Since Martin Heidegger developed the notion of dwelling as a fundamental ontological concept that is based on the basic character of human being, this idea of dwelling has inspired a number of...Show moreSince Martin Heidegger developed the notion of dwelling as a fundamental ontological concept that is based on the basic character of human being, this idea of dwelling has inspired a number of architectural theorists in relation to the question of how we should build. However, it has been argued that such interpretations have often been flawed, and I think that in reality Heidegger’s conception of dwelling is too intangible to really comment on the act of building. This thesis will therefore explore inhabitation from a different angle – from an angle that investigates how we experience architecture, how architecture means something us and how architecture also changes us – in order to ask how we can come to an understanding of the experience of inhabitation from which it is possible to comment on the act of building. I will therefore not investigate inhabitation from a Heideggerian perspective – asking what it means to dwell – but rather approach inhabitation from a more phenomenological and hermeneutic perspective. I will argue that the experience of inhabitation depends upon the interaction between people and architecture; it is a melodic experience in which the possibilities for meaningful action that the architecture offers correspond with people’s intention of action, while at the same time the architecture amplifies experience through functioning as a medium. From this conception, I will argue that inhabitation must become an answer to building – not in the sense that existing models of inhabitation are reproduced, but rather that an understanding of the experience of inhabitation becomes guiding in the design process.Show less
In 2009 during the excavation of Udhruh, a Byzantine church in southern Jordan, an ensemble of fifteen limestone blocks were found, out of situ. They featured symbols, which have yet to be...Show moreIn 2009 during the excavation of Udhruh, a Byzantine church in southern Jordan, an ensemble of fifteen limestone blocks were found, out of situ. They featured symbols, which have yet to be researched. It is important to pin-point the original locations of the blocks as this will enlarge our understanding of the church and because the location of the blocks could also assist in understanding the engraved symbols, which could be other than Christian in nature. The church and attached town maintained an autonomous Christian community while being controlled by multiple Islamic powers for at least six centuries. This raises questions relating to the presupposed tenuous Muslim-Christian relations in the region. The Levant and Middle East as a whole have long been described as historically unstable as a result of religious tension, but the existence of the church provides a counterargument against this notion. The pin-pointing of the location of the blocks has been done through 3D-analysis, in which the surface condition, the orientation and the curvature of the blocks were determined. The symbols have been analysed by method of 3D analysis and a literature study, focussing on early Christian symbolism. The research concludes that the blocks are divided into a more homogeneous group, the “true” blocks, and three miscellaneous blocks. The true blocks have similar dimensions and attributes. Analysis points to an elevated, semi-suspended original location within a straight wall, probably in the aisles or nave of the core basilica, which is the oldest part of the church. Another object displayed clear curvature and was determined to be part of an archway. The symbols on the blocks are without a doubt Christian in nature, but not all early Christian. The geometrical pattern have been determined to likely be decorative, instead of symbolic. Whereas the shell and the crosses hold symbolic meaning. Out of the three types of crosses, two are also linked to the Crusader period. This could provide evidence for the continued use of the church during the Abbasid, Fatimid and Ayyubid periods, an epoch of which still not much is known concerning Udhruh.Show less
A window serves as the eye of a building. This thesis attempts to approach the windows of early modern China, roughly from the late Ming to the early Qing period. With the findings, it shows that...Show moreA window serves as the eye of a building. This thesis attempts to approach the windows of early modern China, roughly from the late Ming to the early Qing period. With the findings, it shows that windows served as a practical element as well as a culture symbol. On the one hand, a window could be used to enhance light effects and air circulation; with the coverings, windows created a shelter of privacy for both people inside and outside; windows were also taken into the account of architectural design as an evocative pictorial device. On the other hand, it represented social status and wealth. Windows were also silent statement of the so-called elegant taste, ya. Apart from these, the window motif in literature and art could help to frame an erotic space. It can be concluded that in the early modern period, a window had not only practical functions, but also shouldered multiple cultural symbolic implications.Show less
The aim of this thesis is to analyze the role of Holocaust museums in the past, from when they were first instituted, and in the present, focusing on two Holocaust museums: the Jewish Museum in...Show moreThe aim of this thesis is to analyze the role of Holocaust museums in the past, from when they were first instituted, and in the present, focusing on two Holocaust museums: the Jewish Museum in Berlin, in the perpetrators’ land, and Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, situated in the victims’ country. This dissertation studies the geographic location of these museums because of its great influence on the narrative of these museums: Yad Vashem, being situated in Jerusalem, follows a Zionist narrative derived from the State’s national memory, while the Jewish Museum in Berlin sometimes falls into a guilt-induced narrative because it is in the capital of the country that perpetrated the Holocaust.Show less
