The premise of this thesis is not to prescribe what architecture should do, but to explore how it might be thought and experienced. This inquiry focuses on an often overlooked minor art: the rural architecture of the Po Valley, materialized in the cascine – entities that, beyond their dwelling function, preserve the historical memory of a territory.

The concept of assemblage (agencement) developed by Deleuze and Guattari proves remarkably effective in analysing these heterogeneous structures. Far from being a theoretical imposition, this contemporary approach dialogues surprisingly with classical architectural treatises, which already described how different parts should relate to form a coherent body. These two strands of thought, although separated by centuries, converge in a vision of architecture as a system of relationships rather than a static object.

The multiplicities of events that animated the cascine find in Deleuzian thought a revelatory interpretive key, while their spatial organization recalls ancient architectural principles. In these deeply functional principles, a symbiotic relationship with the territory manifests itself, perfectly mirroring the notion of assemblage: not a simple aggregation of parts, but a continuous process of relationships between heterogeneous elements that maintain their identity while forming a coherent whole.

This perspective invites us to reconsider all architecture: are we not all bodies that maintain constant relationships? Every entity is composite, made of elements different in nature and quality that do not simply merge, but coexist in productive tension. What defines these bodies is not a presumed intrinsic unity but the relationships they establish with other bodies, places, and environments. Against the classical ideal of the one, contemporary philosophies propose a complex structure that does not presuppose an a priori unity, but recognizes and values the constitutive multiplicity of every phenomenon.

The thesis will methodically explore the various concepts that compose this vision of architecture as assemblage, tracing their meanings and interconnections. This is not merely a terminological exposition, but an investigation that, in illustrating these concepts, makes them operative – because understanding architecture means, ultimately, entering into a relationship with it.

The main aim of this thesis is to investigate the role and relevance that architecture has (and can have) in facilitating the spatial production of festival spaces. It aims to demonstrate that festival spaces serve as ideal locations for experimenting with spatial relationships and architecture itself – through its expression and collective appropriation -which can have transformative effects on spaces of the everyday, guided by the disruptive nature of the festival.

The intention is to construct a designbrief for a permanent festival terrain in which the dialogue between people, place, society, and time can be constantly re-imagined through its fluid architecture—offering fertile ground for discussion on architecture’s role in the facilitation of festival spaces, how they inform the design, use, andorganisation of everyday spaces, and how they stimulate collective design processes.Ultimately, this project seeks
to enact architecture as a facilitator of dialogue, a medium for questioning and reshaping spatial relationships through the lens of festival spaces.

The Local Taste introduces a slow cooking project: a productive garden and cooking residency. It explores how locally grown food and the act of gardening hold the power to reconnect humans with their ecosystems. Set on a small German farm, the design brings together the disciplines of gardening and cooking, blurring the line between architecture and landscape. Rooted in the local soil, bricks fired on-site become the main design element—framing beds, retaining slopes, and forming a greenhouse, kitchen, and infrastructure for compost and water. These cycles, along with the human workflow, guide the redesign of the farm and the shaping of the garden. The brick becomes the link between old and new, house and landscape, cultivation and care. A curated experience that invites for reconnection through growing, processing, and tasting locally grown food.

Due to the practicality and inexpensive nature of synthetics, large quantities of wool are going
to waste. One practical application to avoid such waste could be in architecture, as wool has
been established as a durable material that offers protection against the elements. However,
most uses of wool in Dutch architecture are especially limited to interior decoration or small
use of hidden insulation. This research will analyze how wool could be used as an architectural
material by looking at the aesthetic value of wool as a product in the different shearing layers
of change in a building as proposed by Brand. By using the experiment-by-design method, it
will attempt to measure aesthetic experience through surveys. The resulting prototypes will
be used to show how wool can be useful in architecture according to its aesthetic value.

The thesis Post-Military Landscapes explores the adaptive reuse of a former military compound in Pardubice, Czechia. The site is examined through the lenses of its past, present, and potential future to uncover its values, assess its cultural significance, and articulate the rationale for its transformation. Drawing on insights from relevant case studies, I identified key principles that inform successful adaptive reuse. In the design proposal, I chose to repurpose the central part of the compound into an educational facility. This involved exploring the concepts of traditional and progressive schooling and investigating how reused buildings can contribute to meaningful and dynamic learning environments.

