At the EU Parliament in Brussels, deliberation and decision-making processes are stuck in an ever-turning hamster wheel designed to reach unanimous compromises. The architecture of the so-called Consensusland provides spatial settings exclusively designed for the purpose of reaching compromises and not offering room where discussions and conflicts can be discussed open-endedly. What is supposed to be a building for exchange and deliberation rather nourishes an atmosphere of complete consensus.
The Line of Dissent offers both, an urbanistic and architectural approach to institutionalize a citizen's assembly integrated into the existing parliament's complex. By exploring different spatial settings and sequences, a myriad of assembly and information spaces is being created. Here, the participants of the citizen’s assembly are enabled to come up with thoughts and ideas on the future of the EU where an architecture characterised by transparency and openness nourishes an atmosphere of dissent. The design seeks to blur the borders between the public and the political realm to enhance the permeability of both spheres and to eventually lower the threshold for citizens willing to engage in the decision-making processes on an European level.

The rise of technological development of services, digitalization of a building and
its influence on future design approaches is a main concern of this thesis.

The importance of air quality, especially humidity, temperature and CO2 levels, makes for the implementation of primarily mechanical ventilation techniques in modern-day swimming pools. Because it is believed that mechanically ventilated buildings have more accessible climate control abilities (Lévesque, 2015). However, with today’s climate change problems and an enhanced focus on energy sufficient building techniques, as well as the Covid pandemic, some claim that the inclusion of natural ventilation systems into our building systems could have significant advantages for designing environmental conscious buildings as well as safer and healthier buildings in regards to the spread of future airborne viruses (Allard, 1998; Zarandi, 2006; Bhagat, 2020). Therefore, this research aims to explore which natural ventilation techniques could be implemented into the design of modern-day swimming pools whilst still maintaining modern-day user comfort in regards to air quality levels (humidity, temperature and CO2 levels).

This research and drawings focus on the recent post-Soviet history of Tbilisi, Georgia and the production of architectural and urban interventions as they coincide with larger political processes (i.e. the collapse of the Soviet Union, the shift to neoliberal economic policies, etc.) and social phenomena (i.e. production of ethno-nationalist narratives) as they affect the production of the city. The elaboration of an architectural process which is a result of an expansive investigation of the contemporary issues facing Georgia, can provide an approach to cultural conservation in contexts that confront the problem of subverted narratives. The historical section will in-part be informed by data collected over a period of five years through anecdotes, and conversations with local researchers, activists, and political actors. The technical procedure which is a result emphasizes the value of local intuition and the production of space which occurs in the years post-Soviet collapse to arrive at a solution for conservation which attempts to overcome nationalist narratives which can be exploited by power structures.

The standard way of building consists on average of 7000 parts and processes which in combination with the decrease in productivity within the construction sector limits the number of actors that can be involved. However, this leads to a housing shortage in many countries. The production of homes should be accessible, affordable and should offer a variety of housing solutions. In order to reach this the production chain of architecture must be rethought by considering design and production throughout the whole process. Modularity of discrete building blocks can be a way to reach efficient production processes as well as diverse housing solutions by means of combinatorial variations. This method has been used in pavilion and furniture designs, but only briefly for housing solutions, mostly the main references can be found in game design – such as Lego. The goal of this research is to devise a methodology to design a small set of stackable timber elements to form both a structure and the inner shells of a building that can be configured into versatile and affordable housing units using combinatorial design and compression-only structures (which is designed based on equilibrium). This leads to an accessible and open-ended building system that strives to be as simple as laying out a Lego structure.

The massive blast of August 2020 severely damaged Beirut’s architectural heritage. It is in the very city centre that most of this asset is concentrated, but since the end of the 1975-1990 Civil War citizens have been denied access to this area. Here stands the former Grand Theatre, which will be the epicentre of a new artistic quarter that will allow all Beirutis to re-establish a cultural presence in their city centre. Two layers are analysed during this process. First, the Lebanese theatrical scene, which must rely on the flourishing film industry and tourism to recover. Second, the globalised mainstream of Culture 3.0, that has broadened the basin of culture producers and made casual public space act as a proper theatrical stage.

The topic of Complex Project this year focuses on the revitalization of Beirut after the explosion in August 2020. Dynamic Habitat Beirut is a starters community that will be constantly under development, located in Karantina neighbourhood. The project has 3 main ingredients: the infrastructure core, the flexible units system, and diverse shared living and working space.

