An architectural case study research into the design of a building for the performing arts as social infrastructure. Buildings for the performing arts typically focus on facilitating paid professional performance. This thesis expands the definition of performance, challenging the traditional separation between performer and audience and rethinking the conditions of a stage. This is explored through the concept of architectural membranes and with the aim to bring people of different backgrounds together. The case study for the project is the Volksbühne theatre in Berlin, an existing monumental theatre of which the name translated from German means ‘People’s Stage’. Originally founded in 1890 as an organisation to make theatre going accessible to the working class, nowadays it serves a homogenous audience of the ‘typical theatre goer’. The objective of this project is to explore if an architectural transformation of the monumental Volksbühne can rethink its identity and turn the building into a proper people’s stage and as such take on the role of social infrastructure in society. A place for the people of Berlin to see performance and be a performer.

According to the net zero land consumption stipulated in the European Green Deal, Berlin will no longer expand outwards and land resources will become tight. Under such circumstances, the construction of new places often leads to the demolition of old places, and many of the demolished places contained public memories and were of great significance to people. Therefore, it is hoped that the city can accommodate more spaces and activities through venue sharing. As a time-operated building, the train station can use its vacancy period to carry out other activities. In order to fit in with its operating cycle and at the same time protect Berlin's declining characteristic cultural industry, the night live is chosen to use the train station during its vacancy period. However, the night live has its unique needs, and the common station space cannot fully meet the needs of the night live and realize the conversion of different programs.

Based on the above statement, the research question is proposed, which is how to switch a train station to a night live venue during its vacancy period?

The design results are divided into three parts. The first part is the metro station used during the day. In this part, while realizing the normal operation of the basic programs of the station, adjustments to the space and programs are made based on the elements and needs of the night live, while optimizing the user experience in the day, so that the station can meet users’ expectations beyond efficiency. The second part is the night live venue used at night. In this part, adjustments are made to the parts that cannot be satisfied by the original space of the metro station, the adjusted space should be able to adapt to the programs of the night live and utilize the benefits brought by the unique characteristics of station space to optimize its experience. The third part is about how the two building types can be converted into each other. Starting from space, facilities and management, a complete conversion process is designed to answer the research question.

The Bundestag is the German federal parliament and with its 736 representatives it is the biggest freely elected parliament in the world (Mayer, 2021). The size of the Bundestag fluctuates every election term because the German voting system works with overhang and levelling representatives (Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community, N.D.).

The range of possible mandates varies from 598 to over 1,000 members, highlighting the considerable variability and uncertainty in the system (Vehrkamp, 2021). With more than 7 employees per representative (Bundestag, 2022)., the Bundestag can fluctuate with over 3.000 employees per election term.

This gives the obvious problem that it is very difficult for the Bundestag administration, to know how many facilities are needed. In the Bundestag, there is a forced use of home office, wooden container offices, and temporarily built offices, to try to facilitate the Bundestag (Ismar, 2021). This is also a problem on the sustainable side because temporary facilities are not sustainable and energy inefficient.

These problems are also true for any proposed designs for a new parliament building for the Bundestag. So, to counter these problems, a new Bundestag parliament building should be able to adapt to the change of users per election term.

Some questions that arise when looking at the possible solution of adaptability are: how are architectural elements related to this and how can the program best be used? How can digitalisation play a role and is it may be possible to have programmable and adaptable floorplans or room uses? How will the cyber security be accommodated for possible digital meetings? And how can all this adaptability help in sustainability?

The research and design question that follows out of these questions: How to design the adaptable Bundestag parliament of the future to sustainable facilitate the fluctuating number of members?

To answer the research question and come to a conclusion/final design, the research into the client will be done by gathering information through internet, interviews, and written questions. For the site the main research methods will be mapping information and site visits. And for the program the research will be done by case studies on other federal parliamentary lower house buildings. Because the Bundestag is idiosyncratic in its fluctuating size, the comparisons will be in square meter per employee.

The final goal is to design a new sustainable Bundestag parliament building that is adaptable in use and program, and not negatively affected by the fluctuating number of members of the Bundestag.

The mother library is a children's library located in the hard of the city of Berlin. The project to create a children's library for the city of Berlin started with the problem of reading levels declining, especially in the face of the growing digital age. This is a big concern for education and child development. The impact of this is very clearly visible in Germany, where statistics from German newspapers reveal that 1 in 4 children does not attain the required reading ability levels (Local, 2023). This alarming fact highlights a significant problem, reflecting both an educational and societal challenge, and is directly connected with children reading fewer books. (D.Ferguson, 2020) The decline in children’s engagement with reading, especially in the face of the growing digital age, is a big concern for education and child development. The impact of this is very clearly visible in Germany, where statistics from German newspapers reveal that 1 in 4 children does not attain the required reading ability levels (Local, 2023). This alarming fact highlights a significant problem, reflecting both an educational and societal challenge, and is directly connected with children reading fewer books. (D.Ferguson, 2020)
The loss of reading pleasure is seen as one of the most important causes of the decline in reading skills (Van Der Horst & Moerland, 2024). In an era where students prefer to spend time on their mobile phones, reading a book is no longer self-evident for them (Van Der Horst & Moerland, 2024). The lure of fast entertainment options, competing with the slower pace of reading, affects children’s reading pleasure, particularly those with shorter attention spans, due to social media. But social media is not the only problem. Compulsory literature in schools and how schools approach reading does not suit 21st-century children. For a long time, the standardization of education made it possible to lift whole generations away from analphabetism and, indirectly poverty, but things have changed over time (bosch, 2021, p. 22). In the same years that reading has become more mandatory in schools, reading enjoyment among children has also declined. The compulsory reading of books and new technologies together seem to be the main cause of the fact that children read less for pleasure and why their reading level seems to decline.
To solve this problem the mother library will be the birthplace for the reading pleasure of the children of Berlin. Being a place for the diversity of children of Berlin but also a library that connects children with other libraries around the city. Giving them their first experience with the loaning of a book and helping them to explore the world of books further. To achieve this the library is placed in a location that is well accessible with public transport to reach most children. The library is divided into different areas focusing on different age groups and their preferences. The hard of the building brings all these age groups together in a green oasis, forming a peaceful place connected to nature. Bringing these elements together, focused on design principles from the research, creates a library focused on the diversity and similarities of children.

This thesis focuses on research and design of future airports. The innovations in the aviation industry are guiding for the design. The main innovations that the design is based on are the supersonic airplanes fueled by hydrogen and efficiency focused technologies.

One of the most controversial topics surrounding museums in the twenty-first century is the questionable origin and accessioning of their collections. Museumsinsel Berlin, as one of the most significant museum clusters, has become home to many foreign collections because of its imperial and colonial history. This graduation thesis suggests a new cultural space on Museumsinsel dedicated to artefacts with disputed ownership, where past stories are told and artefacts are returned, fostering greater engagement in open discussion and cultural production between the artefacts and the public. The project also aims to address the large energy demands Museumsinsel will face. With the expected frequent movement of objects, museums will need to give provisional spaces for storage, research, and art distribution programs within a well-controlled climate. This is as necessary in New York and Paris as it is in Berlin.