This thesis examines how colonial-era architecture is perceived in contemporary Morocco, focusing specifically on colonial-era train stations, with the Gare de Rabat-Ville as a central case study. This research explores the significance of colonial-era architecture by an in-depth study of the station’s renovation efforts. Furthermore, it compares the Moroccan framework for
heritage preservation, which distinguishes between traditional and colonial architecture, with
UNESCO’s universal approach. Lastly, the interventions are connected to the ongoing public
debate about the current value of colonial architecture in contemporary Morocco.

Train stations in Morocco are more than just buildings; they are nodes in a colonial
network that reshaped the country’s economy, society and spatial layout (Salhi et al., 2024)
By examining the renovation efforts at the Rabat railway station, this thesis aims to explore
whether the interventions respect the colonial style or change it to fit post-colonial values.
This thesis argues that the renovation efforts reveal an ambivalent attitude towards colonial
heritage, as the perception of French influence has shifted over time in Morocco.

The methodology includes reviewing both primary and secondary resources such as
the public debate, (archival) images that reveal architectural changes, postcards and legal
heritage preservation frameworks on both national and international level.

Morocco’s relationship with its French colonial past is complex and ambiguous, and
this study further aims to explore how the current stance on colonial buildings is reflected in
modern renovation efforts. This thesis offers insights in how cultural identity, colonial legacy
and infrastructure meet in contemporary Morocco. ... Read more

From its natural reliance on the Pedieos River to the development of complex water infrastructure, water has always been central to Nicosia’s survival, governance, and urban identity. In the context of heritage preservation, understanding the historical trajectory of water management in cities with complex pasts is crucial for modern urban planning. In Nicosia, water infrastructure reflects the influence of various ruling powers throughout the city’s history while also demonstrating how water management priorities and challenges shifted under each government.

This paper explores how historical water management practices have shaped Nicosia’s urban landscape and socio-political structures, from the early settlements to the contemporary challenges of a divided city.

By analysing historical maps, archival records, research, and architectural remains, this study investigates how water has been a defining element in the growth of Nicosia, both physically and culturally. It aims to uncover valuable insights into how past water management systems can inform contemporary urban challenges, including water scarcity, infrastructure sustainability, and equitable resource distribution.

Examining the water management strategies employed under different rulers in Nicosia offers lessons for modern water governance, particularly in politically divided regions. These historical strategies may help guide future water systems that are sustainable, decentralized, and integrated into cultural heritage planning.
... Read more

This research explores South Korea’s largest urban stream restoration project: the 2005 restoration of Cheonggyecheon. Once a natural stream, Cheonggyecheon was buried in 1977 during rapid modernization, and by the 1980s, most of Seoul’s tributaries had similarly been covered by roads or highways. Nearly 30 years after it was buried, the 2005 project reopened Cheonggyecheon to the public but focused primarily on macro-scale physical restoration, overlooking the micro-scale spatial connections that once integrated the stream with its urban surroundings. As a result, the restored stream remains visually prominent but spatially disconnected, raising questions about more meaningful forms of urban reintegration.
This study argues that urban stream restoration should go beyond reconstructing physical features to re-evaluating the streams’ historical and spatial roles in Seoul. Rather than restoring streams to a past state, it is crucial to examine how they functioned and interacted with surrounding architecture and infrastructure. ... Read more

This thesis explores how shared architectural actions and material engagements contribute to the formation of a communal sense of place, using the Frisian terp landscape as a central case study. Drawing from archaeological evidence, historical maps, and theoretical frameworks from architectural phenomenology and anthropology, the research investigates the interplay between collective practices—such as layered earth construction, settlement rituals, and communal maintenance—and the emergence of place-bound identities. The study argues that the physical shaping of the terp, beyond being a response to environmental necessity, constituted a socio-cultural process through which people actively constructed their worldview. The research contributes to a broader understanding of architecture not merely as shelter but as a medium through which communal imagination and identity are cultivated. ... Read more

This paper discusses the architectural development and the contexts of the American monuments built by the American Battle Monument Commission (ABMC) after both World Wars. The influence of the ABMC of architect Paul Cret and the relatively remarkable building style of “Stripped Classicism” are highlighted. ... Read more

In open squares, parks and residential neighbourhoods, when the sun sets, groups of Chinese mid-age and elder women are often seen dancing together to music in public space. This activity is called square dance. Square dancing now is the most popular fitness and social activity among elder women in almost every city and town in China, although many people keep expressing discomfort with the dancers. The criticism of Square dance and its core participants——elder women——reflects the social debates over how public space should be used in Chinese urban environment. The paper begins from a historical perspective, constructing a timeline of the development urban public space usage and women’s behaviour in these spaces, analysing the people and places of square dancing, to argue that square dance is a method for elder women as a vulnerable group to reclaim the discursive power over urban space. Square dancing is not just a fitness/leisure activity, indeed, it is an natural outcome resulting from both the long-term urbanization and women’s pursuit of spatial rights in the context of China. ... Read more

This history thesis investigates the historical, architectural, and socio-economic significance of port silos in Greece, with particular attention to their changing role in the country’s industrial and maritime development. While originally designed for the storage of grains and agricultural goods, silos have evolved into more complex infrastructural and spatial entities. Within urban and port contexts, they operate as intermediary objects that link agricultural production with industrial processes and maritime trade.

Positioned along waterfronts, port silos act as both spatial and symbolic thresholds between land and sea. They played a pivotal role in shaping the growth of Greek port cities, especially during the export-oriented economic expansion of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Their hybrid character, spanning the urban and rural, functional and architectural, reflects broader transformations in production and logistics.

At the core of this study is the conceptualization of silos as interfaces: physical and metaphorical points of convergence where trade, infrastructure, and urban life intersect. Drawing from architectural theory and urban history, the thesis explores how these structures organize spatial relationships within the port city and articulate connections between the rural economy and maritime networks.

The research also addresses the obsolescence and abandonment of many silos, as shifts in trade practices and port technologies have weakened their functional ties to the waterfront. In response, it examines possibilities for their adaptive reuse, assessing how these formerly industrial sites might be reintegrated into contemporary urban life through cultural and public programming.

Research questions:
How does the transformation of port silos reflect broader economic and socio-cultural shifts in Greece? What role do silos play in shaping the identity of port cities as spatial and functional interfaces? How can their maritime past inform strategies for future reuse and reintegration?
... Read more

This thesis explores how the architecture of colonial Mexican haciendas was used to shape and reinforce social hierarchies. Focusing on the Yucatán region and the case study of Hacienda San Juan Bautista de Tabi, it examines how spatial layout, material distinctions, and architectural symbolism functioned as tools of control and dominance. The study argues that haciendas were not neutral production sites but were carefully designed to reflect and maintain colonial power structures. The research highlights architecture’s active role in sustaining inequality, authority, and discipline within the hacienda system. ... Read more