The academic research in the Q-factor Research Program focuses on the influence of Dutch place quality advisory practices. Current information can be found in the posts, category ‘scientific research’.

In 2012, the Q-factor research program started. As little research could be found on place quality advisory practices in the Netherlands, the first aim was to open up the black box of these advisory practices. The first inventory (2012-2014) resulted in an atlas containing 139 q-teams and several essays. These results shed light on the amount and diversity of these teams. It offered a first glimpse of the possible contribution of these teams to spatial planning and design. In short, place quality advisory practices were defined as interdisciplinary and discretionary design governance practices aimed at developing, enhancing and  preserving place quality as a defined public interest.

See publication ‘Q-factor’, Uitgeverij Blauwdruk (only in Dutch).

In 2017 we started two parallel PhD-projects at the TU Delft.

  • José van Campen conducts her research from a planning perspective, under supervision of Prof. Dr. Wil Zonneveld (TU Delft, Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment) and Prof. Dr. Dominic Stead (Aalto University, Department of Built Environment, TU Delft, Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment).
  • Sandra van Assen adopts a spatial design perspective, under supervision of Prof. Dr. Wil Zonneveld (TU Delft, Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment) and Dr. Ir. Marina Bos-de Vos (TU Delft, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering).

Photo: José van Campen, Wil Zonneveld, Sandra van Assen, Marina Bos-de Vos, Dominic Stead.