The purpose of this thesis is to explore the relationship between medieval literature and architecture. I’m hoping to find out whether the images of architectural structures in the works of...Show moreThe purpose of this thesis is to explore the relationship between medieval literature and architecture. I’m hoping to find out whether the images of architectural structures in the works of Geoffrey Chaucer are true to what they would have looked like in the Middle Ages, or if they were based on earlier architecture styles or even based on merely his imagination. The main research questions for this thesis will be: how does Chaucer depict the built environment and use structures in his works? What effect does the use of structures and space have on the creation of a narrative? Did his travels to Europe influence the kind of structures he created? The main focus will be on the tower, temples and theatre in The Knight’s Tale, the three structures in House of Fame, and the city and domestic structures in Troilus and Criseyde.Show less
The aim of this thesis is to analyze Pyongyang's changing architecture taking into account the North Korean regime's recent implementation of a market-oriented economy and the social and spatial...Show moreThe aim of this thesis is to analyze Pyongyang's changing architecture taking into account the North Korean regime's recent implementation of a market-oriented economy and the social and spatial effects of that. The analysis is based on the prediction of the book "Unprecedented Pyongyang", describing the transformation of the iconic monuments and the specific socialist morphology of Pyongyang to a more "functional" capitalistic city. By analyzing architecture, and the social production of such the thesis sheds light on the possible clash between the social and the political body in North Korea, explaining the mechanisms of cultural propaganda and especially advocating for the prevalence of agency in Pyongyang's inhabited space. The study is situated within the broader debate of globalization and modernization as possible external forces, being implemented in Pyongyang and represented in build form. The thesis questions whether the economic transitioning and a resulting spatial and social change also results in a temporal one, wherein Pyongyang "catches up" to the globalized and modernized world. Overall the conclusion shows that there are some major issues pertaining to how the processes of time and modernity are considered within International Relations.Show less
A research on the relation between Finnish architect Alvar Aalto and the Dutch architects of the Nieuwe Bouwen movement. Focus on the influence of the Finnish architect on the Dutch architects.
This thesis provides a comparative study of the architecture of the temple of Hera I at Paestum. The Greek Doric temple is first compared to a Roman Basilica. This comparison provides the evidence...Show moreThis thesis provides a comparative study of the architecture of the temple of Hera I at Paestum. The Greek Doric temple is first compared to a Roman Basilica. This comparison provides the evidence that there is no empirical reason to interpret the temple of Hera I as a basilica. A second and third comparison of the temple are made with the Hephaisteion in Athens, Hellas and the temple of Hera II at Paestum in Magna Graecia. Although the temple of Hera I shares similarities with both traditional Greek Doric temples of Hellas and typical West Greek temples of Magna Graecia, the temple of Hera I seems to differ from both type of temples a lot in the architectural plan. This thesis provides an in-depth overview of the architectural structures of the temple of Hera I to show that the temple is unique. With this information as a solid basis, future research can focus on functionality, the amount of experimentation used to build the temple and the effect of its unique character.Show less
The Mecca of today displays a concrete image of a modern city. Contemporary buildings and planned communal spaces following the rules of 21st century architecture dominate the plains of this...Show moreThe Mecca of today displays a concrete image of a modern city. Contemporary buildings and planned communal spaces following the rules of 21st century architecture dominate the plains of this religious hub. This process of change on the Meccan cityscape can be traced through a number of factors; population growth, the globalization of the world, oil and its ties with the West. However, one factor lies key in triggering these changes - the Saudi-Wahhabi takeover of 1916. During the early beginnings of the First World War the Ottoman Empire was coming to a gradual end, loosing her power and influence on the lands under her rule. Challenged with fighting enemies on the western front, Ottoman focus on the Hijaz region shifted, offering a leeway for the Wahhabi faction to gain in strength and overthrow the Anatolian control, acclaiming the area known today as Saudi Arabia. This thesis aims to focus on what the consequential influences of the Wahhabi takeover in the 1920s were for the cityscape of Mecca through discussing: the differences between Mecca’s administrative styles under the diverging rule of the Ottoman Empire and the current Saudi decree; the religious background and effects the main principles of Wahhabism played on Meccan architecture; the discovery of oil and its repercussions of modernization and globalization; and the possible instigation of a new Islamic paradigm of Mecca, since its image has been altered so drastically. A time frame will be placed2, starting from the early stages of the 20th century, where the Ottoman Empire’s reign came to an end, up until the modern day Wahhabi rule.Show less