The research explores the impact of rapid infrastructural growth on Elephanta island and the informal economy that exists there. Located at the intersection of heritage, mass tourism, and sacred architecture.

Europe needs to redefine the way architecture is being built, and also, more importantly, renovated. That is the case also for Poland, with a large stock of degraded housing.
This research explores the potential of bio-based materials and strategies in retrofitting Polish inter-war masonry tenement housing, focusing on circularity while addressing technical requirements, user needs and maintaining historical integrity. Through literature review, market research, cataloguing, and interviews with professionals, the study identifies key challenges in energy efficiency, moisture management, and user satisfaction, proposing bio-based materials such as wood, hemp, flax, wood fibre, straw and many others as effective solutions.
The design focuses on one of the buildings along Grochowska street in Warsaw, with an intention that it could be easily applied to other bildings of the same typology, numerous in the capital. A timber-based structure system is proposed in key interventions to the building, adding new usable space for the residents along with energy retrofitting. Custom timber joinery was developed for that purpose, dawing inspiration from japanese and polsh craftmenship.
The findings of the research emphasize the importance of navigating technical requirements with user preferences, which include affordability, comfort, and adaptability. By addressing these factors, bio-based solutions offer significant advantages in reducing environmental impact of the refurbishment action while enhancing living conditions. To bridge the gap between innovative practices and real-world application, the study also develops a guidebook and materials catalogue, providing accessible knowledge base about biobased renovation strategies to homeowners, designers, and policymakers.
This work contributes to renewable building practices by demonstrating how bio-based strategies can meet both ecological and practical demands, offering a path toward decarbonizing and futureproofing Poland’s aging housing stock.

This project explores the intersection of vocal expression, architecture, and AI to create personalized, expressive architectural designs that translate the unique vocal patterns of individuals into geometric and spatial forms. By combining spectrography, systemic analysis, and parametric design tools, this work redefines how voice can shape physical space. Inspired by the work of Iannis Xenakis, the project seeks to design an interactive architectural space that allows users to experience their own voices in a tangible, creative way, fostering a deeper connection between individuals and their environments. A fictional narrative, featuring tools like the Aesthetimeter, serves as an allegorical framework for exploring the translation of intangible vocal aesthetics into architectural form. This approach blends advanced technology with a narrative-driven exploration of how sound and space intersect. Additionally, the project emphasizes the preservation of human identity and authenticity in an increasingly automated world, prompting for a more expressive, human-centric design process. Ultimately, the project seeks to redefine the role of the human voice in architecture, carving out a space for creative self-expression in a world at the precipice of AI and automation.

This research explores how architecture can cultivate open spatial conditions that promote equal opportunities and foster new connections. Through a multidimensional approach, the study investigates the complex relationship between social and physical space, highlighting the influence of globalisation, neoliberalism, and urban development on spatial experiences. Drawing from theorists such as Lefebvre, Sennet and Harvey, and architects such as Pallasmaa, van Eyck and Hertzberger, the research introduces a human-centered framework—the Human Triad—comprising sensory design, architectural affordances, and space-time variations. This triad emphasizes the role of multi-sensory experiences, dynamic spatial interactions, and the adaptability of architecture over time. By designing spaces that encourage diverse interactions and perceptions, architects can contribute to more inclusive, flexible, and socially engaging environments. The study ultimately advocates for a shift away from rigid, standardized architecture toward a design philosophy that embraces openness, multiplicity, and human diversity in the built environment.

