This thesis examines the complex relationship between reality and representation in maps, and how this relation has influenced the perception of the map and its ability to convey information throughout history. The study analyses historical maps of Venice and Amsterdam, highlighting their evolution from detailed depictions to simplified representations. Through philosophical theories and cartographic investigations, it reveals the paradoxical nature of map truthfulness, where distortion often becomes a means of communication. From the mythical portrayals of the historical city to the modern diagrammatic transit maps, this thesis traces the progress of cartography, examining how maps balance accuracy with purpose, ultimately prioritising coherence over correspondence with reality.

This thesis explores the influence of spirituality from the Dutch East Indies on Dutch architecture from 1890 to 1920. It investigates the interplay between Eastern spirituality, particularly through theosophy, and architectural theory, focusing on key figures like K.P.C. De Bazel and J.L.M. Lauweriks. Through an analysis of influences from the Theosophical Society in both the Dutch East Indies and the Netherlands and architectural works, it reveals how Hindu concepts and Indo culture were translated into architectural forms. While some projects demonstrate a clear integration of spiritual concepts, others reflect a superficial borrowing of aesthetic elements. The study provides an examination of the relationship between Eastern spirituality and Dutch architecture, shedding light on a lesser-explored aspect of architectural history and offering insights into the cultural exchanges between the Dutch East Indies and the Netherlands during this transformative period.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the historical development of Seoul Station's space and contemplate the current state.
The history of Seoul Station began in 1900 and has since interacted continuously with the city. Through the Japanese colonial period, the Korean War, and periods of rapid growth, it has undergone dynamic changes. As a result, it has grown into one of Korea's most important stations and developed into a hub for high-speed rail. In this process of change, Seoul Station has influenced its surrounding environment and undergone changes in its functions. This study aims to analyze the history of these changes and reflect on the issues that have arisen during this development.

This architectural history thesis looks at the interrelationship between transport, land-use and architecture. A systematic comparison of the these three systems at key time periods contributed to the collective puzzle of answering the main research question; ‘How has the evolution of the transport system, with main focus on the railway system, impacted the development of the city Lille throughout time?’.

The transport systems of major European cities have played a vital role in their economic and urban development, forming networks that facilitate the flow of energy, people, and goods. Lille, located near the French-Belgian border, has two stations from different railway eras: Lille-Flandres (since 1846) and Lille-Europe (since 1990). The transformation of these stations has been driven by capacity demands and the need to adapt to rapid growth and limited space. Lille-Europe, in particular, has acted as a catalyst for the city’s economic transformation from a secondary to a tertiary sector.

The architecture of the station areas reflects the interplay between local and global contexts, with Lille-Flandres embodying a fusion of Flemish, French, and Parisian styles, while Lille-Europe represents a modern and cross-border vision. This architectural evolution sparks a debate between preserving local identity and embracing universal design principles. The station areas serve as a visual expression of Lille’s dynamic evolution and the changing nature of transportation systems.

Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, similar to many war destructed cities, has undergone major transformations post-civil war. Lebanon today is very much a result of the differences between different religions and religious sects the country witnesses on a political and social level. These disagreements made way in every decision making process especially during its (re)construction. Different political groups worked on the transformation of different regions which lead to many contrasts present today in Beirut. The (re)construction of Beirut brought many lessons for future (re)constructions of countries. This topic has become more crucial in recent years as more destructions are caused by the increase in wars the world is witnessing. Most of the research conducted on the (re)construction of war torn cities either targets Western cities or focuses on one development area instead of looking at the whole image. This is especially relevant for Beirut’s (re)constructions since the capital underwent different transformation projects by different groups. Therefore, the research group investigated is How have wars designed modern Beirut’s urban typology? This paper studied three neighbourhoods in Beiurt namely : Beirut Central District, Zokak el Balat and Haret Hreik. A comparative analysis was conducted to identify the similarities and differences these neighbourhoods had. Having an absent governmental body during the (re)constructions of Beirut allowed the political groups to demolish buildings according to their likings and incentives. Very often, the neighbourhoods studied underwent major transformations that completely changed the character of the area. The (re)constructions of Beirut were solely steered by private incentives of the various political groups. At the end of the day, it was the Lebanese people that greatly suffered from Beirut’s makeover.

