Monumental architecture produced under authoritarian regimes often retains symbolic significance after political transition, resulting in contested readings. While existing research focuses on the relationship between monumental architecture and political power in socialist states, less attention has been paid to its relationship with local communities in post-socialist contexts. This thesis examines how contested readings of the Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest shape local perceptions, particularly in the period 1989-1994. Drawing on a qualitative analysis of scholarly and cultural sources, including primary and secondary material, it explores how local communities construct and negotiate these readings. The findings demonstrate a shift from perceptions of oppression and rejection to pragmatic reappropriation, highlighting how the Palace has been institutionally reframed and remains active in today’s collective memory. This study contributes to broader debates on place, collective memory, and resilience in post-authoritarian urban contexts. ... Read more

Since its founding in the early 1980s, the New York practice Diller Scofidio + Renfro has developed a body of work that spans architecture, installation, performance, and visual media. While the firm describes itself as interdisciplinary, the term has remained largely descriptive. Existing scholarship has documented particular dimensions of the practice, such as the role of images, duration, and performance, without fully explaining how ideas developed in one medium are translated into architectural decisions in another. This thesis addresses that gap by asking how DS+R’s interdisciplinary practices have influenced their built projects, in both physical form and conceptual approach.

The study adopts a qualitative case study methodology, anchored in four buildings that span two decades: The Brasserie (2000), the Blur Building (2002), the Institute of Contemporary Art (2006), and The Shed (2019). Around each anchor, a network of related non-architectural works is positioned in relation to the building, and recurring modes of translation are then compared across cases. The analysis extends Robin Evans’s concept of translation from the drawing-to-building relationship to the movement of ideas between installation, performance, media, and architecture.

Four translation mechanisms are identified: apparatus transfer, conceptual scaling, media logic transposition, and programmatic translation. Across the four cases, these mechanisms progressively deepen their integration into architectural production, moving from discrete devices embedded within a building to the organizing logic of the building itself. The thesis argues that DS+R’s significance within contemporary architectural history lies not in the fact that they have worked across media, but in the completeness of the circuit they have established between interdisciplinary experimentation and realized architecture. ... Read more

Tracing the theoretical, critical, and empirical dimensions of a specific and persistent problem, this thesis examines why EEG-based neurophysiological research, despite its growing presence in architectural practice, remains concentrated in the design guideline phase and has not found comparable adoption in design development, the phase in which neurophysiological data would be most directly integrated into the act of designing itself.
By tracing the historical and philosophical foundations from which neuroarchitecture emerged, the thesis argues that the field has developed a sufficiently robust theoretical and methodological base to support integration across all design phases. It then examines the role and limits of neuroscience in architectural practice, arguing that its most meaningful contribution lies not in the production of universal standards but in extending the reach of empathic design judgment toward the full diversity of embodied human conditions that architecture is obliged to serve. This knowledge is most meaningfully generated when neuroscience is brought into the act of designing itself, in direct response to the specific inhabitants and context at hand.
To understand the reasons for this disparity, the thesis applies a three-level framework of computational complexity to the forty-two studies identified in the systematic review and bibliometric analysis of Zhao et al. (2025). High-complexity research, requiring machine learning, real-time brain-computer interface systems, and custom algorithm development, increases from twelve percent in the guideline phase to eighty-three percent in the design development phase, while studies accessible without specialist computer science training fall from ninety-one percent to sixteen percent across the same range.
This disparity is not rooted in philosophical or theoretical inadequacy but in the technical and infrastructural demands that design development research places on its practitioners, demands that the field has not yet developed accessible and adequate tools to meet. Whether neuroscience will find its place in the act of designing depends on the degree to which the field turns its attention toward building the accessible tools, pipelines, and shared datasets that make this integration possible. ... Read more

The Japanese spatial concept of Ma is an experiential space-time interval mediating human consciousness and the environment that has historically structured the vernacular Kyomachiya (traditional townhouse) through the horizontal layering of intermediary thresholds. However, high-density urbanization and the loss of traditional exterior space have rendered the conventional Doma (earthen floor), especially in form of Toriniwa, a dark, linear, and passive earthen corridor, functionally and spatially obsolete in contemporary domestic architecture. Addressing a significant gap in the study of modern vernacular dwellings, this thesis investigates the morphological evolution of the Doma from a horizontal service threshold into an internalized, vertical volumetric void within small-scale Japanese residential architecture. Through a comparative architectural analysis, this study examines the historical baseline of the traditional Machiya, the transitional renovation methodologies of Shigenori Uoya and the complete internalization strategies in new constructions by Suppose Design Office and ALTS Design Office. Ultimately, this research concludes that while the geometric manifestation of the Doma has radically transformed from a two-dimensional plane into a three-dimensional vertical volume to accommodate the spatial constraints of the modern metropolis, its inherent phenomenological function which is to dynamically mediate the boundary between exterior and interior domains, has successfully remained intact. ... Read more

