Thomas van den Berg MSc. Landscape Architect thomasdvandenberg@gmail.com
+31 6 13 18 69 52
Section for Zuoling project, China 1
PORTFOLIO
INTERN URBAN PLANNING Grontmij, Wuhan China 2013
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GOTONG ROYONG - WORKING TOGETHER MSc thesis, Jakarta/Puncak, Indonesia
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ENERGY IN DIVERSITY Master Atelier, Wageningen University 2013
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WELCOME TO SPANGENPARK Minor Landscape Architecture, TU Delft 2011
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FRAME THE LANDSCAPE Minor Landscape Architecture, TU Delft 2012
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NATURAL PLAYGROUNDS BSc thesis, Wageningen University 2011
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RESIDE IN RIVER LANDSCAPES Design Studio, Wageningen University 2009
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HAND DRAWINGS
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CURRICULUM VITAE
Please find my extensive CV in the attached Word document
Personal information “My goal in life is to enhance landscapes around the globe. I hold a MLA degree and I have experience with sustainable design in Europe and Asia. I am creative, highly organised and proactive. My career objective is to apply my knowledge in the Gulf or Asia Pacific as a junior designer. Sequently I have the ambition to become a project manager or creative director.”
Name Berg, Thomas Derk van den Date of Birth 26 June 1988 Place of Birth De Bilt, The Netherlands Nationality Dutch Current address Stadsbrink 387, 6707 AB Wageningen, The Netherlands Phone +31 6 13 18 69 52 E-Mail thomasdvandenberg@gmail.com Skype thomasdvandenberg Driving license B (regular car) Marital status Single
Education
Curricular activities
Sep 2012 – Aug 2014 MSc. Landscape Architecture & Spatial Planning (passed) 75/100 Wageningen University, Wageningen (NL) Thesis on participatory environmental planning in the Jakarta delta
Nov 2011 – May 2012
Sep 2007 – Aug 2012 BSc. Landscape Architecture & Spatial Planning (passed) Wageningen University, Wageningen
Project Member National Student Songfestival, Amsterdam
Apr 2010 – Jul 2011 Secretary of the executive board (fulltime) WSV Ceres, Wageningen 2007-2010
Graphic designer
Minor Landscape Architecture at Technical University Delft Sep 2006 – Aug 2007 BSc. International Land- & Watermanagement Wageningen University, Wageningen Sep 2000 – Aug 2006
VWO Beta: Nature & Health (pre-university education) Stellingwerf College, Oosterwolde (NL)
Professional experience
Other knowledge and skills
Sep 2012 – present Receptionist Plant Sciences Group Radix Wageningen University, Wageningen Jul 2013 – Dec 2013 Intern Urban Planning Grontmij Hubei, Wuhan, China
Computer: Language:
Feb 2013 – Jun 2013
Project Manager Academic Consultancy Training, Wageningen University, Wageningen
Oct 2012 – Jun 2013
Project Member Counseling & Recruiting Unit, Wageningen University, Wageningen
Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Google Sketchup, AutoCAD, Microsoft Office, Endnote Dutch (native), English (fluent speech and writing), French & German (basic speech and writing), Indonesian (beginner), Mandarin (beginner)
Activities: Bass guitar player in various bands, running, drawing and Photoshop.
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INTERN URBAN PLANNING Grontmij, Wuhan China 2013 My main requirement for the internship was to be part of a large engineering company in a high dynamic environment. The 5 months position at Grontmij in China provided me exactly the challenge I was aiming for. In all projects I was part of teams of around 8 members. Due to the language barrier at times we communicated through drawings and gestures rather than spoken word. As a benefit this situation motivated me to learn basic Mandarin. I gained significant working experience at this high level engineering company and the fast paced Chinese market. My work proved to be sufficient as it was graded with 8.2/10. My contribution was to mainly three projects; an extensive study about the difference in landscape architecture between The Netherlands and China (article published in TOPOS Magazine), Gedian urban planning project and Zuoling Financial Center (1st price in design competition). The images on the right illustrate the Gedian project in which I was involved from beginning to end. I was responsible for the landscape analysis on which we based the master plan. The landscape design features the original mosaic landscape synchronized with new urban lifestyle and water purification techniques. The images on the right page illustrate the design process for the master plan (start top left, follow clockwise). In this project I worked extensively in AutoCAD. Page 7 displays the Zuoling project. The design concept is two green axes that embed the new financial center and urban dwellings in the surrounding landscape. Characteristics of the original landscape are reflected in the new urban fabric. Again I profoundly used AutoCAD to draw plans and detailed sections.