Herman Hertzberger is an architect who has dealt over many years with the design of school buildings, both in terms of theory and practice. Owing to his vast experience in this field, he has established a theoretical framework on designing stimulating learning spaces for children. The scope of this thesis is firstly to present Hertzberger’s theory on the attributes of such spaces and how architects can achieve designing successful school buildings. There are several remarks of his that can be achieved spatially in various manners. After all, in architecture there is not an unambiguous relationship between theory and practice. In this sense, the research question of the present thesis is how Hertzberger’s theory on designing school buildings has been implemented in different ways. In other words, I will try to display the various architectural ‘solutions’ manifesting the same principles. In order to answer the question above, I will analyse schools (kindergartens and primary schools) designed by Hertzberger to serve contemporary learning approaches and teaching practices. The schools that will be selected cover a large time span, starting from the first buildings he designed until recent projects; the objective is to understand in what ways he himself has implemented his own ideas and probably detect elements that he further developed or departed from.

In the 19th century the interest in monasteries and monastic life returned, leading to the design of the Abbey of Egmond by architect A.J. Kropholler in 1929 and the design of St. Benedictusberg in Vaals by architect Dom Hans van der Laan.
This research investigates how the architects A.J. Kropholler and Dom Hans van der Laan incorporated the Benedictine Rule into their modern abbeys. Specifically, it examines the historical context of the Dutch abbeys and the development of monastic architecture, drawing on Wolfgang Braunfels’ Monasteries of Western Europe as a foundation for contextualizing the St. Gall Utopia. Additionally, it explores the design principles and philosophies that influenced the layout and construction of the Dutch abbeys under investigation, through an analysis of the floor plans and layouts of the abbeys, as well as interviews with a current monk or an employee at both Dutch abbeys.
The thesis is structured into four chapters, beginning with an examination of the Benedictine Rule and Utopia of St. Gall, followed by separate analyses of St. Adalbert’s Abbey in Egmond by A.J. Kropholler and the St. Benedictusberg Abbey in Vaals by Dom Hans van der Laan. The final chapter compares the two Dutch abbeys with each other and the Utopia of St. Gall. The study is limited by the scope of the two Dutch abbeys chosen for analysis, but it offers insights into how the architects of the abbeys incorporated the Benedictine Rule into their designs, and sheds light on the role of monasteries in modern society.
The spaces for the three main pillars of the Benedictine Rule are integrated in both Dutch Abbeys. However this research shows that the role in society for Monasteries has changed. The essential elements of the St. Gall Utopia can still be recognized in both floor plans, however the size and clustering of several functions changed.
ABSTRACT

The understanding of Architecture History on the evolvement of architecture through generations and cultures is a fundamental tool to gain knowledge about
our past, ourselves and the world around us. The topic that will be touched upon
in this thesis is the architectural evolution of mosques in Istanbul between the last regime of the Ottoman Empire and the Turkish Republic. The aim of the research is to investigate how mosques evolved in Istanbul between the regime of the Ottoman Empire (1839-1922) and that of the Republic of Turkey (1923-2022). Furthermore, the correlation between Ottoman mosques and Post-Ottoman mosques within the research area, and the influence of politics on their development will be analyzed for a better understanding of the mosque architecture in Istanbul. The methodology is a descriptive comparative analysis, supported by photographs and architectural drawings. Additionally, case studies (Ortakoy Mosque (1856), Ertugrul Tekke Mosque (1896), Sisli Mosque (1949) and Marmara İlahiyat Camii (2015)) will be conducted on various architectural scales; urban context, morphology, exterior and interior, and an investigation on the political background of the reigning era. Based on the research it is concluded that the mosque has evolved through mimicking the mosque architecture of the Ottoman Empire, this movement was influenced by the political system of the early Republican era. However, the contemporary mosque does not literally replicate the grandiose mosque of the past. It includes the modern innovations and trends of its time: a modern interpretation of the past glory of the Ottoman architecture.

The main question of this thesis is: ‘’What impact did family life in the 19th and 20th centuries have on the floorplan of family homes in the Netherlands?’’ In the 19th century, families lived close together in slums, in which housing conditions were poor. Privacy within the family was far away, as living, cooking, etc. were all done in one shared room. After the Housing Act in 1901, workers’ living conditions were improved through better hygiene and more spacious dwellings, in which, according to families’ needs, each function was given its own space and parents, boys and girls were also given separate bedrooms. In the reconstruction after World War II, on the opposite, dwellings were set back to square one with a more open floorplan, just like the slums, with different functions - such as living and cooking - in one space. This involved only more space and the privacy of family members was better incorporated into the floorplans, through separate bedrooms and more living space.

