Architecture of Independence: The Conversation Around Ugliness in Early 90’s Lithuanian Home Design

Student Report (2025)
Author(s)

M. Šukys (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)

Contributor(s)

J.M.K. Hanna – Mentor (TU Delft - History, Form & Aesthetics)

Faculty
Architecture and the Built Environment
More Info
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Publication Year
2025
Language
English
Graduation Date
20-04-2025
Awarding Institution
Delft University of Technology
Project
['AR2A011', 'Architectural History Thesis']
Programme
['Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences']
Faculty
Architecture and the Built Environment
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Abstract

This thesis explores the evolvement of perception surrounding architectural ugliness in post-Soviet Lithuania, focusing on residential houses that emerged in the 1990s, also known as Collective Farm Baroque. Initially criticized for their stylistic eclecticism and out-of-scale size these homes have come to symbolize transition and independence. Through a combination of analysis methods, the research examines how regarded architecture has been depicted in various online media. The shift from formal critique to relaxed commentary has broadened the perspective and introduced a new narrative regarding the notion of ugliness. Drawing on theoretical framework of various philosophers and critics, this thesis argues that ugliness in architecture transcends fixed definitions and functions as a social construct within a constantly changing cultural context.

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