In a world full of consumerism, climate change, and capitalism, we face a crisis in how we relate to the world around us. Indigenous values offer a new way forward. This graduation project responds to the task laid out for practitioners to include Indigenous values in the practice. It does so by turning to the values of the Sámi people, the Indigenous people of the North and explores how this can inform architecture.
Because of my unfamiliarity with Sámi practices and beliefs at the start of this project, I looked for an alternative to the Eurocentric design frameworks, which often overlook alternative narratives or oversimplify representations. To include these different stories, there was a need to embrace the unfamiliar and employ this knowledge to design a world in which many worlds fit. This led me to the overarching question: How to make space for the Other? By engaging in interdisciplinary literature analysis and design-for-values frameworks, I gathered tools to make values tangible and translate them into architecture. Through this methodology, I intended to be very attuned to Sámi values and make inexplicit steps of the design process very explicit.
These ideas are grounded in the urban context of Tromsø, Norway—a city with limited visible Sámi representation outside of its touristic identity. Through four site-specific interventions, the Fish-Leather House, the Kitchen, the Weaving House, and the Summer Workshop and its Sheds, this project is a creative collection of practical places and relations, a set of activity spaces. They are not fixed but shaped by the times and contexts in which people engage with them, allowing for a space to find community, speak the language, transfer practical knowledge and reclaim Sámi spaces. Each space embodies core Sámi values: craftsmanship, community, care, and indigenuity.
This project is a continuous exploration of how to engage with the people you are designing for and a reflexive positioning on the role of the architect. The insights gained throughout this process not only informed my design outcomes but also encouraged a deeper understanding of how values shape practices. It emphasises that how we work is just as important as the outcome.

As urban space becomes increasingly tight and compressed, cemeteries have slowly withdrawn from our daily lives from the highly open public spaces in history. If cemeteries remain as they are, they may become completely inaccessible in the future, leaving people without a common memorial space. In order to cope with this possible future and status quo, I combined new technologies and urban renewal to come up with a conceptual vision of a new prototype for the cemetery.

This thesis explores the relationship between architecture and water in the Netherlands, focusing on how architecture can enhance the sublime experience of water in the Biesbosch. The concluding words of H. Marsman’s poem “Memory of Holland” – "And in all the regions, the voice of the water is dreaded and heard" – express the Dutch mentality towards water as a continuous battle. While the construction of the Deltaworks and the transformation of wetlands into polders may seem to show the victory of this battle, it raises the question: should we continue to adopt such a violent attitude towards water? Throughout history, water has been depicted in literature, art, and folklore not only as a destructive force but also as a source of life, imagination, and renewal. This duality aligns with the experience of the Sublime: a powerful tension Between awe and fear, urging reflection on our place within the greater natural world, while offering the possibility of spiritual engagement beyond institutionalized religion. This research addresses how architecture can create a meaningful relationship with water by examining Dutch attitudes towards water, exploring artworks and literature, and analysing the physical experience of water through fieldwork, mapping, and the study of natural processes. It also investigates water-related architectural case studies to understand how built environments can reflect and enhance the sublime qualities of water. The findings suggest that sublime architecture should embrace natural processes, acknowledging the frightening and discomforting aspects they may evoke. To deeply engage visitors, architecture should both harmonize with and challenge existing perceptions of self and place. By doing so, the dual nature of water can shift from a source of fear to one of sublime reflection.

In the pragmatic arena of architecture, where the foundation is laid in the tangible and the functional, a profound shift is underway—a shift that beckons architects to transcend the boundaries of practicality and engage with the ephemeral, speculative, and culturally resonant facets of their craft. In an era dominated by instant gratification, fleeting trends, and the constant flux of digital imagery, architecture finds itself at a crossroads. Traditionally anchored in permanence, architects have been steadfast in their commitment to designing tangible spaces that cater to human needs. Yet, in their pursuit of practicality, the discipline has inadvertently distanced itself from the nuanced realms of imagination, experimentation, and cultural discourse. As architects ardently focus on the physicality of their creations, the discipline witnesses a gradual erosion of its once vibrant and visionary dimensions. The pace of architectural innovation seems to lag behind the relentless evolution of societal values, aesthetic preferences, and cultural dynamics. The dichotomy between the practical and the theoretical persists, with the former often overshadowing the latter in an environment increasingly defined by rigidity and tradition. Amidst this tension, the need for a revival of discussions surrounding the aesthetic and cultural relevance of architecture becomes apparent. The relentless march of pop culture, marked by the ephemeral nature of Instagram reels and Tik- Tok trends, demands a recalibration of architectural discourse. It is imperative to acknowledge that innovation in architecture transcends the merely practical; it must also navigate the realms of beauty, culture, and the human experience within the built environment. In this context, ArchPOP emerges as a beacon—a platform that seeks to bridge the chasm between the pragmatic and the speculative, the tangible and the ephemeral. By drawing inspiration from the world of fashion, where the interplay of theory and practice is seamlessly woven into the fabric of creativity, ArchPOP aims to reintroduce the cultural relevance of architecture in an age dominated by disposable images and ever-shifting trends. As we navigate through the following exploration, we delve into the symbiotic relationship between architecture and fashion, examining how the latter navigates the cultural zeitgeist with unparalleled agility and applying the same treatment to the architecture realm. It is an invitation to architects to reevaluate their roles, to recognise that the discipline is not a solitary endeavour but a collective activity. ArchPOP reclaims the tradition of radical architecture magazines that embodied the spirit of the 60s and 70s. This issue aims to re-contextualise the progressive and bold positions animating these publications, delving into contemporary topics and engaging with the digital ages. The physicality and the immediateness of the magazine format allows architecture to be part of the everyday, easing the dissemination of information and drawing inspiration form to the variety of fashion editorials that to this day play an essential role in the industry, experimenting with aesthetic and fostering collaborations. Join us in this manifesto for change—a call to architects to embrace the dynamic interplay between the practical and the theoretical, the tangible and the speculative. In the relentless stream of information and the transient currents of pop culture, ArchPOP seeks to rekindle the flame of innovation in architecture, fostering a holistic approach that resonates with the ever-evolving desires of a society living in the whirlwind of the digital age.