The Grontmij staff and I (photo) and a detailed design for Gedian waterfront
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1. Landscape analysis: current roads follow lay of the land
2. Color pencil plan: structure of new roads based on landscape analysis
4. Final plan: AutoCAD + Photoshop
3. AutoCAD master plan
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INTERN URBAN PLANNING (2)
Design sketch for Gedian waterfront detail...
...drafted in AutoCAD...
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...and completed in Photoshop.
Concept sketch for Zuoling project
Master plan drafted in AutoCAD...
...and completed in Photoshop.
Detailed section of financial center
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GOTONG ROYONG - WORKING TOGETHER MSc thesis, Wageningen University 2014 Jakarta/Puncak, Indonesia As a counterpart of my work in China I got interested in bottom-up approaches in landscape architecture. Hence, in my master thesis I examined the effectiveness of participatory environmental planning (PEP) in developing countries. As a case study I selected the Jakarta delta and its repetitive flooding caused by e.g. garbage dumping. Local communities adjacent to the Ciliwung River got involved in several participatory design workshops. The research resulted in a general method which helps communities to clean the river and enhance their living environment simultaneously.
JAKARTA
To increase project capacity I collaborated with a Chinese co-student, the Agricultural University of Bogor (IPB) and a local NGO. I stayed two months in Indonesia to collect data in the field. Initially we wanted to study slums (i.e. Kampungs) in Jakarta City, however the potential of PEP in the upstream area was not investigated yet. Therefore we got interested in Puncak, the upstream area which is facing significant urbanization due to expansion of the Jakarta Metropolitan Area (see illustration on the right page). This leaves local Kampung communities to treat their environment in a different way as usual. Garbage is being dumped into the river and forests are badly managed. For this research we engaged the community of Kampung Gunung Mas in PEP. This Kampung is submerged in the negative effects of urbanization in Puncak; surface hardening, garbage dumping and unsustainable tourism. Another reason for selecting this Kampung was its inclusion in a regional community development lead by IPB.
PUNCAK
Thesis research setup
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The Jakarta delta, this research emphasized on the upstream area or so-called Puncak
1990
Section of Kampung Gunung Mas
2012
Illustration of urbanization in Puncak from 1990 (upper image) until 2012
Map of Kampung Gunung Mas
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GOTONG ROYONG - WORKING TOGETHER (2) A heterogeneous sample of 10% of the Kampung community participated in a three day workshop and several action days. We found that by engaging local communities in an interactive workshop process the community took action to enhance their environment. This resulted in an environment development plan as displayed to the right. The progress of Kampung Gunung Mas proved to be of significant inspiration to the adjacent Kampung as this community copied the PEP method and achieved similar success. This helped us to generalize our findings and to derive design principles from which we could draft several landscape designs. For example, the plans propose to reuse plastics and other garbage to construct terraces for agroforestry purposes. In time this plan will clean the river while at the same time benefiting the local economy. Hence, the community has incentive to continue implementing their plans. The method is being adopted in the regional community development program of IPB. Finally, we presented the research results to the Indonesian embassy in the Hague where our work was critically acclaimed by various experts in engineering and development.
Photos of the workshop, garbage in the river and community action
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The environment development plan; the pasted drawings indicate different actions in several hotspots (colored dots)
Design principles derived from the PEP workshops
Impression of the Kampung with reused bottles
Drawings which illustrate reuse of garbage to construct terraces
Plan detail of the desired Kampung
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ENERGY IN DIVERSITY Master Atelier, Wageningen University 2013 Assignment This project was conducted for a municipality in Brabant, The Netherlands. The client wished to find new ways to utilize the renewable energy potential of the landscape. The project consisted of a consulting part (team of 5 members in which I was project manager) and an individual design part. Approach The landscape in the municipality originally consists of a great landscape diversity. The team analysed renewable energy potentials of different land use types and compared this to the energy demand of the municipality. The results got published in a report and the work was graded with 8/10. Design proposal In the individual phase I proposed a design for renewable energy from stream valleys. The streams need to cope with increasing amounts of runoff, the water dynamics provide great conditions for certain energy crops such as reeds. In addition, the stream valleys become a fascinating landscape in which visitors can experience nature and the production of renewable energy. My individual work was graded with 8/10.
