‘This minor has really shown me that I want to focus more on the social side of design!’

Mafalda Veiga (20) from Mozambique made a deliberate choice to study at Hanze University of Applied Sciences in Groningen. After starting in Fine Arts, she switched to Spatial Design at Minerva Academy, where she discovered her passion for architecture. Now already in her third year, she is following the minor Urban Regeneration, which has definitely broadened her perspective on the field. A study trip to Hamburg sparked her interest in public spaces and the social aspects of design.

'I was actually thinking of doing an internship, but when I took a look at the minors Urban Regeneration, I changed my mind. During the Spatial Design subjects at Minerva, we don't really do a lot of research. At least not very in-depth research or any studies regarding urban study. So that was what really stood out for me. I was looking forward having this extra education that I don't get in my course. The Urban Regeneration minor really stood out as it related to something architectural.

Initially I had a different expectation the minor. I thought it was going to be really intensive when it came to research. But I was pleasantly surprised that it's very doable work, also because you get great support and I really enjoyed it. I really got interested in public spaces and the psychology behind the layout and working with that. A class that really stood out for me is Resilient Communities, which is basically integrating yourself with the people that live in an area. It's about talking to people, doing  meaningful routing, asking where they go and how they move around the space. I really enjoyed the social side of it. I didn't know that I was interested in the field like that, and now I will definitely follow through with that kind of work and career in the future. So it's a very motivating course and showed me more possibilities in prospect of my career.

One of the highlights of this minor is the trip to Hamburg. Before the trip, we formed teams and had a team-building day to prepare for the Hamburg trip. We were doing a project with the HafenCity area in Hamburg and the outcome of the trip had to be a video about the research of the area. You had to pick a subject that interested you, for example sustainability or flood control. You spend a whole day going around with your group for the project, interviewing people, filming, doing scenic shots, it was a lot of fun and such a good team-building exercise. It was the first time doing something like this for all of us, but you could really just roll with each other and have fun. We stayed in the same hostel, and we even had an ex-student of the minor come help us prepare for the interviews. We all did well with the finals and everybody got a good grade.

Right now, I'm done with the theory part of my studies, because the fourth year is the year you write your thesis. But this minor has really shown me that I want to focus more on public spaces and the social side of design in the future!'