'Maskerade Prototype', an innovative education and knowledge innovation programme. A turning point in the way we think about sustainable construction and education.
Timeframe
2013 - 2016 and beyond
Started in 2013, this programme is still having an impact and continues to evolve and make an impact.
Role
Educational leader of the Construction, Installation, Electrical Engineering Construction and Human Technology educational teams. Co-creator and strategic partner in a multi-year programme. As education leader and co-creator, I was the driving force behind both the strategic and tactical aspects together with architect Maarten van der Breggen.
Purpose
To develop a sustainable construction method that puts the end-user at the centre. With the ultimate goal of realising a prototype developed entirely in co-creation, having it inhabited for several years, monitoring the living experience in the meantime and rebuilding, dismantling and rebuilding elsewhere.
Tasks and Responsibilities
From co-creation with stakeholders such as students and architects, to winning the 2016 Zuid-Holland Sustainability Award, my role was comprehensive. I focused on regenerative collaboration, sustainability, flexibility in design and design of learning and innovation, and was an integral part of the larger ecosystem of Concept House Village. Within the programme, the following tasks and responsibilities emerged explicitly distributed among the entire programme team.
- Co-creation with various stakeholders such as students, architects and suppliers.
- Implementation of sustainable and renewable materials.
- Monitoring and data analysis.
- Focus on flexibility and freedom in design and use of materials.
- Part of a larger ecosystem for sustainable housing concepts (Concept House Village).
- Circular approach with dismountable and reusable elements.
- Extensive research and knowledge transfer in cooperation with Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences.
- Winner of the Sustainability Award South Holland 2016 and the Open Source Wood Award.
- Focus on seeing wood as an industrial product.
- Development of a prototype for future flats with entrance greenhouses.
- Strategic collaboration with Maarten van der Breggen.
- Leadership in educational transformation and curriculum development.
- Integration of the project as a driver for overall educational transition.
- Implementation of an interdisciplinary team of students and professionals.
- Supervision of students in project leadership roles.
- Data collection and user research.
- Testing the adaptivity and circularity of the house.
- Reconstruction of the house at the Floating Farm in Rotterdam.
Core Values in Practice
The programme has won several awards in the field of sustainability. And by working together with various stakeholders, a unique and innovative result was achieved, at both product and process level as well as overall knowledge level.
The programme has also created an innovative narrative in various national and international media.
Impact and Results
From winning prestigious awards to serving as a practical learning platform for students in secondary and higher vocational and scientific education, the impact of this programme is manifold. It has contributed to making the construction sector more sustainable and even influenced the merger process of Albeda and Zadkine study programmes in engineering and technology; Techniek College Rotterdam. Here is a summary of outcomes and impact:
- Awards: Sustainability Award South Holland 2016, Open Source Wood Award and Sustainability Award D66 South Holland.
- Educational Impact: The programme serves as a practical learning platform for students.
- Social Impact: The programme contributes to making the building sector more sustainable and provides solutions for first-time buyers who are struggling to find housing.
- Part of Concept House Village: A 'living lab' for testing innovative homes and systems.
- Circular Economy: Contributes to the circular economy by using dismountable and reusable elements Use of fully renewable raw materials.
- Versatile use, from Tiny-houses to complex flats.
- Connecting Education Teams: The project helped to connect the different education teams of Albeda and Zadkine, which previously functioned as separate organisations. This closer cooperation contributed to the merger process of Albeda and Zadkine engineering and technology courses.
- Living Laboratory for Innovation: Concept House Village acts as a living laboratory for innovative building concepts, with the 'Maskerade house' being a key component.
- Real-life Testing: The programme offers the opportunity to test new ideas and materials in practice, contributing to the development of sustainable building methods.
- Innovative Collaboration: The collaboration between educational institutions, companies and governments in Concept House Village promotes innovation and knowledge sharing.
- Inspiration for the Construction Sector: The initiative serves as inspiration for the wider construction sector and encourages others to invest in sustainability and circularity.
- Focus on Circular Economy: Concept House Village focuses on the circular economy, focusing on reusing materials and dismantling buildings.
Learning moments
The programme was a treasure trove of learning moments, from the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to understanding circular economy. It also taught us how to adapt the educational curriculum to innovative projects and how to put sustainable building methods into practice. For example, the following key learning moments were gained during the Masquerade project:
- Innovative Collaboration: The project highlighted the importance of collaboration between educational institutions, companies and governments. This taught us how interdisciplinary teams can thrive and create innovative solutions.
- Sustainable Materials and Methods: Experimenting with new, sustainable materials and construction methods increased our knowledge. We now better understand how to integrate sustainability into the construction industry.
- Educational Transformation: The project acted as a catalyst for educational transformation. We learned how to adapt the curriculum to innovative projects and engage students in practical learning.
- Circular Economy: The pursuit of circularity made us aware of the value of reusable materials and disassembly. We have learnt how to apply circular principles in practice.
- Strategic Partnership: Working with Maarten van der Breggen has taught us how strategic partnerships can lead to pioneering projects and innovation.
- Data Analysis and Research Skills: Collecting and analysing data during the project honed our data analysis and research skills.
- Flexibility and Freedom in Design: Striving for flexibility and freedom in design has shown us how to think outside the box and develop unique solutions.
- Social Impact: We learned how an innovative project like Maskerade can have a positive impact on society by making sustainable housing accessible to different target groups.
- Educational Transition and Collaboration: The project helped connect different educational teams and foster collaboration between organisations, leading to an overall educational transition.
- Adaptivity and Circularity: Testing the adaptivity and circularity of the house over time has given us valuable insights into the longevity and sustainability of building projects.
Skills
The programme has enabled me to apply and further develop a wide range of skills, including:
- Leadership in interdisciplinary collaboration.
- Programme and project management in co-creation.
- Sustainability knowledge and practical application.
- Educational innovation and curriculum development.
- Data analysis and research skills.
- Building and maintaining strategic partnerships.
References
For more information and depth, please consult the following sources.
