This project investigates how the Dutch National Library (KB) can evolve from an introverted archive into an extroverted civic space in an age of digitisation and AI. The research combines three strands: analysis of the existing KB and its heritage values, user research on changing study and work patterns, and spatial modelling with DepthMapX to understand movement and visibility. Together, these methods ask how architecture, technology and behaviour can be aligned to keep a large state library socially relevant.

Findings show that users still value physical presence, atmospheres and chance encounters, but expect more flexibility, visibility of activities and intuitive navigation. The study also reveals that much of the existing KB mass has low social and spatial value, while its structural skeleton and reading hall remain important heritage anchors. The design response therefore proposes selective removal of low value wings, a new public plaza and a lightweight modular façade that adds hybrid workspaces, terraces and green infrastructure around the preserved core. Rather than providing a final blueprint, the project offers a framework of spatial guidelines and technical strategies. It demonstrates how a national library can be reconceived as a porous, data informed and climate responsive platform while building upon its architectural and institutional legacy.

In line with the rapidly growing role of social media in shaping public perceptions of and attitudes towards heritage sites, this study is timely to scrutinize the influence of social media on how people perceive historical heritage with a special emphasis on Bagnoregio, Italy. Through investigating the interaction between modern values and traditions with the help of archival research and digital ethnography, it shows the expansive gap between community perspectives and institutional norms. The study intends to conduct a media analysis, which comprises of various cultural contexts and cross-checks with UNESCO criteria, in order to suggest an understanding of the current issues in heritage preservation and provide possible ways of bridging the gaps between institutional frameworks and social realities.