The growth of e-commerce has increased pressure on urban logistics systems and parcel carriers, resulting in congestion, emissions, and growing demands for last-mile delivery infrastructure. This master thesis explores how contemporary major railway stations, such as a reimagined Milano Centrale, can contribute to sustainable urban freight networks by combining passenger transport and logistics within a single architectural intervention.

Using Milano Centrale as a case study, the project reimagines the station as a hybrid passenger and parcel hub within a car free Milan in 2050. Railway platforms are relocated underground, creating a public urban plaza at ground level, while a new elevated structure accommodates parcel handling and distribution. Goods arriving by rail are transferred to carbon-neutral (MEV) delivery vehicles for last-mile distribution throughout the city.

By integrating logistics infrastructure into one of Italy’s most important transportation nodes, the project proposes a new station typology that combines mobility, logistics, and public space. Last Mile Milano demonstrates how railway stations can play an active role in creating more efficient, sustainable, and car free cities.
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Libraries have historically been designed around a simple challenge: the storage and preservation of knowledge. Today, however, the digitisation of information, the rise of the internet and, more recently, the public availability of AI have fundamentally transformed the way we access knowledge. The challenge is no longer access itself, but rather the ability to navigate the abundance of information available. At the same time, knowledge has become increasingly commercialised and fragmented across archives, institutions, private collections and digital platforms, often remaining inaccessible to broader public audiences. These developments raise questions about the contemporary role of the library and its relevance within the city.

This graduation project investigates how the contemporary library can be designed as a civic interface for navigating knowledge in an age of informational abundance. This project explores the library not as a repository of information, but as an active mediator between people, knowledge, institutions and the city.
The project is situated at Porta Volta in Milan, a historic gateway into the city. The proposal is composed of three architectural elements: the landscape, the vitrine and the machine. Together they support processes of knowledge exchange and knowledge production. At the core of the building is a visible archive and retrieval system that connects physical collections, digital resources and expert knowledge, making the hidden infrastructure of knowledge accessible to the public.

The project proposes the library as a double interface: between people and increasingly complex knowledge systems, and between fragmented knowledge collections and public engagement. By making the processes behind knowledge visible, the library is redefined as a civic infrastructure for navigating, interpreting and sharing knowledge. ... Read more

This report tries to lay out the base to redefine airport terminals as a civic and urban space rather than an isolated infrastructure element next to a city. By using an exercise of designing a new airport in place of Milan’s Linate Airport, it explores the possibilities of a new airport typology in which commercial and social functions are relocated to a publicly accessible landside space, transforming the airport from a closed, transactional environment into an open urban destination. Inspired by the Milanese piazzas, the landslide becomes a place of gathering for both travelers and residents, erasing the existing boundaries between airport infrastructure and Milan. The research also investigates how the development of electric aircraft, and its decrease in noise pollution, enables closer urban integration. The project is based on the principles of cultural integration, inclusivity, and spatial efficiency. ... Read more

This book has been developed during the Complex Projects Graduation Studio, as part of the master track of Architecture at TU Delft. The studio reflects on the theme of Bodies and Buildings, examining the dynamic relationship between the human body and the built environment. Within this studio, students are challenged to design a ‘one-of-a-kind’ building in Milan (a large-scale, complex building unique in the city).

This particular book presents the design of an airport that focuses on reducing the stress experienced in a terminal and provides the most pleasant passenger experience possible. The project focuses on how architectural design can influence human emotions and contributes to the ongoing discussion of transforming air travel into a pleasant and relaxing experience. Extra attention is paid to researching ways to design a mobility hub, spaces for crowds and flows of people with the goal of creating an airport that is intuitive and easy to navigate. ... Read more

The research explores the spatial and conceptual disconnect between human-centered spaces and train-centered infrastructure. It focuses on how architectural design can recalibrate the station environment so that trains are not isolated or hidden from the spatial experience but instead become visible and integrated elements of a broader urban and civic framework. Traditional station designs tend to compartmentalize functions, platforms for trains, halls for people, resulting in a fragmented spatial narrative. The design instead seeks to reconfigure the station hall as a shared domain, where the train enters into a human-scaled space rather than the reverse. In this way, the station transforms from a neutral transit shell into an inhabited and expressive civic environment.

Trains are brought visually and physically closer to users by treating the platform area not as a peripheral utility but as part of the main spatial continuum of the station. The design allows trains to enter the hall, not through concealed corridors but through an open and legible structure where their movement becomes part of the spatial experience. This strategy evokes the historical role of the station as a place of wander and fascination with machines, restoring a degree of spectacle and engagement lost in the contemporary functionalist approach.