“The education system in Lebanon is at risk of collapse, with devastating consequences for children...” (Human Rights Watch, 2021) The Lebanese government has been unable to provide basic education to at least 700.000 children. This is about one third of all children that should have access to education. On a surface level, this problem seems to be caused by the way the Lebanese government has been dealing with recent issues such as the port explosion, covid-19 and the countries debt causing hyperinflation. When looking deeper in the education system of Lebanon, it becomes clear that there is a systematic lack of funding from the government for public schools. A review of the education in Lebanon from 2017 writes that 70% of all enrolled students go to private schools. This is a big financial burden on families.1 This review also describes how only 2,45% of GDP is spent by the government on public education. In contrast, the average spending on education by European countries is 4,0% of the GDP. The research that will be conducted will evaluate the possibilities public school architecture could have in the suburbs of Beirut if provided with the right amount of funding. Also, in what way it could benefit the public as a whole. The research question of this paper is : How to design a new public school in a way that it becomes a public asset?

This thesis focusses on social housing oppurtunities in the urban city centre of Beirut after the explosion of the Harbour of August 2020. The focus of the paper is aimed at the lower and middle class Beirutis and aimes to connect different fragments of the city centre.

The ambition of the project for the new public library in Beirut is one that explores how architectural space can facilitate this synergy between digital information and books. Through the integration of digital media in architecture and its interactive aspects, information can become more accessible to users. Beirut is historically known for being the intellectual center of the middle east. Hosting high quality schools and possessing a cosmopolitan character, Beirut truly put its mark on the map. Despite this reputation, Lebanon now finds itself struggling with urgent crises surrounding education and knowledge. The most important factor in the crises is the socioeconomic disparities in the access to knowledge and education. Currently there is a lack in public learning spaces and buildings in Beirut. Due the absence of a public library or learning space in the city, Beirutians have little access to knowledge and this access is determined by their social class. By satisfying the need for a public library there is a potential to address the social fragmentation of Beirut and minimize this fragmentation. This learning space should not only respond to the current needs of the city, but also to the future of Beirut.

Economically, there is a national shift from service sector to IT sector. It is expected that Lebanon will grow further in the IT sector due to its national and regional competitive advantage. The same trend is seen in globally, where digitalization is becoming more and more apparent in our daily lives. This new way of living influences the library typology, where printed and non-printed information can be found. The way we learn is evolving due to this fast paced growth of technology. Conventional learning is teacher- centered. This type of learning typically refers to learning situations where the teacher is the main source for learning. This is also visible in conventional libraries, where the buildings are book centered. With the rise of technology however, there is new trend of learning which shifts from teacher-centered to student-centered learning. This means that the subject learns through different sources of knowledge, due to the accessibility of it through technology. In contemporary library buildings, this shift is visible where the building’s main element is not only books. In other words, typology is becoming less book centered and more user-centered. The library is not only a collection but an experience where multiple types of information come together. How can these different media be interwoven and work together to create an optimal library experience? In most contemporary buildings, these two types of information are quite segregated in the building. But how can these two ways of information be interwoven and work together to create an optimal library experience?

The research question for this project is: What role can a public learning space play in the reconstruction of Beirut and how can it spatially facilitate the local and global digitalization of information?

The marketplace has established itself, since the beginning of ancient trade, as an arena for economic, social and cultural exchange. Throughout history, markets have played an important role as the mediator in the trading of both globally and locally produced commodities. However, global logistics and consumption have highlighted the increased environmental pressure that consumer culture has placed on the world’s resources. As Rotterdam shifts its focus to improving entrepreneurship through innovation and creating more sustainable local economies, this research investigates the potentials of “pro-sumerism” in creating more self-sufficient communities within the Feijenpoort site. The research further aims to address and revitalize deprived neighbourhoods, characterized by low employment, income and education. By investigating the “Migration of Marketplace”, the article explores the potential for producers, innovators and entrepreneurs to coexist and thrive through the sharing economy. It proposes alternative programmes for “A Productive Marketplace”, that promotes local industries such as catering and crafts by using
innovation and technology as a catalyst. Moreover, it envisions the marketplace as a resource for Feijenpoort, offering entrepreneurial education and opportunities through collective and inclusive market spaces, encouraging local production and sustainable consumption.

