The graduation project proposes the transformation of the police headquarters in the Hague, into a mixed-use development, including an IT university, co-working spaces, apartments, along with a public library and other facilities that encourage the interaction between the building users and locals, forming innovative knowledge clusters across the community. The project aims to explore, both through research and design, the role of structure in the adaptability of former 20th century Dutch police stations. The subject of investigation was decided with the realization that structure constitutes an essential element of an existing building whose potential needs to be thoroughly identified in order to transform it for future uses. The research contributed to the design by pointing out the influence of structure in terms of spatial organization, qualities, and form of existing buildings. As an ultimate aim, the proposal aspires to inform future projects using standardized and factory produced elements about the design possibilities in existing office buildings. Finally, the biggest challenge was to re-introduce a building of such identity, scale and status to its setting, that has been left out of all the activities taking place inside the colossal building complex, ever since it was built.

This thesis aims to critically examine the design process of two cultural centres-landmarks, built in the Netherlands in the past decades. The examined projects include the EYE Filmmuseum (DMAA-2011) and the TU Delft Library (Mecanoo-1998). Despite the differences between the two buildings, they share similar starting points regarding the sites they are located in. The plots alone comprised a challenge for the architects who had to deal with the strong presence of natural elements, such as water and soil, as well as their adaptation to the historic built environment that they belong to.In order to indulge in projects’ architectural characteristics, it entails the understanding of the reasons that led to a specific design - the main factors that shaped the compositions. Therefore, this thesis questions how their syntheses were developed, what were the starting points of each design, as well as the differences between each architectural approach. It is significant to understand the main references of each project, as well as the ultimate aspiration of each building, meaning what the architects wanted to achieve apart from a functional building. Comprehending the theoretical framework of the architects, is an imperative step for answering the question of what can be learned from the design process in architecture.The research topic requires the adoption of a mixed-methods approach. The sources used, consist of archival material, preliminary sketches, literature, and material of the design phase provided by the projects’ architects upon request. Aiming to gain a better understanding of the physical buildings on a personal level, site visits are a mandatory prerequisite too. Besides, municipal documents give valuable insights into the development of these projects, in the context of their greater setting. Finally, conducting interviews with the principal architects of the projects, will give a new perspective on the design process of the projects. Moreover, the studied literature will be translated and visualized through personal illustrations, allowing for the development of a personal proposal of the5design process of the projects. Overall, the thesis uses and reflects on the most relevant sources of the subject, leading to a clear understanding of the design process and finally showcasing its impact on the architectural comprehension of a realized project.