This thesis investigates the impact of the political changes on architecture during the Berlin Wall. The political changes started during and after WW2 (1939-1961). The tension between the parties became larger, which led to the Berlin Wall in 1961. The Berlin Wall increased the division of the parties even more, which became visible in the architecture. The expression of their political ideologies has become visible on the streets in several ways. East and West Berlin had their own methods to implement their ideologies. Some of the methods are more visible than others. By going in-depth between four case studies from East and West Berlin these methods and ideologies become visible. The case studies are located in Mitte Berlin, the central heart of the city. The case studies that were chosen are large-scale projects that can be seen as monuments or icons. Their common interest lies in their symbolic meaning combined with the architectural expression.

A quick overview on the esteblishment, reaction and future developments of Winkelcentrum Schalkwijk in Haarlem.

Brutalism has once again become hot and booming. What has reignited the flame of this controversial building style for it to suddenly appear abundantly in pop-culture? Social media, films, perfume, or even Brutalist web design are just a few of the examples that Brutalism is not confined to architectural publications, the Dutch climate being no exception.

The research investigates the history of Brutalism and looks at explanations of academics on this Brutalist comeback. These theories are taken into account when investigating and analysing three Dutch concrete icons: the TU Delft auditorium by Van den Broek & Bakema (1966), the provinciehuis Noord-Brabant by Hugh Maaskant (1971), and the town hall of Terneuzen, also by Van den Broek & Bakema (1972). The reception history of the trio is compared by first looking at newspapers and architectural journals published shortly after their completion, before taking a look at current opinions on the Brutalist designs. Furthermore, this research analyses the phenomenological qualities of the exposed concrete, investigating whether or not this plays an important role in the architectural assessment and possible revaluation.

The research found that the public opinion on the architecture did not alter drastically. The TU Delft auditorium has consistently been regarded as ‘good architecture’. The provinciehuis is a special case, since most biting commentaries of the seventies can be explained by the political and social tensions, which now seem a thing of the past. Here the public opinion seems to have shifted, but the complicated context makes it hard to objectively assess if the building would have met the same resilience, had it not been built many years after its planned construction. A questionnaire on the Terneuzen town hall indicates the phenomenological qualities of concrete can work repellent, yet when confronted with the architecture for a longer period, people recognise its architectural value. This is something of the past and the present. Nowadays, people do regard the building worthy of monument status, but ‘ugly’ is still the common denominator.

Although there is a revaluation going on, one must keep in mind that revaluation just means there is a regained interest and people start to assess the value of something again, be it positive or negative. There are multiple motives for this revaluation. In architecture and literature, it is common for outdated styles from fifty years ago to regain interest. Controversial styles also become subject of academic studies, hoping to shed new light on why they were valued that way. Brutalist architecture now also reaches a point that for many a decision needs to be made whether or not the expensive maintenance costs are worthwhile. With demolition as the alternative, a discussion on heritage listing is inevitable. Social media sees the debate reach the public, stimulating also the non-experts to join the conversation and give their opinion on the architectural values of the built environment.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there was a significant decline in the use of ornamentation in architecture. Louis Sullivan and Adolf Loos were two architects who had contrasting views on the use of ornaments in the beginning of modern architecture. This research explores how Louis Sullivan's and Adolf Loos' views on ornamentation influenced modern architecture. The findings of this study can be used by architects to understand the trend of ornamentation in architecture and why it has largely disappeared to this day. The main research question is "How did Louis Sullivan’s and Adolf Loos’ views on ornaments in architecture influence modern architecture?". The study conducts qualitative literature research on the theoretical writings of Sullivan and Loos and analyses two modern architectural works that exemplify the influence of their ideas on ornamentation: the Guaranty Building (1896) by Louis Sullivan and the Looshaus (1911) by Adolf Loos. The results show that Sullivan used ornamentation to enhance the expression of the function and purpose of the building, while Loos saw ornamentation as a sign of degeneration in modern architecture and opted for simplicity. The emphasis on functionality by Sullivan and Loos inspired modernist architects to design radically functional buildings, which led to the disappearance of ornamentation in the early 20th century.

