The Maassilo in Rotterdam is known for its grain storage in the twentieth century, but turned into an event venue in the beginning of the 2000s. In this thesis, the architectural and urban transformations to the Maassilo and its surroundings are being investigated. It appears that the silo has been of great impact in the bigger network of silo's, but it also has contributed to the image of Rotterdam. Structural, internal and external changes have shaped the silo as it is right now, causing a new way of looking at the reuse of heritage buildings.

This thesis investigates the role of architectural drawings as instruments of parametric control during the early period of digital architecture in the 1990s. Focusing on the freshH2Oexpo (Water Pavilion) designed by Lars Spuybroek and the Rotterdam-based firm NOX between 1993 and 1997, the study challenges the dominant historical narrative that defines parametric architecture exclusively through the lens of post-2000 computational software like Grasshopper or Catia. At the time of the pavilion's design, early animation and industrial software could generate complex, seamless topological surfaces but lacked associative capabilities, meaning that changing one geometric element did not automatically update dependent parts of the model. To fill this technological gap, NOX externalized geometric rules and dependencies directly into a highly integrated, manual drawing system. Utilizing primary source materials from the archive collection AP173 and a firsthand interview with Spuybroek, this paper analyzes three distinct document types that functioned collectively as a non-computational parametric model: a series of nineteen transverse sections capturing the gradual rotation and scaling of an ellipsoidal profile, color-coded systems diagrams enforcing topological and programmatic sequences, and a heights diagram mapping a continuously shifting ground level. Furthermore, the thesis examines how this drawing system asserted absolute technical and legal authority over the construction process, translation errors, and material constraints. Instead of relying on a three-dimensional digital model, contractors were provided with precise two-dimensional coordinate data derived from the drawings. This data was input into a Total Station on-site to guide lasers for exact component placement, meaning that un-drawn material behaviors-such as the dramatic torquing of secondary steel C-profiles-emerged logically from the rules established between adjacent sections. Ultimately, this study demonstrates that parametric reasoning-defined by relational variables rather than computational automaticity-preceded the software designed to automate it. By recovering this displaced intelligence, the thesis offers an alternative historical framing that roots the origins of parametric design in rule-based drawing practices, highlighting a distinct philosophy where form is negotiated through discrete architectural decisions rather than automated continuous variation.

This thesis explores the influences of American architecture on Hendrik Petrus Berlage, which focuses on his design principles and the American principles that manifest into his work. His rationalist approach, which demonstrates structural expression, proportional systems, and controlled use of ornamentation, was shaped by 19th century American architecture, deducted by his studies of Henry Hobson Richardson. His interest in the style extends to the 1911 trip to United States, which further shapes his influences. Furthermore, Beurs van Berlage reveals similarities in design approaches through structure, ornamentation, materiality, and geometric organization. The thesis concludes that these principles were taken and reinterpreted by Berlage.

Vanaf de jaren zeventig voltrok zich een fundamentele verschuiving in de Nederlandse woningbouw: van grootschalige, gestandaardiseerde systeembouw naar een meer context-specifieke en kwalitatieve architectuur. Deze beweging werd mede vormgegeven door architect Theo Bosch, die bekend stond om zijn pragmatische aanpak, oog voor detail en sociale betrokkenheid. In dit onderzoek wordt gekeken naar de rol van de werktekening als ontwerptool én communicatiemiddel binnen het woningbouwproject de Sijzenbaan in Deventer, waarin Bosch' kenmerkende ontwerpprincipes — zoals functiemenging, semiopenbare ruimtes en een ontwerp op menselijke maat — tot uiting komen. Door middel van de analyse van archiefstukken van de Sijzenbaan als primaire bron en het verrichten van literatuuronderzoek als secundaire bron wordt onderzocht hoe dit project zich verhoudt tot de woningbouwtraditie van de naoorlogse decennia, en in hoeverre het als tegenreactie kan worden gezien op de gebreken van systeembouw. Het onderzoek biedt daarmee inzicht in de maatschappelijke en architectonische waarde van Bosch’ werk en laat zien hoe zijn benadering tot op heden relevant is binnen de (woning)bouwpraktijk.

