500 years at Oude Delft 229/231
an evolution of time and space untangled
M.M. Besuyen (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
S. Tanović – Mentor (TU Delft - Teachers of Practice / A)
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Abstract
This thesis investigates the architectural and social evolution of two interconnected canal houses—Oude Delft 229 and 231—in Delft’s historic city centre. Drawing from archival research, building analysis, and existing literature, the study reconstructs five centuries of transformation, revealing how changes in ownership, use, and urban policy left visible and spatial traces. What began as a personal curiosity developed into a broader inquiry into how canal houses reflect the layered socio-economic history of the city. The research situates the case study within Delft’s urban development, from the 1536 city fire and the Dutch Golden Age to 19th-century industrialization and the rise of TU Delft. Using a reverse chronological method, the thesis uncovers how successive residents—merchants, Catholic elites, industrial entrepreneurs, and students—shaped and reshaped the building. Ultimately, the project demonstrates how a single house can function as a living archive, offering insight into the interplay between space, memory, and social change over time.