Grasp - parametric tool for Land-Link

For years, the number of agricultural businesses in the Netherlands has been declining under the influence of scaled economies and lack of succession. As unused and outdated buildings deteriorate overtime due to changing environment, retired farmers end up dealing with the cost of mandatory remediation due to postponement of these types of locations. Therefore, we need a solution that will help farmers tackle major environmental challenges and agricultural problems. We need to get a better grip on the footprint of building and living. To reduce that impact, and to offset it in a meaningful way, locally, for example by investing in improving the surrounding landscape.

Along with Woonpioniers, H+N+S landscape architects and Revolution Development, GG-loop developed GRASP: an innovative ‘footprint calculator’ for the small or large-scale development of residential programs and habitat. GRASP provides an interactive and visual insight into the complex footprint of building and living, based on scientific facts, for all parties involved in the development process. In this way, it shows in real time what are the outcomes of certain choices and how they are interrelated.

GRASP is part of the approach that we have developed within the project: Landlink, which focuses specifically on the development vision for agricultural businesses (VABs) and tackles a number of major social challenges as a catalyst: climate change, the current environmental and agricultural issues, the energy transition, aging, isolation and the lack of housing in the Netherlands. Landlink operates as a “Landlink Development Fund” (LLOF) and works closely with local farmers, future residents and governments on the revitalization of our living environment and creating green, lively housing systems in connection with the landscape.

Within Landlink, we provide spatial insight into the environmental impact of building homes and life in those homes through GRASP. The goal of GRASP is to initiate a sustainable system change in area development and invest in improving the surrounding landscapes. Therefore, we can understand what the impact of our actions are and how we can reduce and compensate for that impact in a sustainable way. We aim to use the urgent global housing demand to foster new regenerative living environments in a balanced connection with Nature.