Reconstructing the commons

A regenerative form of tourism towards the ecosystem and its services

Master thesis (2020)

Authors

G. Vermeeren Architecture and the Built Environment

Contributors

E.L. Lamers Teachers of Practice / A - Architecture and the Built Environment (mentor)
M.J. Smit Architectural Engineering - Architecture and the Built Environment (mentor)
P.L. Tomesen Building Product Innovation - Architecture and the Built Environment (mentor)
C.M. Calis Theory, Territories & Transitions - Architecture and the Built Environment (mentor)
Faculty
Architecture and the Built Environment, Architecture and the Built Environment
Copyright: © 2020 Gina Vermeeren
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Published Date

30-01-2020

Language

English

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Faculty

Architecture and the Built Environment

Abstract

St. Maarten is one of the islands in the Caribbean, situated within the hurricane belt of the Atlantic Ocean. In september 2017, it was hit directly by a hurricane called Irma, causing widespread damage to the island. As many other Caribbean islands, St. Maarten is highly depending on tourism as an income, which with drawled in the aftermath of the hurricane. Since the 1960s, its nature, better known as ‘sea, sand & sun’, created a high economic value. Old plantations, salt winning, fishing and cattle slowly disappeared to maximize the tourism. Additionally, the island has become one of the most dense islands of the world. The development of the mass tourism has caused destruction of habitats, intense use of land, decreasing biodiversity and the pollution, forming huge threats for the ecosystems. We could say that St. Maarten’s biggest product is in danger. However, the natural environment of the island has already shown that it’s highly resilient and could solve many sustainable challenges for the mankind. Aware of the economical dependency on tourism, I studied how this form of recreation could be used to enhance the natural environment, instead of influencing it in a destructive way. The chosen site is a place where nature, development and history come together. The area of Red Pond/Gibbs bay comprise a pond with mangroves, the coastal area, ruins of a plantation and a concrete structure of an unfinished resort. All of these layers together form a complex project of several levels through time, community and nature. Minimal interventions taken on the existing buildings, modern ruins, should enhance the relationship between human activity and the ecology. It supports movement by collectives planned on a strategic location - not only used by humans. These interventions consist not only of addition of architectural elements, but certain grades of demolition as well. At some places the built objects support the ecosystem, other places they facilitate human actions within the ecosystem.