Dit onderzoek richt zich op de representatie van het bedrijf en vooral de werknemer in de kantoorarchitectuur van de wederopbouwperiode in Nederland, met het hoofdkantoor van de Koninklijke Nederlandse Hoogovens en Staalfabrieken (KNHS) als casestudy. In de wederopbouw werd deze architectuur gekenmerkt als ‘representatieve werkpaleizen‘. Het hoofdkantoor van de Hoogovens valt hier ook onder. Het onderzoek verdiept zich in de verschillende prijsvraag ontwerpen voor het hoofdkantoor en het uiteindelijke ontwerp van W.M. Dudok. Door middel van symboliek, ruimtelijke opzet en materiaal wist Dudok een gebouw te ontwerpen dat ruimte bood voor de werknemer. Het onderzoek toont aan hoe kantoorarchitectuur in deze periode niet alleen het bedrijfsimago, maar ook sociale en ideologische visies op arbeid en representatie weerspiegelde.

This thesis explores how the kraakbeweging (squatter movement) influenced the redevelopment of Amsterdam’s Nieuwmarkt neighborhood between the 1960s and 1980s. Through archival research and comparative analysis, it examines the conflict between municipal modernization plans, grassroots resistance, and architect-led mediation by Theo Bosch and Aldo van Eyck. While the metro was constructed despite protests, the squatters succeeded in halting a major highway, preserving the historic fabric, and shifting plans toward social housing and participatory planning. The Nieuwmarkt struggle demonstrates how citizen activism, combined with responsive architecture, can meaningfully transform urban renewal processes while highlighting the complexities of long-term neighborhood change.

This thesis explores the collaboration between Aldo Rossi and Carel Weeber in redeveloping Den Haag’s Slachthuisterrein, highlighting how artistic and historical perspectives reshaped Dutch urban renewal by integrating memory, identity, and monumentality into post-industrial transformation.

The Lloyd Hotel in Amsterdam played an important role in the early 20th century as a migrant hotel for Eastern Europeans on their journey to South America. The hotel is build by the Koninklijke Hollandsche Lloyd and aligned with needs of the Eastern Port area, which was developing into a major centre for global trade and migration. The hotel offered a fully equipped and controlled environment for Europeans migrating overseas, with among others medical, administrative and sleep accomodation amenities. Using both archival and literature research, this thesis explores how the hotel’s foundation and function relates to the spatial and social development of the Eastern Port Area in the 20th century. A comparison with Antwerp’s Red Star Line complex highlights the unique characteristics of Amsterdam’s centralized model. The Lloyd Hotel mirrors the urban development, the migration flow and the changing port infrastructure in the 20th century.

How did the architectural realisation and use of commercial spaces, particularly retail spaces, in Rotterdam during the post-war reconstruction period (1940-1955) differ from the pre-war era. More specifically, how did innovations in spatial design, the interplay between retail and public spaces, and these changes, impact social behaviour and economic recovery, as exemplified by the two case studies, the Groothandelsgebouw and the Lijnbaan?

This thesis examines the transformation of Rotterdam’s commercial spaces during the post-war reconstruction period, with a specific focus on the years 1940-1955. The research will analyse the architectural and spatial innovations that defined the city’s retail spaces and how they reshaped urban behaviour and public interaction. The study centres on two case studies: the Lijnbaan, the first modern pedestrian shopping street in Europe, and the Groothandelsgebouw, a multifunctional wholesale trade centre. By exploring the intersection of retail, public spaces and architecture, this research highlights how these developments contributed to Rotterdam’s economic recovery and urban socio-spatial identity in the aftermath of World War II.
What this study adds to existing research is a focused analysis of the interplay between spatial form and socio-economic function. While previous literature often treats architecture and economic recovery separately, this thesis bridges them, showing how built space shaped both civic identity and commercial vitality in post-war Rotterdam.

