Delta Atelier

We collaborated with Delta Atelier on a journey of dialogue, exploration and knowledge sharing around the challenge of Circular (City) Ports. Discover this journey supported by various working sessions, debates, research and exhibitions in the context of the ‘cultural space’ created by the International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam and its Brussels component You Are Here. While some of the suggested actions were temporary, others have become permanent and tangible.

Changing elements in the transition toward a circular economy

Change is an ongoing process over time. We cannot take one step, make one attempt and call it a day. Twelve insights have been selected and structured around three factors of change: values, roles and spaces. They frame the pathways in which the next steps can be taken to accelerate the transition process.

Three drivers for change

Firstly, the shift to a circular system requires us to rethink the values of our economies in ports and beyond.

At the same time, it also implies a crucial shift in the roles played by the different actors, envisioning a new system of connections and collaborations between ports, cities and regions.

Thirdly, the translation of these progressively mutating elements into a spatial environment needs to take into account how the physical dimension of these dynamics takes place.

Twelve guiding pathways

The exploration shifted during the process, from merely documenting and collecting knowledge, bundled in the various documents like Lessons LearnedWorkbook 1 and Workbook 2, to a more structured approach by initiating strategic thinking and valorising/sharing of insights.

This shifts the focus from looking only at the scale of the ‘City Port’ to looking more generally at existing and potential ‘Circular Port Projects’.

The insights gathered during the Circular (City) Ports process have been compiled and framed within the 3 drivers of change, resulting in 12 pathways that port and government stakeholders can follow to accelerate the transition.

Find out more about the selected pathways below, and about the background of the changing values, roles and spaces in our documentary.

A deep dive into the challenges

Take your time for a journey through the various challenges, bottlenecks and boundaries that parties face in becoming first movers in the circular economy. The story is told through the eyes of officials, experts and entrepreneurs working on circularity in port environments. The story is embedded in our 12 selected insights, interwoven with eye-opening interviews and statements.

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