1.7 Earths currently, 3 in the next decade.
That is the worth of resources that we are using yearly, and the estimated doubling of it,
by the end of the following decade. Two-thirds out of all those extracted resources end up as waste.
It’s kind of ironic and paradoxical that we go to all that trouble to obtain these valuable resources and materials, design them, form them to become something, just to become nothing, worthless, waste, by a simple toss into the garbage bin.
But one can be wasteful only in abundance - this abundance, however, breeds a carelessness towards consumption, accumulation, and ultimately, destruction.
This is an exploratory (design) thesis that delves into how to reevaluate waste conceptualization, and what would be needed for a collective to do so. How to create a space where the Ethos of Care and Repair becomes (one of) the method(s) of this reconceptualization, and rethinking relationship with waste.

For several decades, architectural theorists have argued that there is a loss of meaning in architecture, caused by an over-emphasis on scientific thinking and the devaluing of poetic practices. Some theorists have presented ways to return meaning to architecture: Juhani Pallasmaa has called for empathic imagination and Alberto Perez-Gomez for attuned architecture. However, neither has offered methods for how to achieve those ends.

This research aims to bridge theory and practice by developing methods for attuning to a location and its inhabitants. It focuses on ways to become attuned to a place and people, in order to imagine spaces empathically and tailor architecture to the affective qualities of a place.

To best develop methods that identify these qualities, this research looks at familiar places, that is, places we assume to know well and therefore may overlook distinctive features. Accordingly, I have focussed on Brigflatts, my childhood neighbourhood in rural England.

I develop methods for attuning in two ways. First, by drawing upon three fields and their related methods: cognitive science and sensory mapping; anthropology and collaborative design ethnography; and architecture and reflections on atmospheres. Second, by creating physical objects that translate qualities and experiences of place into an interactive form.

My exploration of Brigflatts culminates in four large-format paintings that express what I became attuned to. I deconstruct and analyse these paintings to indicate how the on-site activities provided insights into the affective qualities of the location.

While this research looked at a familiar, rural location, I show how the methods elaborated at Brigflatts can be adapted to less familiar and urban environments. I discuss their broader application through a set of guiding principles for methods of attunement.

The research findings feed into a design project set at Brigflatts. “The Quaker Project at Brigflatts” seeks to re-activate a historically and spiritually significant site while balancing the needs of the faith group, the national park planning authority, and the locals living nearby.

Through this project, I explore how architecture can be attuned to a place and a people – how social behaviours, material bodies, and affective qualities can inform the design of new spaces and new experiences of the site and the protected landscape. I ground this project in a real-life scenario, responding to the Quaker testimonies and the National Park’s development requirements. In doing so, I envision a future of development in the Yorkshire Dales that protects cultural heritage, progresses building techniques, and offers a contemporary architecture attuned to its locality.

This project in Rotterdam, centered on the Meent, represents a new beginning for revitalizing the city with a Symbiocene mindset through architectural design. As urban populations grow, biodiversity declines and technology advances exponentially, it's imperative to address how we interact with our environment. The Manifesto advocates for eight key relationships to usher in the Symbiocene era: celebrate, master, connect, shelter, concert, make, recede, and familiarize.

