Pressure on the physical environment in the Netherlands is increasing rapidly. Housing construction, climate adaptation, infrastructure and the energy transition all require space, resources and people, whilst those very resources are becoming increasingly scarce. Scarcity is therefore no longer an exception, but a structural reality for spatial challenges.

On 3 March 2026, professionals from the water and transport infrastructure, housing, utility construction, government and academia gathered at the Vakwerkhuis in Delft to explore this reality. During this expert meeting, participants examined which design principles and forms of collaboration are needed to continue working towards a future-proof living environment in times of scarcity.

Scarcity as a design challenge

The meeting was opened by Lizet Kuitert (Resilient Delta initiative), who outlined the central issue of the day. According to her, scarcity is becoming increasingly apparent in the spatial domain — not only due to limited space, but also due to shortages of labour, materials and funding.

According to Kuitert, many forms of scarcity are further exacerbated by the way we organise projects. Sectarian working methods, fragmented responsibilities and project-based decision-making complicate the ability to tackle challenges holistically.

To help participants break out of their usual patterns of thinking, the programme began with an interactive session led by De Nacht Club, the social design studio behind the Toekomstraam concept. This installation invited participants to share personal experiences of scarcity and to highlight the values central to those experiences. Here, scarcity was seen not only as a constraint, but also as what the designers call ‘stimulating constraints’: moments where tension and possibilities converge and new ideas can emerge.

Learning from other sectors

Following this joint opening, participants split into various breakout sessions. Each session explored a different perspective on collaboration in times of scarcity.

The power of pooling demand
The session ‘The power of pooling demand’ was led by Heleen Smit (Delft University of Technology), Ad Straub (Delft University of Technology), Carli Hartgerink (City of Amsterdam) and Charlotte Meulenbelt (Ymere). The session focused on examples where organisations pool their demand to promote innovation and efficiency. Using the example of the City of Amsterdam’s School Buildings Innovation Partnership and the De Bouwstroom programme, in which housing associations pool their demand, participants explored how uniformity, repetition and standardisation can contribute to new forms of collaboration.

The bigger picture
In the session ‘The bigger picture’, Peter Marks (Erasmus University Rotterdam) and Merlijn Kamps (Rijkswaterstaat) introduced participants to systems thinking. Participants worked on a causal loop diagram for a fictional case study concerning a homelessness crisis in a city. The case was inspired by real-life examples, such as a scarcity of care and exercise in Schiebroek and a scarcity of technical expertise in the maintenance of waterworks. By visually mapping out relationships and dependencies, participants explored how different factors influence one another within complex social systems.

Break the routine
The session ‘Break the routine’ was led by Lonneke Vossen (City of Rotterdam), Rianne Warsen (Erasmus University Rotterdam) and Erwin Heurkens (Delft University of Technology). The central question here was how public and private parties can collaborate more effectively in complex area developments. Using various practical dilemmas as a starting point, the discussion focused on how organisations with differing structures, rules and interests can nevertheless work together on spatial planning challenges.

Scaling up programmatic collaboration
The session ‘Scaling up programmatic collaboration’ built on the PhD research of Pedram Soltani (Delft University of Technology).
This session explored how a programmatic approach can contribute to realising circular ambitions. The programme involving 17 bridges by the Noorderzijlvest Water Authority was discussed as a case study. This approach was compared with experiences of programmatic working at the Ministry of Defence, presented by Rob Leus (Central Government Real Estate Agency).

The battle for engineers
Scarcity is not only an issue with resources, but also with people. In the session ‘The battle for engineers’, Leon Hombergen, Marian Bosch-Reckveld and Marcel Hertogh (Delft University of Technology), together with Jan Janssen and Marie-Cecile Rossen (Haskoning), engaged participants in the question of how the technical field can be made more attractive to new generations of professionals.

Striking a financial balance
The session ‘Striking a financial balance’ was led by Lilian van Karnenbeek (Utrecht University), Zac Taylor (Resilient Delta initiative) and Samuel Hartman (Vereniging Deltametropool). Here, the focus was on the role of financial instruments such as land development (GREX) and the extent to which existing frameworks for area development can adequately integrate and distribute the costs of climate adaptation.

Reflection with the Toekomstraam

At the end of the day, the insights from the various sessions came together once again around the ToekomstRaam. Guided by De Nacht Club, participants reflected on what had stayed with them most from the sessions. Insights such as the importance of long-term collaboration, harnessing a sense of urgency, systems thinking and working towards shared goals emerged within the framework.

The focus then shifted to the future. Working in groups, participants came up with possible newspaper headlines from the future, for example for the year 2034 or 2047. By speculating on possible futures, they were able to think beyond existing structures or constraints.

• Some of these visions of the future gave an impression of the imagination in the room:
• “Repetitive innovation leads to 100% job satisfaction in the construction industry.
• “Construction becomes the first fully circular sector in the Netherlands.”
• “Happiness index: the Netherlands ranks number one.”
• “Thanks to programmatic upscaling, the housing, care and safety crises have been resolved.”
• “Youngest prime minister opens ‘school construction factory’ – my circular primary school is now a retirement community.”

These future scenarios highlighted how new forms of collaboration can contribute to a future-proof living environment.

From meeting to next steps

The meeting demonstrated that different sectors often face similar challenges, but do not always learn from one another. It was precisely the bringing together of perspectives from infrastructure, construction, policy and science that proved valuable.

For Resilient Delta, this expert meeting therefore represents a first step in a broader movement. By bringing together researchers, policymakers and professionals, a network is created in which ideas can be further developed, tested and scaled up.

At a time when scarcity is becoming an increasingly decisive factor in spatial development, one conclusion seems clear: the future of our living environment depends not only on technology or funding, but above all on how we organise collaboration.