The Netherlands has faced a significant housing shortage for years, with a deficit of over 300,000 dwellings. This shortage is prevalent in both the owner-occupied and rental sectors, particularly in social housing. With national average waiting times of seven years, and up to twenty years in major cities, the issue is pressing. Housing associations, governed by the national Housing Act of 2015, play a crucial role in providing affordable housing to vulnerable and low-income groups. However, there is a noticeable discrepancy in the social housing development policies between Rotterdam and Amsterdam. This research aims to understand the differences in the municipal performance agreements of these two cities, considering both municipal context and policy. The study delves into the municipal policy context, policy differences at the municipal level, and a comparative policy analysis of the performance agreements in both cities. Through in-depth interviews, the research seeks to explain the variations in the performance agreements from the perspective of municipal context and policy. The findings reveal that both the municipal policy context and the social housing policy play a fundamental role in explaining the differences in performance agreements between Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Despite operating under the same national Housing Act, the cities’ distinct social compositions, political climates, and financial capabilities have led to notable differences in their agreements. Amsterdam’s approach is characterized by a focus on tenant welfare and inclusivity, while Rotterdam adopts a more result-oriented, efficiency-driven approach, with a specific emphasis on the mid-range rental segment. The influence of umbrella organizations and the absence of a centralized tenant association in Rotterdam also contribute to the disparities. This study contributes to the understanding of municipal performance agreements in the context of social housing, providing insights that could be useful for policy development and evaluation. The methodology used in this research could also be applied to other Dutch municipalities, offering a comprehensive framework for analyzing social housing policies and performance agreements.

The construction sector is experiencing a fundamental shift towards greater digitization. Building information modeling (BIM), augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), the internet of things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Digital twins are all becoming more prevalent in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. Greater digitization introduces additional data flows in construction projects that are collected, analyzed, and exchanged. Furthermore, the construction process, procedures, responsibilities, and obligations of the various stakeholders change. Dealing with the large volumes of data and the changing process necessitates a more robust and efficient data strategy than ever before. Tender documents will comprise, in addition to the standard documentation for physical construction work, several new or revised documents or regulations related to digital construction and data exchange. By understanding and controlling data exchange in projects, project advantages and organization-wide success may be realized. Currently, limited research is done in the field of public procurement and data exchange. Comparative case studies, in particular, have received little attention in this area.

Therefore, this thesis addresses the following research question: “How can contracting authorities (re)design the procurement phases to enhance successful data exchange in construction projects?” Through a theoretical study, followed by in-depth interviews and case studies, an attempt was made to gain insight into two important aspects of the tender: (I) the requirements of the product and process concerning data in the demand specification, and (II) the use of selection and award phase. Interviews with experts were conducted to provide external validation.

The research demonstrated that more attention should be paid to data exchange within public organizations, with a specific focus on asset management. The great majority of contracting authorities lack the necessary maturity to deal with the growing data in projects. In the procurement process, accurate data exchange is not or hardly prioritized, because public organizations are uncertain and even unaware of what they want and of the possibilities. As a result, a lot of data is lost during the life cycle of a building. For data and information management to become a component of asset management, a contracting authority must first pay attention to the softer, cultural, and organizational factors and define an associated organization-wide vision. By formulating unambiguous process and product requirements following the vision, it will be clear to market parties what the assignment entails and what is expected of them. In doing so, clients need to collaborate more with each other and contractors to achieve a successful data exchange.

Brasília is the conveyor of both architectural and political discourses. Its construction symbolized the possession of the vast and unexplored hinterland, but moreover it was built to inaugurate a new moment in Brazilian history. The thesis aims to investigate on the intersecting points of these discourses, describing and identifying elements in  Lucio Costa's winning proposal which dialogue with the utopia both the architects (Lucio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer) and Juscelino Kubitschek, Brazil's president at the time, had envisioned for Brasília.  