The design creates a space where trains are present but do not dominate, where movement does not erase the possibility of pause, and where the public realm reclaims its place within a transit environment. ... Read more

This book has been developed as part of the graduation studio Complex Projects, a studio within the master track Architecture at TU Delft. The central theme of the studio is Bodies and Buildings, which explores the dynamic relationship between the human body and the built environment. Within this context, students are challenged to design a ‘one-off building’ (Large-scale, complex buildings of which only one exists in the city) located in Milan, as indicated on the map.

This particular book focuses on the design of a public library, approached as more than just a space for books. The project investigates how architectural design can actively stimulate social interaction, turning the library into a vibrant, inclusive urban space. Emphasis is placed on the role of the library as an urban ‘living room’, a place that fosters connection, comfort, and a sense of belonging in the city.
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How did theatres shift from city stages to hidden spaces? Despite opera’s historical role as a socially cohesive art form, it has shifted toward exclusivity over centuries, detaching from everyday public life. This study examines La Scala as a case for rethinking opera house design to contribute to the social accessibility and cultural relevance of opera in contemporary society. Drawing on historical analysis, architectural theory, and case studies of contemporary theatres, the research proposes spatial strategies to transform the opera house into an inclusive cultural venue. By reimagining the opera house layout and exploring new audience-stage relationships, this project aims to position La Scala as an open, accessible site, fostering dialogue and engagement within the society. The study culminates in a design brief for a new opera house for La Scala, integrating opera in the modern sociocultural dynamics and addressing the role of opera within the city. ... Read more

The ‘Territory on Trial’ project investigates the spatial and territorial dynamics within courthouse architecture, focusing on the courtroom as a microcosm of broader struggles over power, access, and control. The courthouse, as both a civic and judicial institution, encapsulates a fundamental tension between authority and public openness. Within the courtroom, these tensions are made spatially explicit: it is the only space where all key actors are simultaneously present, each negotiating their own form of territorial control. The courtroom therewith operates as a condensed reflection of the courthouse at large, revealing how architecture mediates authority, visibility, and participation. Historically, the courthouse was not always an enclosed symbol of state power but a civic space of openness and dialogue. In ancient societies, justice was dispensed in public settings under trees or in open-air assemblies where the presence of the community was essential to the legitimacy of the process. The Athenians and medieval Europeans alike practiced law in spaces where nature, symbolized by the tree, stood as a marker of wisdom, stability, and impartiality. These open-air courts embodied transparency and collective accountability, ensuring that justice was both seen and shared. Over time, however, as legal systems became more specialized, the spaces of justice grew increasingly formalised and hierarchical. The modern courthouse, with its monumental facades, elevated benches, and rigid circulation, reflects a shift toward spatial segregation and control, reinforcing power structures through architectural means.

This thesis critically examines how such architectural hierarchies shape behaviour, social interaction, and perceptions of justice. It explores the ways in which spatial design can either sustain or subvert authority, asking what it means for a public building especially one so symbolically charged as a courthouse to be genuinely open and democratic. This continuing tension between ideals of accessibility and the practical imperatives of security and order lies at the heart of the inquiry. Drawing on case studies, theoretical frameworks, and spatial analysis, the research investigates how architectural form, scale, and materiality influence civic experience and shape the perception of justice. It questions whether the courthouse can evolve beyond its traditional typology to become a civic space of participation and engagement one that reflects not only authority, but also empathy and inclusivity. Within the context of Milan, with its layered legal traditions and increasingly diverse urban fabric, this thesis positions the courthouse as a lens through which to reconsider how architecture can embody the principles of equity, transparency, and public trust.

Ultimately, the project seeks to contribute to a broader understanding of how spatial design influences civic life and the social meaning of justice, offering new perspectives on how public institutions can balance dignity with openness, and authority with accessibility. ... Read more

Global migration flows are increasing for various reasons, and societies around the world are becoming increasingly culturally diverse.

Germany is currently the second top destination for international migrants. The country has already received multiple waves of immigrants in the past century – from guest workers to refugees – but its attitude toward foreign newcomers has historically been conservative. However, with the Skilled Immigration Act (Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz) passed in 2023, the Federal Government now aims to push Germany into a “Modern Immigration Country” (Ein Modernes Einwanderungsland).

Within this new national ambition, the integration of foreign newcomers is highly prioritised; and public institutions are expected to facilitate this two-way process between local Berliners and foreign newcomers.

To support this, the public library emerges as a highly relevant institution. As an architectural typology, it began as a house for collections and on-site reading. Yet over time, digitalisation has largely reduced the need for this building to fulfil this specific function; thus liberating and shifting its focus to become an active site of social connections, where people from all walks of life can encounter each other regularly.