Although the fireplace is strongly connected to architecture and dwelling, its appearance tends to fade away. Previous research has been done on the technical developments of the fireplace and also on its symbolic value, but the interaction between these two is also interesting to take a look at. What was the influence of the technical developments, mainly during the Industrial Revolution, on the symbolism of the hearth? Can it explain why we, on one hand, still incorporate the hearth, and on the other hand don’t apply it as we used to? In this thesis the development of the fireplace during the Industrial Revolution is researched, combining it with analysis on architectural expression of its symbolic value during this period. The main findings are that the symbolic value of the fireplace saved it from going under when it could have been replaced by central heating systems, and the inevitable reduction of fireplaces has actually increased its specialty. The way we applied and decorated the hearth shows how we valued it, and it proves our intrinsic need for a central point in the domestic environment ... Read more

This thesis explores the field of tension between the historical Bauhaus of 1919 and the New European Bauhaus (NEB) initiated in 2020. At its core lies the question of how far the NEB utilizes the symbolic radiance of the original movement to promote current political, societal, and design-related reforms. The analysis starts from the assumption that the NEB serves not only aesthetic but also cultural and political functions by aligning the European Green Deal’s aesthetic, social, and ecological objectives with a broad civil society mandate.

Through a comparative examination of both institutions, it becomes evident that the historical Bauhaus emerged during a period of social upheaval as a revolutionary school for art, architecture, and craft, establishing a new understanding of design through radical formal reduction and interdisciplinary education. The NEB, on the other hand, operates as a European initiative without a fixed location, aiming to create a new quality of life through sustainability, participation, and aesthetics. Using the flagship project Creating NEBourhoods Together in Munich as an example, the thesis analyzes how these principles are concretely reflected in urban development processes.
It becomes clear that the NEB often functions as a political instrument that, by referencing the historical Bauhaus idea, aims for societal transformation — without the radical break with conventions that characterized the original. The thesis questions the depth of this symbolism and examines to what extent the NEB can offer genuine reform impulses as a cultural complement to the Green Deal.

The research paper argues that the NEB holds potential for long-term societal change — provided it succeeds in bringing about concrete structural and institutional transformations beyond political rhetoric. The historical Bauhaus movement is thus understood not only as a source of inspiration but also as a benchmark for the depth of reform processes. Whether the NEB can truly evolve into the "Bauhaus movement of the future" depends on its ability to move beyond political branding and establish itself as an independent and inclusive design culture.
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The global growing demand for social housing is very apparent in Tanzania. While there are many Western-initiated social housing development projects, not all of these are successful.
In order to understand the risk and pitfalls of Western development organizations getting involved, it is crucial to learn about the broader context of past international relations and how this influenced social-political development, as well as architectural theory.
This paper researches the influence of Western-European approaches and actions have influenced the social-political development in Tanzania, as well as how this influenced architectural theory regarding social housing ... Read more

In Oman, there are a variety of structures that are worthy of preservation and safeguarding. The government of Oman has put much effort into the preservation of its heritage, culture, and tradition in the past. Still, there has been a shift towards prioritizing preserving structures for tourism and economic profit rather than preserving the cultural value that the structures hold for the communities. Nowadays, people tend to neglect their traditional structures and prefer to build completely new, modern architectures, perceived as Western architecture, as a symbol of modernization and status. The study aims to raise awareness of this development and inspire people to engage on a deeper level with their heritage at risk of being neglected, not solely for economic interest, but to improve the urban patterns and develop interconnected and diverse urban structures. The Thesis focuses on how the local community can profit from more engagement with their architectural remains. Since Islamic architecture is unique in how it is used and organized, especially in the arid climate of Oman, the special features of domestic Omani mudbrick architecture are identified and explained with the help of the example of Bait al Safah in Al Hamra, Oman. Following this analysis, frameworks for preserving its unique features are explored and questioned, whether they match this exemplary type of architecture.
The paper explains the UNESCO protection framework, focusing on Tangible and Intangible Heritage, and evaluates what parts of it can be implemented in the example given with Bait al Safah in Al Hamra, Oman, and what parts need alteration given the dynamic and flexible nature of domestic Omani mudbrick architecture.
Subsequently, the study delves into the existing local legal framework and ways of dealing with Omani heritage structures and evaluates its strengths and weaknesses.
The thesis concludes by pointing out the special requirements of domestic Omani mud brick architecture, giving directions on what steps can be taken to create possible frameworks, and explaining the local community’s role in complementing this aim. Finally, the paper demonstrates how architects and urban planners can navigate within the current conditions concerning heritage preservation and restoration in Oman and to what extent the local communities can profit from a heritage successfully integrated with the urban structures of Oman. The study showed that a combination of international and nationally established approaches is likely to lead to a well-integrated and accepted result by the local community. However, it is crucial to further strengthen the legal frameworks to ensure that, in addition to considering the touristic and economic value, the cultural significance of the heritage for residents is also properly acknowledged and safeguarded in preservation efforts. In this respect, there is a need to further develop the legal and practical frameworks for safeguarding architectural heritage. At the same time, involving the local community throughout the process is crucial to truly integrate the structures within the environment of their original users.