Impression of energy production from the landscape
Upstream
Middle stream
Downstream
Table of the energy potential of different land use types
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Concept of biomass energy potentials at different stages of the stream valley
Normal situation
0m
100m
High water level
Plan map, birds eye view and impression of dynamic stream valley
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WELCOME TO SPANGENPARK Minor Landscape Architecture, TU Delft 2011
Assignment To gain more design experience I enrolled in the minor Landscape Architecture at TU Delft. The first design studio commissioned the students to design a park in the neighbourhood of Spangen in Rotterdam. The design should include several architectural follies to provide interesting places. Approach For the design concept I analysed the historic maps of Spangen and I reintroduced the original polder. To provide different program for different users I divided the park into three different zones; landscape park, polderpark and a new urban space. Design proposal The plan proposes to reintroduce part of the polder to gain cultural awareness. In the polder a petting zoo will be established (see right page). The zoo includes a shed which is one of the architectural follies. In order to design the shed I conducted a study on basic principles of architecture.
Impression of the south side entrance
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Master plan of the park
Impression of the petting zoo garden
Axonometry of the shed
Concept design of the folly
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FRAME THE LANDSCAPE Minor Landscape Architecture, TU Delft 2012 Assignment In the second design studio of the minor at TU Delft, the assignment is to redesign the Schieveensepolder at the edge of Rotterdam. Key elements were nature conservation, stability of agriculture and increased tourism. Approach Since a polder is known for its complex water system I studied its water levels and flow directions. This leads to an ecological purification system which cleans the surrounding eutrophic water (caused by agriculture). The oligotrophic water is used to purify adjacent nature conservation areas. Design proposal The polder is framed by a double line of characteristic trees (Fraxinus excelsior). In this way the polder gains a stronger identity. The purification system is also used for tourist activities and a bicycle path throughout the design connects the polder to the regional recreation network.
Nature reserve
Sections of the frame and the water purification system
Agricultural land
Recreation space
Water purification system
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Birds eye view of the polder design
NATURAL PLAYGROUNDS BSc thesis, Wageningen University 2011 Assignment It is a growing trend that children in Dutch cities spent less time playing outdoors. This increases the rate of obesity. In addition, children are expected to lose touch with nature. My objective was to introduce natural playgrounds in De Baarsjes in Amsterdam; one of the districts with the highest urban density in The Netherlands. Approach Due to the high urban density I explored the potential of minimal spaces to become playgrounds. From literature study it is understood that children explore and venture throughout an area. Therefore I connected the tiny playgrounds by childroutes, which could be safely and independently explored by children.
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Chil
Design proposal I designed several playgrounds with specific distance from each other. The radius is based on the maximum walking distance of a 6-10 years old child. The playground designs propose small interventions, increases the amount of vegetation and stimulates the imagination of children.
Impression of the childroute
Concept design of interconnected playgrounds (up) and a detailed plan of the childroute
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RESIDE IN RIVER LANDSCAPES Design Studio, Wageningen University 2009 Assignment The objective for this design studio was to incorporate 100 residential units in the town of Driel. The town is located at the banks of the Rhine river. Approach In the landscape analysis I emphasized the quality of the surrounding river landscape. The dynamics in water levels surely was likely to be an interesting location to realize the residential units. Design proposal The design proposes new ways of living with the river instead of hiding behind the dikes. I placed the units at the edge of the water to accentuate the river banks and to provide high quality living. Analysis of river dynamics and flood prone areas
Impression of main boardwalk (up) and detailed plans of units at the riverbanks
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Plan map
HAND DRAWINGS
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thomasdvandenberg@gmail.com
+31 6 13 18 69 52