The idea of home, while uniquely personal and familiar to each person, is somewhat elusive. Despite its intangibility, it captivated my interest. Returning from living abroad, I was figuring out what home means to me, and this made me think about how this feeling of home is reflected in current housing design. My interest in the concept of home deepened, partly due to my research on home ownership in Amsterdam during the first weeks of this graduation studio. As I discovered, ownership can manifest in different things, such as owning property or as a feeling known as mental ownership. It is a tricky concept: how do you turn that intangible feeling of home into something one can grasp and understand? At which scale does the feeling of home operate? Is it primarily at the individual dwelling or building levels, or does it extend to the broader city?

The architectural history thesis "Building a legacy brick by brick: The Metzelaars contribution to Courthouse Architecture in the Netherlands during the 19th and 20th Century" investigates the impact of Johan Frederik Metzelaar and Willem Cornelis Metzelaar on the design and construction of courthouses in the Netherlands. The thesis poses the research question, "What did father and son Metzelaar contribute to courthouse architecture in the Netherlands?" The four case studies in this thesis delve into the design and history of courthouses, examining the architectural style, spatial program, layout, and function of the buildings. Additionally, the research considers the historical context in which the Metzelaars worked, including the architecture style debate of the 19th century.
The study fills a gap in the literature on the Metzelaars and their impact on courthouse architecture using a combination of primary and secondary literature, archival research, and site visits.
Overall, this thesis provides valuable insights into the evolution of courthouse architecture in the Netherlands during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It highlights the role of the Metzelaars in shaping the architectural landscape of the country, while also providing a historical context for their work.