Further research and experimentation could explore the development of these frameworks and create more effective strategies for dealing with this kind of architecture to create an extensive catalog of guidelines and give examples of ways of dealing with architecture, which is characterized by a change in dynamic societies, and that is worthy of being safeguarded as heritage.

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The cube houses by Piet Blom are one of the most recognizable structures in Dutch architecture. Their unusual shape results from Bloms philosophy about architecture and urban planning. In this thesis the context and design of the cube houses in Helmond will be researched to understand Bloms ideas. In addition to this, the cube house will be compared to the municipalities vision for new residential housing next to it to determine if the design still holds value in a modern urban context. ... Read more

This thesis examines the impact of Gerrit Rietveld’s innovative approach to flexible design, particularly in his iconic Schröder House (1924), on modern architecture and contemporary residential design. Rietveld’s pioneering use of movable partitions and open-plan layouts redefined the traditional concepts of space, providing inhabitants with the ability to adapt to their living environments according to their needs. The concept of spatial flexibility was a radical departure from the static, compartmentalized structures that dominated architectural design at the time. Rietveld’s approach emphasized user-centered design, allowing spaces to evolve dynamically based on the daily demands of the residents, and this idea resonated deeply with the modernist belief that architecture should serve human functionality. The thesis explores Rietveld’s principles of flexibility and adaptability in the Schröder House, tracing how these concepts influenced not only modernist architects like Le Corbusier and Walter Gropius but also contemporary design practices. As cities became more densely populated and living spaces more constrained, Rietveld’s flexible layouts anticipated modern needs for multifunctional spaces, which have become increasingly relevant today in response to urbanization, remote work, and sustainability concerns. However, the thesis also critically examines the limitations of applying Rietveld’s vision in the contemporary context. Although Rietveld’s design was groundbreaking for its time, modern inhabitants often find the practicalities of movable walls less appealing than originally envisioned. Issues such as the effort required to constantly reconfigure spaces, along with the increasing demand for stability, privacy, and routine in residential environments, challenge the ongoing applicability of flexible layouts. Studies show that many users eventually revert to fixed layouts, as the novelty of movable walls fades, highlighting a conflict between the idealized flexibility of Rietveld’s design and the reality of modern living preferences. Despite these challenges, the thesis emphasizes that Rietveld’s principles of spatial fluidity continue to influence contemporary architecture. The development of new technologies, such as smart home systems and automated modular designs, presents opportunities to address some of the practical barriers of flexible spaces. The thesis concludes by suggesting that further research is needed to explore how flexible design can be optimized to align with modern needs, considering both technological advancements and evolving societal preferences regarding stability, privacy, and convenience. Ultimately, while Rietveld’s vision for adaptable spaces remains a significant influence on modern architecture, it must be reinterpreted considering the practical demands of contemporary living. ... Read more

