My name is Julia Schasfoort and I’m currently working for the Cities Hub, together with Saskia Ruijsink. I recently finished my second bachelor in Architecture at the TU Delft after having studied Environmental Economics and Policy at Amsterdam University College, an interdisciplinary program where had the opportunity to combine various interests from philosophy to international relations and maths. Taken together, this background reflects my interest in an interdisciplinary approach in general, and the combination of architecture and sustainability more specifically. I am interested in how architecture and the built environment influence the way we interact with one another, and how we think about living together. In relation to this lab, it is interesting to see what role the design and organization of our cities can play in facilitating the transition to a circular economy, while again showing the importance of combining different disciplines and perspectives in order to tackle such complex questions. In addition to the thesis lab, I assist Saskia in the course Urban Integrated Development where we focus on interdisciplinary collaboration in city development. In the course, professionals learn how to make an integral problem definition, identify opportunities and threats, and formulate a shared vision that can be translated into concrete actions and goals.