The architectural design project aims to foster these relationships within a residential setting by renovating existing post-war buildings into a new kind of living space. The goal is to create an environment where residents can experience and cultivate these relationships through their daily lives.

The design includes various apartment typologies, including cohousing, within the renovated post-war block. The building is transformed into a canopy-like structure by removing internal boundaries and rewilding the courtyard, encouraging interaction with the living environment. Public access from the Meent side invites passersby to engage with the space, while the open grid scaffolding at the back provides a dynamic area where humans, non-humans, and more-than-humans can coexist and learn from one another.

Transitioning to the eight relationships detailed in the Manifesto:

Celebrate – Recognize and appreciate the gifts of our environment, inspired by Robin Wall Kimmerer's concept of the Earth's gift economy. It calls for a celebration of Gaia, fostering gratitude and reverence for nature.
Master – Continuous learning and the pursuit of knowledge are crucial for understanding our environment. This relationship emphasizes an ongoing quest for understanding and mastery of our world.
Connect – Engage with the environment through sensory experiences and active participation to foster respect and responsibility towards nature.
Shelter – Balance protection and security with interaction with the natural world, avoiding isolation from the environment.
Concert – Collaborate with other species for a balanced ecosystem, understanding and respecting various forms of interaction within our ecosystem.
Make – Focus on the ethical implications of human creativity and design, fostering positive behavior and aligning with symbiotic dreams.
Recede – Step back and allow nature to reclaim spaces, appreciating and protecting neglected and abandoned areas for biodiversity and ecological balance.
Familiarize – Understand emerging technologies as new "species" with distinct behaviors and impacts, thoughtfully integrating technology to enhance our connection with the natural world.

As summarized, the project aims to create a living environment that not only houses people but also nurtures these eight relationships, fostering a deeper connection between residents and their surroundings. By reimagining the urban landscape in this way, we can move towards a more sustainable and harmonious future.

Contrary to human tendency to hypostasise and stabilise as a means of navigating the chaotic forces of this world, it is reconfiguration through perpetual destabilisation that allows one to grow, transform and venture into novelty. The process of defamiliarisation, by which one detaches from a state of familiarity and comfort, extending outwardly to embrace flux, is both liminal and complex. Liminal in that it entails the perpetual crossing of a limit and complex in the ways that this crossing is actualised. Could this relationship be of spatial concern?

The research brought forward, navigates productive rule-bending, humour and maintaining a playfully speculative stance towards architecture, that stretches beyond typological barriers; beyond that which is familiar. It is the result of a strong desire to experiment with unconventional ways of thinking and doing architecture. The proposed playground in Exarcheia, in the centre of Athens, explores urban friction as quality and rises to protest the sterilization of the modern city and the often homogenised, comfortable and safety-obsessed urban environments that surround us…

Moving Atmospheres explores the intricate relationship between spatial design and human experience, advocating for an embodied approach to architectural practice. Through a phenomenological lens and experimental approach using personal experiences, the study investigates the nexus of emotion, movement, and spatial perception. Utilizing intuitive movement, exemplified by the practice of improvisational dance, the research aims to uncover insights into the creation of atmospheres within architectural settings. Methodologically, the study employs a structured approach termed the Movement Lab, involving five steps how one could observe, document, translate, interpret, analyse and reflect on the relation between spatial atmospheres and its effect on the body through emotion and behaviour, in this case studied through a zoom onto intuitive movement. In this process, architectural research is conducted using filmmaking, photography and (poetic) writing, conveying the relation between body and space.

Analysis of data collected from diverse environments reveals how spatial qualities shape emotional responses and bodily movements. The findings of this study underscore the complex interplay between spatial atmospheres, emotion, and movement characteristics, highlighting the potential of intuitive movement as a tool for architects to understand and manipulate architectural atmospheres, facilitating the design of immersive and emotionally resonant spaces. By emphasizing the importance of bodily experience in architectural design, the study advocates for a paradigm shift towards more responsive built environments.

Overall, this research contributes valuable insights into the embodied dimensions of architectural practice, encouraging architects to engage with the human body as a central tool for creating meaningful spatial experiences.