We can all relate to the experience of wanting to shut of all the environmental stimuli around us, as our brain is overwhelmed and overstimulated by it all. Our surrounding environments can be improved if architects and designers learn more about how multi-sensory stimuli can enrich our perception of space, and when these triggers can take a back seat. Hence, we should strive for a well-balanced design regarding sensory stimuli, instead of creating overwhelming environments that are unnecessarily stressing ourselves. Buildings affect behaviour and wellbeing of its users. The goal of my research to make architects and designers more aware that creating spaces has certain effects on mental health of perceivers. And more importantly, that these effects can be different for each person. A design for a building should serve every user, instead of designing for the average person. Architects should take into account that every individual perceives a space differently and reacts differently to environmental stimuli. They should implement this varying demand for environmental stimuli in the building/environment, based on an individual’s needs. A stimulating space is an environment that stimulates a person’s way of working, thinking and being, whether it is stimulated by internal or external factors. The role of the architect is getting more multidisciplinary, but the way students are educated at our faculty is falling behind this multidisciplinary approach. My design for an interdisciplinary design school at the TU Delft campus will contribute to this collaboration between students of various faculties. Besides that, it will show how we can design for every user, instead of for the average one, by offering a gradation of spaces, based on the order of interaction with the environment and the degree of environmental stimuli included.

Public space in Manhattan is mainly generated through a mechanism called Privately Owned Public Spaces, shortly POPS, allowing developers to construct taller buildings in exchange for the provision of public space. As a result of this incentivizing mechanism there are countless manifestations of public private contradiction in the city of New York. Furthermore, the city's process of densification results in a shift from a monotonous office environment into a mixed-use living environment - inherent to this change is a desire for a new type of public space that fosters healthy densification. The main question of this project relates to how such a new type of public could evolve, taking into account the critical force of privatization. In order to explore the main question, this project speculates on the contradictory nature of public space production by means of the design for an extremely private NSA office, which through its constrains for security and privacy, generates a unique public housing and sportscenter. The project reveals the potential of integrating mutually exclusive private and public worlds into a singular structure, while at the same time highlighting that the debate on densification is one of zoning regulations rather than spatial-architectural design.

As big player architecture has been the main shaper of the NYC skyline this thesis sought to find the answer to which industry would follow to built the next addition. The result is a vertical tech campus where the new york office is mixed with the california campus to create a flagship store/office for the fictional client Google inc.

The MIT Media Institute is located in Midtown, New York (NY). The main goal of the project is to create a vertical campus for MIT and combine multiple functions traditionally found on horizontal campus into a high rise tower. In doing so, it investigates the possibility of mixing this program with public functions that can be accessed by New Yorkers and visitors in the form of public spaces and parks

The traffi c network of Midtown is under an enormous pressure, with a subway system that has deteriorated to such a dismal state that nearly all available funds go into maintenance and overhaul. Since Manhattan is an island and there are a limited number of access points, these connections are even more congested. For commuting to and from the island the subway has always been the most used mode of transport, but the poor conditions have recently led to a decline in the usage and has stimulated the rapid growth of ride-hail and carsharing services e.g. Uber, VIA Van & Lyft. Especially the underserviced, East and West areas of Midtown which are overpassed by the connection, benefi t from the expansion of this new extended transport network. On the other hand Midtown keeps on developing and growing. With more and more homes being built, which is leading to more inhabitants whom all need to move within the city. This leads to the question: “How can the entry points of Midtown contribute to a greater mobility of the city?” The project investigates the way new and old transport modes can be connected. The project is a 45,000 m2 mobility hub and Tesla city headquarters showcasing a new type of mobility hub in Midtown connecting rideshare, ride-hailing, the subway and Tesla’s future mobility ideas. The building consist of two main components, the Tesla offi ces and a parking and charging places for over 800 cars. The project is located near the busiest bridge (Ed Koch Queensborough Bridge) to Manhattan, the Frank D. Roosevelt Highway, The East river and the N,R,W subway lines. The project researches the new connections between the aspects mentioned above.

"Air Rights" in New York gives freedom for the super tall towers, while cages low rise buildings which sold their unbuilt. This graduation thesis investigates the future possibilities for the lots which sold their air rights. By exploring underground space, this project solves urgency of limited buildable spaces, and tests how to make subterranean space inviting. It is also a critic of achieving density and verticality by only introducing high rise towers in New York.