From Cottages to Concrete: Exchanges with North America in 1960s Finnish architecture through the work of Heikki & Mirja Castrén

The 1960s in Finland were a period of experimentation with concrete, steel, and color, that coincided with a period of rapid economic growth and urbanization. In the building industry, the role of the architect evolved to become a civil servant in a way, entrusted to alleviate shortages in housing and commercial space. Heikki Castrén and his...

Modernistic Buitenveldert: Change in perception

The 1960s Amsterdam neighbourhood of Buitenveldert, with its radical open and green layout, has an appearance quite dissimilar to that of the city’s centre. Visiting my grandparents there since I was a little child, has always sparked my interest and made me curious about its history and evolution after almost 65 years of existence. Therefore,...

The paradox of a modernist craftsman: Marcel Breuer - the mass-produced craftsman masterpiece

Marcel Breuer is an iconic figure not only in the world of architecture but also in design. The interesting turn in his career and his professional journey from a craftsman to a designer and later to an architect gives a very good example of the important role of craft in architecture. The following paper analyses selected projects from the...

The architecture of the open office in the twentieth-century: Exploring the spatial configurations of the open floor plan in offices As example the Johnson Wax Headquarters and Centraal Beheer Office

In this thesis the modern office typology will be the main object of this research. Giving an answer to the question: how did the open floor plan in offices emerge in the twentieth century? The buildings Johnson Wax Headquarters (1939) by Frank Lloyd Wright and Centraal Beheer Apeldoorn (1972) by Herman Hertzberger will be analysed to illustrate...

Charlotte Perriand – from machinal design to craftsmanship: The change of Perriand’s design perspective through time

This thesis investigates the life of Charlotte Perriand. Specifically her ideas on design and architecture. At the beginning of her career being inspired by the industry and machines and later inspired by natural forms and materials.<br/>The primary source is the autobiography of Perriand, where she has explained first-hand her relationships...

Tahrir Square: The Pulse of Egyptian Identity: By Examining Egypt In 1900s As A French Post-colonial Nation, to what extent did Tahrir square become a symbol of Egyptian Identity

“Squares, boulevards, Favelas, refugee camps - have served throughout history as the setting for political protest and revolt.”(Weizman et al., 2015). These protests play a vital role in identifying what societal and political views a population uphold. Architecture is usually a representation of societal views, incidents and political...

What They Left Behind: The influence of Jewish architects on Gdynia’s built environment during the Interwar period (1918-1939).

The Second Republic of Poland (1918-1939) was hopeful of rebuilding the nation. The country regained its independence after 123 years and got shaped by newly distributed borders in the Treaty of Riga. Following, 35% of the population identified themselves as ethnic minorities (14% Ukrainians, 10% Jews, 3% Belarusians and 2% Germans). The...

Daylight and archtitecture: The role of daylight in modernist architecture

In this history thesis, the role and use of daylight within modernist architecture is explained. Daylight differs not only throughout the day, but also in lattitude. This causes a different approach to the organization and shaping of a building, which is dependent on geography, culture and climate. On the basis of a comparative study, the...