In the early 19th century, Utrecht faced rapid urban growth, rising from 30,000 to 43,000 inhabitants within a decade. This growth caused a housing shortage and contributed to deteriorating living conditions. In response, the Commissie tot Uitbreiding en Verfraaiing der Stad Utrechtwas established in 1827 to guide the city's redevelopment. The commission sought not only to alleviate housing shortages but also to enhance urban aesthetics and promote economic growth. The commission appointed landscape architect J.D. Zocher Jr., who had previously worked on similar transformations in Dutch cities.
This thesis examines the extent to which Zocher’s original design and the commission’s ambitions were realized in the eventual redevelopment of Utrecht. By combining analysis of archival documents, including letters, commission reports, and Zocher’s own design description, with cartographic comparisons of city maps from 1838, 1850, and 1874, the study reveals significant deviations from the original plan. Although Zocher proposed a comprehensive design that integrated housing expansion, trade facilities, and a city park, implementation focused almost entirely on the redevelopment of the old city. The planned residential developments remained largely unrealized, and the transformation ultimately prioritized improving conditions within the existing city walls rather than expanding beyond them.
By reconstructing this casestudy of 19th-century urban planning, the research contributes to broader understandings of city development, landscape architecture, and municipal decision-making in the Netherlands during this transformative period.

This thesis investigates Polish postcards (1952–1989) as tools of socialist propaganda. Using semiotic and iconographic analysis, it reveals how urban and architectural imagery subtly conveyed ideological messages. Themes like monumentality, collectivism, and modernization were embedded through visual framing, realism, and symbolism, shaping public memory in support of state ideology.

This thesis focuses on a specific element of Herman Hertzberger’s Montessori school in Delft (1960–1968), the window. The three studied windows: a skylight, an indoor window, and an outdoor window, are used as a tool to investigate the design practices of Herman Hertzberger from the perspectives of the production system networks and cultural practices of the Montessori educational philosophy.
Using archival drawings and technical analysis, the research reveals that Hertzberger rejected standardised, industrial components in favour of bespoke wooden windows crafted from humble painted softwood. The intricate details related to their use and varying wood and glass types exhibit a careful negotiation between function, cost and durability. The choice for highly articulated wooden windows testifies to, on one hand, Hertzberger’s preference for tactile and articulated design and on the other, the Montessori ideals of independence and self-directed learning.
From a regulatory standpoint, Hertzberger’s windows sometimes creatively interpret the school regulations to better fit both Hertzberger’s and the Montessori ideals, whilst carefully following or exceeding key provisions, such as natural light and ventilation.
The windows serve as a spatial tool in Hertzbeger’s articulation of the Montessori learning environment. The differentiation of views, varying degrees of natural light, and enclosure shape a dynamic learning environment suitable for a variety of activities.
Hertzberger’s window design transcends the regulatory requirements to embody an architectural language tailored to the Montessori education. It is a skilful mediation between craft using humble materials and progressive educational ideals.

This thesis explores the interactions between the architect Christopher Alexander and the visionary grouping of architects known as Team 10, with a focus on Alexander's participation in one of Team 10's famous meetingsa t the Abbaye de Royaumont in 1962. Both Alexander and Team 10 went on to make important contributions to architectural history and theory. Both were motivated by a critical appraisal of the high modernism of CIAM (Congrès Internationaux d’Architecture Moderne) to search for new solutions. This paper uncovers some striking parallels in their thinking and approaches, both explicit and implicit. Yet after 1962 their thinking took them in different and increasingly opposing directions. Questions explored include why these differences came about, to what extent they were fundamental, and what a continued collaboration might have achieved.

This thesis focuses on the village of Entrerríos, Spain designed in 1953 by Alejandro de la Sota. The village is one of the three-hundred pueblos de colonización built by Franco’s Instituto Nacional de Colonizacion (INC) to revitalize the Spanish countryside after the devastating Civil War, by combining large-scale irrigation projects with new villages that reflect the regimes ideal way of living. Alejandro de la Sota designed a series five villages for this institute, that are known for combining regional architectural motives with the principles of modern architecture. The paper positions the overlooked village of Entrerríos by analysing its context and design principles, through the research of novel primary sources. The village is found to introduce the architects new focus on the landscape and the square as a means to do so.

