Juliette Brouwer
Miriam van Eck
Joëlle Hermans
Tijmen Louwen
Cynthia Rensman
Tutors: Daniele Cannatella, Nikos Katsikis, Remon Rooij
Key words: circular mobility, petrochemical industry, fuel transition, wastescape transformation, South Holland
Human driven pollution is causing irreversible damage to the habitability of our planet. Due to these environmental concerns, it has become imperative to move away from petrochemical dependency, as these industries
contribute significant greenhouse gases, and cause air, soil and water pollution. About 85% of the petrochemical industrial products that travels through the port of Rotterdam, the economic centre of South Holland, goes
towards fuels for mobility. In the project ‘Petro Free Mobility’ we aim to contribute to a movement away from those current contaminating, and non-sustainable conditions. Therefore, our research question is defined a s follows: How can a regional design strategy facilitate the transition away from petrochemical ependency towards a circular province of South Holland? This question has been addressed by means of a vision and a strategy, followed by an advisory on a set of interventions. By creating space for sustainable developments towards circular mobility, we accelerate a shift from dependency on the major output of the petrochemical industry, mobility fuels, towards clean alternatives. The aim is to have a province driving fully on electric mobility in 2060, and one that prioritizes accessibility and fair distribution over the region. The application of biofuels in mobility is taken into account as a temporary option, but is not designated as suitable for a vision for circularity and sustainability in the long term. To turn desires into reality, a pragmatic approach is needed. Three strategies are proposed:
1. sustainable connections, putting focus on connecting innovative small-medium size stakeholders in an early stage, combined with improving the physical network.
2. consumer patterns, emphasising stimulation on the local scale, so that consumers will get used to a completely new societal system.
3. waste to value, indicating priority to waste valorisation.
In this project, also spaces are interpreted as potential waste. By splitting the transition into three phases; the preparatory phase, the shifting phase and the circular phase, the road towards a complete circular mobility system has been concretised. By the use of a decision tree, a structure has been defined to strategically repurpose the released leftover sites of the petrochemical system. Herein, the need for new places that contribute to an all- electric, shared and automated mobility system are prioritised. In addition, environmental as well as social goals of the province are taken into account for assigning new functions. By implementing the systemic changes proposed in this project, a step towards 2060 is made. The province of South Holland will have a more integrated and fully electrical mobility network, transformed a significant amount of waste scapes from the petrochemical industry, and have a healthy living environment for the over four million residents now residing in the province.
Further research into reinventing the refineries in the port should be done (this project would be really extensive, so we tried to cover it schematically in this project). Further research could also provide a detailed design
for these enormous waste scapes. The specific functions within the mobility hubs could be investigated in more detail likewise. New sources for biofuel could also be explored, making it viable for the long-term.