling won’t be enough, in which case there is a mechanical back up ventilation and AC.
The heat generated by the greenhouses will be transferred to the hot storage, and the solar panels will fill up the energy storage. This energy can be used for electric cars and supporting the cooling system. The vegetation in the façade and the courtyard reduces heat stress and increases the air quality and flow within the hofje.
View entitre climat design

Reflection

What I’ve learned

Less is more. I realized that more doesn't necessarily mean better when it comes to showcasing skills. I chose a project that was too large for the amount of time I had.
By the end of the design process, different parts of the project were being completed in separate programs, which made it difficult to implement quick changes and slowed my progress significantly.
I gained valuable insights into designing for community, particularly how it involves creating solutions tailored to diverse target groups.
One of the biggest challenges was integrating architecture with plant cultivation. I had to blend my familiar design process with an entirely different field, requiring additional research and a deep understanding of its unique problems and needs.
Aleksandra Kubiak
OverviewResearchSynthesisIdeateDesignReflection