The Forbidden City, built between 1406 and 1420, is described on the website of UNESCO as embodying ‘the traditional characteristic of urban planning and palace construction in ancient China’....Show moreThe Forbidden City, built between 1406 and 1420, is described on the website of UNESCO as embodying ‘the traditional characteristic of urban planning and palace construction in ancient China’. Religious, philosophical and ideological symbolism abound in the Forbidden City, from the representation of cosmology in the assignment of halls and palaces according to the concept of yin and yang, to the nine by nine grids of door bolts on the gates, the Chinese pronunciation of ‘nine’ being a homonym of ‘everlasting’. What this thesis attempts to do is rebuild the ideological identity of the early Ming dynasty as it is expressed in the Forbidden City architecture through texts and images, and to see whose identity is being expressed.Show less
One thing that stands out when looking at Alfred Hitchcock's films is the director's interest in domestic space. By looking at the 'Hitchcock House' from top to bottom, from outside to inside, this...Show moreOne thing that stands out when looking at Alfred Hitchcock's films is the director's interest in domestic space. By looking at the 'Hitchcock House' from top to bottom, from outside to inside, this thesis argues that domestic architecture in Hitchcock's films has a symbolic function. Influenced by Victorian literature and German Expressionism, Hitchcock's 'topography' is characterized by houses whose architectural style, rooms and elements reflect the narrative and the protagonists' characters. In addition, Hitchcock's houses at times become characters in their own right, trapping and wounding their inhabitants. Besides that Hitchcock attributes a symbolic meaning to his domestic sets, he also uses them to play with the private/public contrast, one of the most important conventions of social space.Show less
The Late Antique architectural remains on the acropolis of Koroneia’s city hill have not yet received the research attention they need in the current Ancient Cities of Boeotia project. This thesis...Show moreThe Late Antique architectural remains on the acropolis of Koroneia’s city hill have not yet received the research attention they need in the current Ancient Cities of Boeotia project. This thesis will delve deeper into the collapsed vaulted ceiling remains that have been found on the acropolis and provides a thorough description, coordinate measurements and plans, and begins the difficult task op interpreting these remains. It is attempted to reconstruct what the building was and draw parallels to other similar buildings. Research into the remains was conducted in the 2009 field season by architectural specialist Dr Inge Uytterhoeven, and the August 2012 field season saw the continuance of this research by students. For a field school on ground-based digital recording techniques, students were tasked with recording the remains of the large structure on the acropolis which had earlier been dubbed the ‘Bishop’s Palace’ by researchers. Over 200 Total Station measurements were taken, detailed descriptions and sketches were made, and over the course of two mornings the entire remains were carefully documented. Also, suggestions for the improvement of fieldwork and analysis methods and suggestions for further research are made in this thesis. In this thesis, special attention is paid to the recording and analyzing techniques used, and these are described in detail. Also, an attempt has been made to interpret the remains and compare them to other, perhaps similar, complexes. In close consultation with Dr Inge Uytterhoeven, the remains have been roughly dated to the 5th or 6th century AD, the Late Antique period on the Greek mainland. A look at both the remains and the period suggests that the most likely interpretation is an elite villa or house with a public character.Show less
During Late Antiquity a lot of changes took place in the organization and buildup of towns and cities. These changes comprise a number of things: an overall decline of construction (both in number...Show moreDuring Late Antiquity a lot of changes took place in the organization and buildup of towns and cities. These changes comprise a number of things: an overall decline of construction (both in number of buildings as well as overall quality), a retraction of the town to the acropolis or ‘upper town’ area, a decline in organization and planning of the town and an increase in reusing older materials. At Koroneia these changes take place as well, this is suggested by both the architectural finds and the analysis of the ceramic finds of the survey done at the site. The religious and public spaces on the acropolis are now joined and/or replaced by everyday life (domestic and industrial structures). Different construction methods are used during the Late Antique period, which can say something about the use and (social) value of the structure. The archaeological data for this thesis consist of several structural remains which are recorded both manually and digitally. The construction methods used allow for a general division of the walls and a probable distinction of outer and inner walls. Due to the layout, two different sets of spaces can be traced, which might suggest either two buildings, or two units within one building. However further research in the chronology of the walls and research with the help of techniques like GPR, will greatly enhance our ideas about the total layout and size of the structures and will allow us to make more detailed conclusions. For now it seems most likely that these architectural remains had a domestic function and comprises a single structure, although a division into smaller units cannot be ruled out at this point. The methods used for the data acquisition were not perfect, but done quite quickly. In order to enhance the amount, but more importantly the accuracy and usability of the data, a couple of suggestions are made. Namely, planning in advance what the data will be used for, taking the time to check the data before processing and make a clear organization of the tasks that are needed for the acquisition of the data.Show less
