The Generation ReGeneration Thesis Lab has officially begun, offering students an immersive start through a series of field excursions that connect theory with practice in regenerative development.
The programme opened with a visit to the South Holland Delta, where students were joined by landscape architecture students from the Academy of Architecture. During the excursion, participants explored the region’s dynamic landscape and engaged with pressing themes including tidal systems, salinization, climate change, biodiversity, and the future of regenerative agriculture and architecture. These insights will inform the students’ thesis work, in which they are invited to envision how the Delta region could evolve over the next century under regenerative approaches to the economy, housing, agriculture, nature, and water management.
Building on this foundation, the group visited the regenerative farm WIJdehorst. Founder Erwin de Jong shared the story behind the farm, which he and his wife Marlijn de Jong began developing three years ago. Situated on land leased from the citizen cooperative Land van Ons, WIJdehorst serves as a living example of regenerative principles in action. Students observed hands-on practices such as composting, mulching, and efforts to enhance soil health and biodiversity.
The visit also created space for dialogue with knowledge partners, including Suzanne van der Velde and Sjoerd van Kempen. As students further refined their thesis topics, discussions focused on ecological systems, syntropic farming, and emerging business models within regenerative frameworks.
The excursion concluded with informal conversations in the sun, marking an inspiring step in the students’ journey as they begin shaping their research within the Generation ReGeneration Thesis Lab.