This thesis explores the development of scale in the architecture of the Amsterdam post offices by C. Outshoorn (1854) and C.H. Peters (1898), and of the urban context around the building. The urban development takes place incited by technical development and rapid expansion of the city. The scale of the architecture of the post office itself develops more eratically, due to the eclectic nature of the architects.

This history thesis will examine the extent in which Lauweriks’ architectural and design principles, taking his work for the Deutscher Werkbund Exhibition in Cologne in 1914 as a case study, align with those of the Deutscher Werkbund when looking at the broader thematic and stylistic trends represented in the exhibition. By analysing Lauweriks’ design of the exhibition and researching his perception on art, design and architecture in a new industrial culture, the aim of this thesis is to discover the relation between Lauweriks and the Werkbund.

This architectural history thesis examines the „Studentenhuis Weesperstraat“ (1966) in Amsterdam, designed by Herman Hertzberger (*1932) as a representation of his philosophy towards creating architecture. This being one if the earliest examples of Hertzbergers work, it serves as an accurate display of his meticulous approach to architecture during the development of structuralism in the Netherlands. The research consists of the retrospective analysis of his philosophy including its development, based on interviews as well as his own published recollections and a historical case study on the building in its original state. By way of immediately projecting his theoretical framework on this practical manifestation the study adds to the current body of knowledge concerning Hertzbergers work and design philosophy.

Adaptive reuse can be defined in a multitude of ways, but in this case it refers to the renovation and revitalisation of a building or site into a new purpose brought forth by societal and urban needs. This concerns many different projects, yet this paper aims to explore the nature of post-industrial designs and how they may be developed into something new. A rather broad concept narrowed down through the use of previously established research and a focus on a specific case study; The Westergas factory in Amsterdam.
Being the first large-scale municipal-owned gas factory in the Netherlands, it bears a heavy identity among the rest of the city. It also happens to be a prime example of effective post-industrial redevelopment in a way this thesis aims to explore. Thus, the primary question proposed is as follows:

“How does the adaptive reuse of the post-industrial redevelopment project ‘Westergasfabriek’ in Amsterdam realise the preservation of industrial heritage while meeting contemporary urban needs?”

A brief theoretical study was performed to establish a framework to answer such a question. This delves into previously researched adaptive reuse, defining optimal renovation requirements for heritage and multiple case-study in papers to narrow down the scope of this thesis. Secondly, the main case study is explored while using this framework, going through the development of the chosen project and identifying key aspects of its success into its revitalization. This is done using primary sources in the form of archival research and municipal documents, aided by secondary sources such as papers, books, photographs and official websites.

This study investigates the evolving role of the health and wellness centre Sanatorium Baarn, designed by H.P. Berlage and T. Sanders, through the lens of changing public perception over time. The inquiry is grounded in the central question:
'To what extent has the public reception of the health and wellness centre Sanatorium Baarn, designed by H.P Berlage and Theo Sanders, evolved over time and which factors within and outside the design process have influenced this interpretation and evaluation?'

The Sanatorium, envisioned by H.P. Berlage and T. Sanders, aimed to rival European health centres ('Kur') and establish itself within Baarn's community. Surprisingly, it exceeded expectations, becoming a haven for both the rich and ill. Initially embraced, the Sanatorium's architectural intricacies were cherished by the community. Its significance persisted, endorsed by figures like Sergio Polano. However, a gradual transformation unfolded. Neglect, complexities in ownership, wartime disruptions, and post-war decline marred its splendour. Despite rehabilitation, guest numbers dwindled due to factors like car-free days, necessitating closure. Evolving fire safety standards posed further challenges.

Amid these changes, public perception endured, keeping it a cherished symbol. Post-war shifts made it political, transitioning into a facility for war victims (BAVO) and Indonesian repatriates. An arson attempt damaged the structure's integrity, but hope remained for revival. After an auction, the building teetered on a second chance, poised for restoration. The city council, eager to preserve it, oversaw demolition and transformation. Yet, challenges arose with the new design by Van den Broek and Bakema. Municipal decisions and communal functions significantly influenced its trajectory. Ultimately, interventions altered its status, reflecting architectural resilience amidst historical shifts.