Design is a process. Time, space, and context guide it. But then there’s the spark—ideas, concepts, visions. They shape the future if we take them seriously. What’s the future we’re shaping now? Especially in places like the Lower Rhine Bay, where the current lifestyle is, well, unsustainable. Think brown coal mining, CO₂ emissions, endless highways, mountains of waste. No way this holds up long-term.
Enter the idea of a regional circular economy. Picture it—local production, renewable materials, multi-purpose buildings that let you live, work, create, and connect all in one space. It’s about thriving, with ecological and social resilience baked in.
Big questions, though. What’s our relationship with nature? What will our cities need to look like? What should we produce? How do we want to move around? Can we turn construction waste into something useful? Can furniture come from renewable materials?
This book dives into those questions. Illustrated answers, thought-provoking diagrams (yes, I designed those), and a foundation for shaping the future of sustainable living. It’s not just theory—it’s a call to rethink, reimagine, and rebuild. For life. For the planet. For all of us.
© Photos: Barbara Hoidn
© Bamboo furniture designs: Hoidn Wang Partner © Photos: Majo Ertel