The projects: Plan Voisin, Broadacre City and Futurama, of the three architects: Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright and Norman Bel Geddes, are all three based upon the criticism the architects had on the design of their contemporary city’s and the mobility within these urban structures. The coming up of the automobile had consequences for the city and its traffic, and the three architects called the contemporary cities no longer suited for this new mode of transport. With the coming up of the automobile, the ordinary man is able to travel with the units of the new standard, and it is this new standard that laid the groundwork for all three projects. It is in this architectural history thesis that the development of the vision for the future of mobility between 1925 and 1940 is investigated. The research question that was used in this thesis was the following: What effect did the growing influence of the car have on the ideas of the role and position of mobility in the city of the future? The chronological first of the three is Le Corbusier, he envisioned the automobile to travel at speeds never seen before, and it is this speed that gives a city its success. Within his Plan Voisin, verticality is used to create space. The separation of pedestrian and motorised vehicles creates the opportunity for superhighways to give the automobiles the possibilities to connect city and country with speed. Wright later reacted to this verticality, blaming the liveability of the city. Stating with his Broadacre City that with the automobile and the highways, it is should not be speed but space that must be achieved for the ordinary man. Space, the decentralization due to the technology of the times, gives the ordinary man the possibility to prosper, and therefore create a successful urban design. Norman Bel Geddes and his Futurama came back with the verticality and the centralization of the city, but expresses that the speed of the automobile, with its highways, had no place in the urban structures. Where there is space, there is speed, according to Geddes, so the highway systems should be designed outside of the city, in order to efficiently connect the country with the city and vice versa. Thus, the coming up of the car influenced the mobility and the plans for the city of the future, over time in different ways. It was the speed of the automobile that first gave incentive for this change in urban design. This speed was later used to create space outside of the city, to pursue what could not be found within the city. But it is due to this mobility of the automobile that finally gave incentive to return the interest back to the city. By implementing efficient highways the connection between city and country could be restored, and it is this restoration of the city and its traffic that influenced the ideas for the plan of the city of the future.

The impact of urban morphological changes on heritage structures and their surroundings is investigated in this thesis. To accomplish so, the thesis focuses on and investigates the case of Shree Jagannatha Temple in Puri, which was built in the 12th century. The temple serves as the spiritual heart of Hinduism, one of the world’s oldest religions. As one of the country’s ‘Char Dhams (four prominent Hindu temple locations),’ it is crucial to the city’s economy. The inflow of pilgrims to the temple on significant occasions like the Ratha Yatra (Chariot Journey) surpassed the support system’s basic capacities. Grand Road (main road) for key religious rites degraded over time as a result of commercialization of the surrounding area, leading to illegal settlements as well. The urbanization of the area surrounding the temple has also adulterated the temple’s pinnacle’s visibility. The government of Odisha has presented a plan by Puri Konark Development Authority to transform the city of Puri into a world heritage city by 2031 in order to protect the temple and its significance. The thesis examines three architectural dimensions – setting, scale, and space – to better comprehend the factors that influenced the government’s decision. The research is limited to the urban changes in the 19th century, 20th century, and latest developments because considerable urban growth occurred in the last few decades. Site visits, photographic documentation, and comparative analysis were all part of the research for developing Serial Vision using the method of Gordon Cullen. Furthermore, Kulke and Hunter W. Stirling’s publications, as well as news articles, were useful resources for understanding history and stakeholder perspectives. Finally, the thesis explores the government’s document plans and how they may aid in the restoration of the temple’s monumentality.

Berlage completed the design for the expansion plan of the south of Amsterdam in 1904. This plan was approved by the local council, but did not remain uncriticized. Among others, J.H.W. Leliman commented that the plan did not meet the demand for affordable housing and suspected the direct implementation of Camillo Sitte’s theories. Berlage himself preferred a monumental approach and he often referred to the Paris development by Haussmann. However, at that time, monumental urban planning in Amsterdam was received as provoking and this was not accepted by the local council. The execution of the first ‘Plan Zuid’ delayed, among others as a consequence of the First World War. Ten years later, in 1914, the plan had to be revised. Fortunately for Berlage the discourse on monumental urban planning took off in the interim period. In 1914, Berlage gave four lectures about urbanism. The quoted sources in these lectures are consulted to gain a deeper understanding of Berlage’s Theories. Berlage explained the historic development of urban growth. Because of the subjective individual style and the lack of a generic style it was impossible to obtain a coherent cityscape without regulations by authority. For a coherent cityscape, an urban plan should not only contain the street layout and the division of land, it should include how to build on the created plots as well. Additionally, a façade influences the street and eventually the city and that is why this should not be left to the individual. Consequently it would be ideal to develop an entire block of housing at once. However, this also led to monotonous façades. Thus, to stimulate the development of an entire block façade with architectural quality, it was unavoidable to use regulation and provide economic advantages. When Berlage revised ‘Plan Zuid’, which was approved in 1917, he created the monumental urban plan he preferred. Regulating the execution of the plan started with experimental committees. The influence of the committees concerned the assessment of submitted designs and increased by providing silhouettes as a framework for architects. Eventually the ‘Commissie Zuid’ was appointed in 1925. The members of the committee worked extremely precise. The designs were discussed and adjusted many times before they were approved. They had a considerable influence on the execution of ‘Plan Zuid’, of which the quality relied on the regulation of the execution.