Circularity in the Built Environment Graduation Awards 2023: Meet the Winners

From a circular approach to transitional housing to balanced reuse of industrial heritages: at TU Delft’s Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment many master students direct their efforts towards more circular practises. In October 2023, the jury announced the five winners of the Circularity in the Built Environment Graduation Awards (2022-2023). In an interview, each winner gives an impression of his or her graduation project, explaining how circular practices may be achieved through thoughtful and meticulous design and engineering.

Circularity in the Built Environment Graduation Awards

The annual Circularity in the Built Environment Graduation Awards recognise the contribution BK graduation students make to the transition toward a circular built environment and aim to stimulate research and innovation in the field.

The Circularity in the Built Environment Graduation Awards is an initiative of the Circular Built Environment Hub of the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment.

The winners of the 2022-2023 edition were selected from four categories: Materials & Components (Tillmann Klein Award), Buildings & Neighbourhoods, Cities & Regions en Management & Policy.

From a circular approach to transitional housing to balanced reuse of industrial heritages: at TU Delft’s Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment many master students direct their efforts towards more circular practises. In October 2023, the jury announced the five winners of the Circularity in the Built Environment Graduation Awards (2022-2023). In a brief interview, each winner gives an impression of his or her graduation project, explaining how circular practices may be achieved through thoughtful and meticulous design and engineering.

Meet the Winners

Circularity in the Built Environment Graduation Awards

The annual Circularity in the Built Environment Graduation Awards recognise the contribution BK graduation students make to the transition toward a circular built environment and aim to stimulate research and innovation in the field.

The Circularity in the Built Environment Graduation Awards is an initiative of the Circular Built Environment Hub of the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment.

The winners of the 2022-2023 edition were selected from four categories: Materials & Components (Tillmann Klein Award), Buildings & Neighbourhoods, Cities & Regions en Management & Policy.

Meet the Winners

Skin (t)issue: in search of flexible bio-based facade cladding

As a Building Technology master’s student Samanwita develops a particular interest in circular facade cladding design concepts. Might there be a renewable alternative for conventional materials like brick, steel and aluminium? “Of course there are historical examples of mud cladding and timber claddings are quite common. But I was looking for a sheet material that can be applied in cladding systems with complex geometries."

Read the story of Samanwita Ghosh

Samanwita Ghosh | Winner in the category 'Materials & Components (Tillmann Klein Award)'

Samanwita Ghosh | Winner in the category 'Materials & Components (Tillmann Klein Award)'

Skin (t)issue: in search of flexible bio-based facade cladding

As a Building Technology master’s student Samanwita develops a particular interest in circular facade cladding design concepts. Might there be a renewable alternative for conventional materials like brick, steel and aluminium? “Of course there are historical examples of mud cladding and timber claddings are quite common. But I was looking for a sheet material that can be applied in cladding systems with complex geometries."

Read the story of Samanwita Ghosh

How to make a new home in a Korean high-rise

In the decades following the Korean War (1950 – 1953) concrete high-rise apartment buildings came to dominate South Korea’s metropolitan landscape. At the end of their relatively short lives, they are demolished and replaced by bigger versions, which does not make for sustainable building practice. Inspired by open-source architecture and modular building Yeonghwa Choe proposes an alternative approach.

Read the story of Yeonghwa Choe

Yeonghwa Choe | Winner in the category 'Buildings & Neighbourhoods'

Yeonghwa Choe | Winner in the category 'Buildings & Neighbourhoods'

How to make a new home in a Korean high-rise

In the decades following the Korean War (1950 – 1953) concrete high-rise apartment buildings came to dominate South Korea’s metropolitan landscape. At the end of their relatively short lives, they are demolished and replaced by bigger versions, which does not make for sustainable building practice. Inspired by open-source architecture and modular building Yeonghwa Choe proposes an alternative approach.

Read the story of Yeonghwa Choe

Gimme better shelter: a circular approach to transitional housing

As climate change and conflicts are displacing more and more people across the globe, the demand for shelter and temporary housing is growing. In her master’s thesis Julia Gospodinova zooms in on transitional housing practice and offers designers and decision-makers a method to make practice more circular. “Matching acceptable living conditions with environmental, social and economic sustainability is essential.”

Read the story of Julia Gospodinova

Julia Gospodinova | Winner in the category 'Buildings & Neighbourhoods'

Julia Gospodinova | Winner in the category 'Buildings & Neighbourhoods'

Gimme better shelter: a circular approach to transitional housing

As climate change and conflicts are displacing more and more people across the globe, the demand for shelter and temporary housing is growing. In her master’s thesis Julia Gospodinova zooms in on transitional housing practice and offers designers and decision-makers a method to make practice more circular. “Matching acceptable living conditions with environmental, social and economic sustainability is essential.”

Read the story of Julia Gospodinova

Making the right connections in peri-urban China

Shiru Liu grew up in a mixed urban and rural region in China’s Greater Bay Area, where she studied architecture and planning. For her master’s degree in Delft she decided to excavate the region’s potential for an industrial transition to circular and bio-based practices. “There’s a lot happening but an integral planning strategy for long-term development is lacking. As a planner I can provide synergy between policy, space and resources.”

Read the story of Shiru Liu

Shiru Liu | Winner in the category 'Cities & Regions'

Making the right connections in peri-urban China

Shiru Liu grew up in a mixed urban and rural region in China’s Greater Bay Area, where she studied architecture and planning. For her master’s degree in Delft she decided to excavate the region’s potential for an industrial transition to circular and bio-based practices. “There’s a lot happening but an integral planning strategy for long-term development is lacking. As a planner I can provide synergy between policy, space and resources.”

Read the story of Shiru Liu

Place for the trades and high-tech: towards balanced reuse of industrial heritage

Under what conditions can old industrial buildings in cities offer space for contemporary industry and help prepare for and facilitate a circular economy? Master's student Christiaan Hanse went in search of answers and came up with a strategic assessment framework.

Read the story of Christiaan Hanse

Christiaan Hanse | Winner in the category 'Management & Policy'

Christiaan Hanse | Winner in the category 'Management & Policy'

Place for the trades and high-tech: towards balanced reuse of industrial heritage

Under what conditions can old industrial buildings in cities offer space for contemporary industry and help prepare for and facilitate a circular economy? Master student Christiaan Hanse went in search of answers and came up with a strategic assessment framework.

Read the story of Christiaan Hanse