The London 2012 Olympic Games marked a pivotal moment in sustainable urban planning, leveraging the global event to catalyse long-term regeneration in East London. The city's bid, under the motto ‘Inspire a Generation’, was one of the first to embed legacy planning from the outset, with a particular focus on creating lasting social, economic, and environmental benefits.
Central to this strategy was the development of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, a 227-hectare site designed to balance temporary Olympic demands with enduring civic value. The Games infrastructure featured a carefully considered mix of 12 new permanent venues and 17 repurposed or temporary facilities. Venues like the Olympic Stadium and Aquatics Centre were modularly constructed, enabling post-Games downsizing and integration into community life, while temporary arenas were designed for full dismantling and material reuse, thereby avoiding “white elephant” outcomes.
Legacy planning continued through the ‘Legacy Masterplan Framework’, which guided the transformation of the site into a sustainable, accessible urban space. The London Legacy Development Corporation implemented a “Clear, Connect, Complete” strategy, facilitating the removal of temporary structures, enhancing connectivity with surrounding areas, and preparing sites for long-term public use. East Village, once the Athletes’ Village, was converted into over 2,800 homes with essential amenities, while the former media centre became Here East, a tech innovation hub.
Ultimately, London’s approach redefined the role of Olympic infrastructure by embedding flexibility, reusability, and community integration into its design and planning. The 2012 Games not only showcased world-class sports but also demonstrated how mega-events can drive meaningful urban renewal. London’s Olympic legacy offers a compelling model for future host cities, showing how visionary planning can deliver both immediate spectacle and lasting value.
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Public waterfront spaces are vital for community interaction, particularly on small islands like Bonaire, where accessible gathering areas are limited. This research explores the historical development and social significance of Bonaire’s boulevard, the island’s primary public seafront space, from the 1950s to today. It examines how design influences social interaction and whether historical and colonial elements have shaped the boulevard’s evolution. Using historical analysis, comparative case studies, and community engagement through interviews and a survey, this study investigates how the boulevard has functioned as a social hub. It compares Bonaire’s boulevard to similar public spaces worldwide, identifying common trends and unique characteristics. The research also explores how local residents perceive and use the space today, highlighting its evolving role in daily life. By documenting the boulevard’s historical and contemporary significance, this research contributes to discussions on public space, urban design, and community well-being. Looking ahead, it questions whether public spaces will remain central to island life and how they might be reimagined to serve future generations.
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The major bombing of Rotterdam in 1940 made the city a centerpiece for the Netherlands' post-war reconstruction efforts. Pendrecht was one of the neighbourhoods built during this period, and followed the principles of speed, functionality and efficiency for which the large-scale reconstruction was widely known. The district was designed by Lotte Stam-Beese as a new example of urban development, where space, social contacts and living in the green space were the focus. However, a few decades later the neighbourhood shifted from being the ideal picture to an increasingly vulnerable one, with rising numbers of unemployment, immigrants and physical deterioration.

The relationship between the post-war physical urban planning strategies in the Pendrecht district and the issues that emerged decades later is the main focus of this study. Using historical sources and archival documents, this thesis shows that there is a strong connection between these two aspects, and that even after multiple policy strategies, these problems often still reappeared. The research also makes a link to more modern Vinex neighbourhoods where, over the years, there have also been signs of similar developments to those in Pendrecht. For this reason, the thesis concludes in emphasizing the need to consider flexibility, adaptivity and variation early in the design process. By not only focusing on today but also looking to the future, a sustainable an inclusive future can be built.


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This thesis examines how the transition from hand sketching to digital tools like CAD software and Adobe programs has affected the creativity of architecture students at TU Delft from the late 20th century to the present. Through the creation of a historical history of these tools, the research investigates their role in the conceptual design process as well as their impact on ideation and creative thinking. In order to comprehend how these tools have changed architectural education, it integrates teacher and student interviews, theoretical viewpoints on creativity, and an examination of instructional strategies. In order to foster creativity in architectural design, the ultimate objective is to acquire knowledge that will aid in finding a balance between conventional and digital approaches. ... Read more

This thesis investigates the reconstruction of Ålesund following the catastrophic fire of 1904, with a focus on the role of German architectural influence, particularly Jugendstil, in reshaping the city’s urban identity. In the aftermath of the fire, Ålesund underwent a comprehensive rebuilding process that resulted in the emergence of a distinctive architectural character, unprecedented in the Norwegian context. Central to this transformation was the involvement of German-trained Norwegian architects and the symbolic contribution of Emperor Wilhelm II, whose humanitarian aid and diplomatic presence reinforced German-Norwegian cultural ties.

Through a combination of historical analysis, archival research, field studies, and qualitative interviews, this study examines how the stylistic vocabulary of German Jugendstil was adapted to Ålesund’s local context. While the architectural forms drew from international trends, they were modified through the use of native materials, motifs rooted in Norwegian vernacular traditions, and responses to pragmatic needs such as fire safety and urban planning efficiency.

The thesis further explores how this imported architectural language became embedded within the city’s evolving cultural identity. Initially perceived as foreign and met with ambivalence, the Jugendstil legacy of Ålesund has, over time, been reinterpreted through processes of collective memory, heritage preservation, and cultural tourism. By situating Ålesund within broader debates on architectural globalization and identity formation, the research offers a critical case study of how post-disaster reconstruction can catalyze long-term redefinitions of place and belonging.
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