Furthermore, in Berlin’s future city development, the Senate envisions the public library as a mixed-use centre for strengthening social cohesion and bringing life to new residential districts (Neue Stadtquartiere). While there are already well-located public libraries – already enjoyed by existing Berliners of the vicinity – that can serve these districts, they are not spatially nor technically equipped to meet the multimedia & multi-programmatic needs for this social ambition.

This leads to the research question: How can we design a public library that facilitates the integration of migrants into the local community?

It calls for the project to critically examine and design a district-level public library, which primarily aims to be a social connector for facilitating integration. The secondary goals are to host and disseminate diverse media types; and to serve as an upgraded futureproof district centre. ... Read more

Hospitals, as public buildings, establish connections with people in ways unparalleled by other structures. The architecture of a hospital directly influences its functionality, profoundly impacting the delicate balance between life and death. In today's information society, where the body is increasingly viewed as a collection of data for tracking health, the focus shifts decisively towards preserving life.

The focus of this graduation project is the development of a hospital tailored to a concept known as the ‘Human Data Twin.’ This project seeks to explore the effects of digitalization in healthcare, specifically examining how datasets and artificial intelligence (AI) influence the architectural design and functions of hospitals. The term ‘Human Data Twin’ refers to the unique concept of digitizing the human body with large datasets to create a human data twin (HDT) in cyberspace. This allows hospitals to conduct real-time simulations, optimizations, and evaluations, providing personalized diagnosis to empower individuals in making informed decisions, enhancing health performance, and extending life expectancy.

The transformative approach to healthcare through digitization has extensive implications, potentially necessitating the creation of new spaces within hospitals. Research indicates that the AI revolution in medicine introduces new dynamics to spatial relations in the diagnostic process, with AI likely to play a key role. The architectural design of hospitals needs reevaluation, presenting an opportunity to promote the health, physical activity, and mental well-being of society.

The project holds significant relevance in the current context, drawing inspiration from near-future predictions of technological advancements in healthcare. It envisions a transformation from generalized to personalized and precision medicine, facilitated by data science and technology. By doing so, the project aims to spark discussions around the imperative nature of collaborating with technologies like AI, which will drive changes in hospital functions, processes, and design. This discourse will also highlight the ethical challenges and considerations inherent in such advancements. Broadly, the project aspires to establish guidelines for designing hospitals of the digital future. ... Read more

The architecture of transportation is recognized by the contemporary lifestyle of society. For the built environment and the future of aerospace infrastructure architecture this legacy needs to be properly examined, respected and continued. This new form of urban infrastructure will introduce a mixed-use building where passengers can check in and travel between distinct urban drone stations. The network in which these vertiports will exist is expected to grow considerably in the coming century to accommodate a decline in car use. The expected increase in demand requires the design to include a modular approach, allowing terminals to easily expand or downsize as needed in the future. Additionally, the design will feature a warehouse dedicated to postal services, where packages and post can be sent through the city via drones. The location of this drone hub is strategically located next to the Hauptbahnhof-station on the unused plot of land adjacent to the tunnel trench where the tracks go underground. This area around and over the train tracks is ideal for apron platforms. Due to the extensive tracks, the project’s site offers a significant potential for future expansion. Developing a cornerstone of tomorrow’s urban landscape. ... Read more

For the typology 'Opera', data storage offers the opportunity to make the production of performance art data-driven through collecting and processing the data of the users. This is a major tool for artistic co-creation, which could greatly update and broaden the art of opera in Berlin. The opera typology therefore raised the question: How can Berlin offer an innovative space for performing art production and display which stimulates data-driven co-creation ? Opera is a very traditional art form and opera houses have the focus on spatial experience. Combining data center and opera into one building is thus a critical aspect where the two functions ought to be used as mutual reinforcement instead of being conflictual. ... Read more

The Rush Hour project is initiated by the German Federal Ministry of Digital and Transport to accelerate the transformation of the German railway infrastructure, including modernizing its train stations. For many decades, the rail infrastructure has been neglected, leading to failing rush hours at stations with overcrowded platforms and unprecedented delays. Digitalization is regarded as the future backbone of the train station by optimizing transport efficiency and user experience. Berlin Westhaven has been chosen as the most suitable site, responding to the client’s ambition of creating a digital and transport node as the urban anchor. Westhaven is situated between the city center and a large urban tech development. The station aims to become a highly efficient transport node during peak travel times, simultaneously acting as a destination and gateway of an innovative ecosystem. The main users are local commuters, tech workers, and TU Berlin students. A benchmarking study of existing train stations, in combination with client and site requirements, resulted in a design brief for a train station with an integrated data center. ... Read more