In my research, I explored how foundation models (artificial intelligence) might be used in architecture. The outcome of my research is a 2D scatter plot of 2500 architectural images, with each point on the plot arranged based on the vector embedding (created by the foundation model). This can be extrapolated and seen as arranging images on 2 axis loosely based on the atmosphere of the space in the image.

With the ability of creating a 2D scatter plot that clusters images based on architectural atmospheres, I wanted to make use of this in an architectural design process.

Specifically I had an interest in designing something that is related to sacred spaces. I always wondered whether for instance: a church spatially feels sacred, mostly because of religion, or because of its architecture? Is there such thing as ‘sacred architecture’? Would a church feel like a sacred space when religion and beliefs are not projected onto it?

This led to my design brief: ‘A Monastic Passage in the Landscape’, which is a space people with a terminal illness diagnosis can visit in order to reflect on mortality. This brief, with the theme of facing mortality, allows me to explore the possibilities and atmospheres that architecture can create when its aim is to address the transcendent and sublime.

Relating to the research, with the 2D scatter plot that clusters images based on atmospheres, the idea is to follow the method of putting in images of the design project into the scatter plot (through the foundation model) to see where the design would land in the 2D plot. From the position in the plot, I hoped to more accurately evaluate and control the resulting atmosphere in my design project.

This research explores the landscape of sex work in Rotterdam, a city marked by historical interesting sex workspaces, which are pushed out of the eye of the main public. The research addresses the question of a potential next step by examining the current state of sex work in Rotterdam and the challenges faced by sex workers, including issues of safety, visibility, and inclusivity. Employing a mixed-methods approach, this study includes a contextual analysis of Rotterdam's historical sex work locations, literature research, and photo elicitation interviews with sex workers to understand their needs and perspectives. The findings highlight the crucial importance of accessibility, privacy, and a sense of belonging in the urban context, as well as the necessity for integrated and flexible spatial typologies that promote inclusivity, community, and independence. The research also reveals that safety is a primary concern in interactions, with the window, both offline and online, playing a significant role. This paper aims to inform the development of design principles for creating a safer and more inclusive environment for sex work in Rotterdam.

The projection introduces a systematic approach to transform incomplete concrete skeletons in the south of Italy into latent villas, addressing the wasteful obsolescence of these structures in the context of regional rural abandonment and exploring the perennial tension of order and freedom in architecture.

The project is bound to existing ideals and resources available in the south
but exceeds these by the projection of a clear, central intervention that structures the perimeter. Through imposing this absolute order, existing potentials are realized, maintaining the structures inherent openness as latent tolerance.

One of the most controversial topics surrounding museums in the twenty-first century is the questionable origin and accessioning of their collections. Museumsinsel Berlin, as one of the most significant museum clusters, has become home to many foreign collections because of its imperial and colonial history. This graduation thesis suggests a new cultural space on Museumsinsel dedicated to artefacts with disputed ownership, where past stories are told and artefacts are returned, fostering greater engagement in open discussion and cultural production between the artefacts and the public. The project also aims to address the large energy demands Museumsinsel will face. With the expected frequent movement of objects, museums will need to give provisional spaces for storage, research, and art distribution programs within a well-controlled climate. This is as necessary in New York and Paris as it is in Berlin.

The mother library is a children's library located in the hard of the city of Berlin. The project to create a children's library for the city of Berlin started with the problem of reading levels declining, especially in the face of the growing digital age. This is a big concern for education and child development. The impact of this is very clearly visible in Germany, where statistics from German newspapers reveal that 1 in 4 children does not attain the required reading ability levels (Local, 2023). This alarming fact highlights a significant problem, reflecting both an educational and societal challenge, and is directly connected with children reading fewer books. (D.Ferguson, 2020) The decline in children’s engagement with reading, especially in the face of the growing digital age, is a big concern for education and child development. The impact of this is very clearly visible in Germany, where statistics from German newspapers reveal that 1 in 4 children does not attain the required reading ability levels (Local, 2023). This alarming fact highlights a significant problem, reflecting both an educational and societal challenge, and is directly connected with children reading fewer books. (D.Ferguson, 2020)
The loss of reading pleasure is seen as one of the most important causes of the decline in reading skills (Van Der Horst & Moerland, 2024). In an era where students prefer to spend time on their mobile phones, reading a book is no longer self-evident for them (Van Der Horst & Moerland, 2024). The lure of fast entertainment options, competing with the slower pace of reading, affects children’s reading pleasure, particularly those with shorter attention spans, due to social media. But social media is not the only problem. Compulsory literature in schools and how schools approach reading does not suit 21st-century children. For a long time, the standardization of education made it possible to lift whole generations away from analphabetism and, indirectly poverty, but things have changed over time (bosch, 2021, p. 22). In the same years that reading has become more mandatory in schools, reading enjoyment among children has also declined. The compulsory reading of books and new technologies together seem to be the main cause of the fact that children read less for pleasure and why their reading level seems to decline.
To solve this problem the mother library will be the birthplace for the reading pleasure of the children of Berlin. Being a place for the diversity of children of Berlin but also a library that connects children with other libraries around the city. Giving them their first experience with the loaning of a book and helping them to explore the world of books further. To achieve this the library is placed in a location that is well accessible with public transport to reach most children. The library is divided into different areas focusing on different age groups and their preferences. The hard of the building brings all these age groups together in a green oasis, forming a peaceful place connected to nature. Bringing these elements together, focused on design principles from the research, creates a library focused on the diversity and similarities of children.

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.

An architectural case study research into the design of a building for the performing arts as social infrastructure. Buildings for the performing arts typically focus on facilitating paid professional performance. This thesis expands the definition of performance, challenging the traditional separation between performer and audience and rethinking the conditions of a stage. This is explored through the concept of architectural membranes and with the aim to bring people of different backgrounds together. The case study for the project is the Volksbühne theatre in Berlin, an existing monumental theatre of which the name translated from German means ‘People’s Stage’. Originally founded in 1890 as an organisation to make theatre going accessible to the working class, nowadays it serves a homogenous audience of the ‘typical theatre goer’. The objective of this project is to explore if an architectural transformation of the monumental Volksbühne can rethink its identity and turn the building into a proper people’s stage and as such take on the role of social infrastructure in society. A place for the people of Berlin to see performance and be a performer.

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.

This project rethinks Berlin’s cultural infrastructure by proposing a hybrid musical arts center, Tempel der Musik, rather than another opera house. Tracing Berlin’s musical history—from Frederick the Great’s operas to punk’s rebellion and techno’s post-Wall euphoria—it identifies a need to preserve the city’s endangered club culture while reinvigorating classical forms.
Opera houses and nightclubs share surprising social and architectural parallels: both serve as communal spaces for collective experience, blending performance with identity. Yet opera struggles with relevance, while clubs face displacement. The design synthesizes these worlds, merging opera’s grandeur with a club’s raw versatility, plus functions of concert halls, recording studios, and archival spaces.
By analyzing historical precedents and contemporary gaps, the project envisions a venue that celebrates Berlin’s sonic legacy—from operetta to techno—as a living, evolving force. Tempel der Musik aspires to be both monument and laboratory, ensuring music remains central to the city’s future.

In an era marked by resource scarcity and shifting typologies of public institutions, the traditional library faces significant challenges to its relevance. As digitalization redefines information access, physical libraries risk becoming obsolete, losing their place as community knowledge hubs. The global materials landscape is experiencing scarcity, with critical resources under pressure from unsustainable consumption. These trends underscore an urgent need to reconsider how we use materials, emphasizing sustainable and innovative approaches.

Material Vault addresses these challenges by reimagining the library as a dynamic place, not only where knowledge of materials is stored - but also created. This reimagined library typology bridges the gap between specialized knowledge and community accessibility, positioning itself as a central resource for sustainable innovation in the energy-transition-centered EUREF Campus in Berlin, Germany. The new library of materials becomes a transparent material-testing machine with laboratories, workshops, offices, conference hall and a material showroom - the crown of the building. The vertical mass timber-high rise nested within an existing gasholder contributes to the conversation on material choices for the future building stock.