This thesis explores the interplay between urban underground spaces and the concept of time, aiming to transform our perception and use of these hidden areas. Beginning with an extensive mapping of Madrid's underground, the research reveals the often-inaccessible nature of these spaces. Through typological studies and philosophical exploration, the thesis reinterprets these spaces as temporal phenomena, emphasizing their dynamic potential.
The theoretical foundation is grounded in concepts such as Bergson's duration and Bakhtin's chronotope, which highlight the entanglement of time and space. The design project proposes a shift from place-based to operation-based design, focusing on the temporal dimensions of space. It envisions a flexible art hub in Madrid, adaptable to various activities and extending beyond its physical boundaries, reflecting the concept of Urban Uchronia—a utopia of time that challenges existing temporal norms.
The manifesto envisions a network of interconnected underground spaces across the city, forming a system of Urban Uchronia. This vision integrates subterranean environments into the urban fabric, transforming how we engage with these spaces. The thesis concludes by reflecting on the transferability of these concepts, offering innovative strategies for urban regeneration and architectural design in diverse contexts worldwide. By reimagining underground spaces through the perspective of time, this thesis proposes a new paradigm for urban development.

Casa de Campo, Madrid’s Field of Play, has yet to fully integrate into the city's everyday life and ecology. This forest, rich in archaeological and natural heritage, is nearly forgotten, with its playgrounds sitting empty and unused. This project takes an infrastructural approach, creating directed fields where both human and non-human activities can unfold. The design lays the groundwork for future events and building activities, operating flexibly in the division, allocation, and construction of surfaces, while also engaging architecture's ability to communicate through its imagery.
The research identified multiple sites within Casa de Campo to become a series of interconnected yet diffuse elements. These elements are intended to induce movement, create new atmospheres, and establish visual connections and ecologies between the park and the city. Site selection was based on factors such as accessibility, proximity to roads and trails, viewpoints, and archaeological significance. The networked imagery of these architectural elements fosters new associations and movement patterns between city dwellers and their playground, Casa de Campo.
Key research methods included mapping, drawing, navigation, and walking, all of which helped to immerse the project within the context of Casa de Campo and Madrid. These tools revealed the site's suppressed and intangible qualities. Some maps were playful and internal, while others were systematic, helping to address the complex implications of the proposed intervention. Operational mapping, used as a design tool, allowed for the exploration of functions and possible outcomes over an extended time frame. This approach balanced structured, fixed elements with more flexible, negotiable ones. As a result, the urban strategy aims to create a flexible system rooted in ecological and infrastructural thinking. Time and process are integral to the landscape's growth and microbial activity, connecting air, surfaces, substrates, and rhizomes. The architectural design materializes these anticipated event scenarios, and the construction process is made visible to the public, embracing the messy realities of urban building rather than concealing them.

This research delves into the multifaceted identity of Tunis, exploring how its rich history, cultural diversity, and urban dynamics intersect to shape its sense of place and belonging. The main research question guiding this study is: What is the relation between urban & social changes and the loss of “the Port-city Identity” in Tunis? Through a multidisciplinary approach that combines urban anthropology, cultural geography, architectural analysis, the study examines various neighborhoods and public spaces in Tunis, including Lac1, Lac2, Rades, La Goulette, and Carthage. Using fieldwork, interviews, observations, and mental maps from participants, the research uncovers layers of meaning embedded within the city's built environment and collective memory. From the bustling port of Rades to the historic ruins of Carthage, each neighbourhood offers unique insights into Tunisian identity, reflecting a blend of ancient traditions, colonial legacies, and contemporary challenges. The study also explores how Tunisians interact with public spaces, navigate historical sites, and negotiate their sense of belonging, shedding light on the complex interplay between physical landscapes and social practices. A significant finding, revealed through field research, is the endangered situation of local fishermen. The research discovered that these fishermen, who are vital to the region's maritime culture and identity, are being pushed out due to urban development. Their informal docking spots, crucial for their livelihood, are at risk of disappearing, which could lead to their displacement and the loss of an essential element of the port city's identity. The findings underscore the importance of preserving cultural heritage, fostering dialogue, and promoting inclusive urban development in Tunis. By embracing diversity and its port city heritage, Tunis has the potential to emerge as a vibrant and resilient hub of creativity, innovation, and cultural exchange. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of Tunisian identity and offers insights for policymakers, urban planners, and researchers seeking to navigate the complexities of identity and urban space in the 21st century.

Madrid is losing its cultural identity in the historical centre. Two neighbourhoods, in particular, are under significant pressure; La Latina and Lavapies. The city is at risk of losing the rich culture these neighbourhoods contribute, while problems such as gentrification, globalisation and global heating threaten them.
This research aims to prevent the cultural identities from disappearing from the centre through architectural interventions. Using the research-by-design method, various architectural
interventions are considered and tested for their physical and psychological qualities. The findings will lead to suggestive solutions that can be applied by architects during the design process.

This socio-architectural research is a critical reflection upon post-war rehabilitation methodologies and outcomes. The paper observes the current national and international aid response, and other involved actors to the war in Ukraine. Concepts such as “taking responsibility” and the “ability to respond” serve as guidelines for assessing and critiquing different stakeholders and actors. It also looks at what influences the outcomes of post-war recovery, as well as the importance of citizens involvement in the different stages of planning and project developments. It is through the identification of different means of communication and the reach of emergency responses that we can explore and analyze the needs of the citizens, their resilience and hopes for the future of Ukraine. Moreover, the study aims to break down the ambiguous relationships between response-ability, becoming and com-munity resilience to create a clearer connection between the three. This would allow the architectural research to narrow down on post-war resilient design, going beyond the traditional route of emergency/temporary housing or shelter provision, and valuing community resilience, as well as flourishing local economies and public participation.

This thesis challenges the political imagination of the border as a fixed structure, aiming to change the way the public thinks about and interacts with borderscapes. It explores how borderscapes, particularly those between Morocco and Algeria, serve as platforms for showcasing state identity and ideology, while simultaneously becoming spaces where border communities question and redefine these ideologies.

Research shows that despite the border closure between Algeria and Morocco, border communities remain connected through informal cross-border trade. These communities continuously find ways to cross the border to meet their needs, creating new opportunities for social and economic growth. This impacts local markets and ways of living, fundamentally challenging our understanding of borderscapes.

Taking the informal as inspiration for rethinking urban spaces, the project proposes dynamic design strategies for redefining the borderscape, using Oujda, a city in northeastern Morocco near the Algerian border, as a case study. It builds on the existing politics of tolerance, fostering the creation of self-organized settlements along an abandoned railroad that once connected Algeria and Morocco. The long-term vision is for these growing settlements near the border to lead to the gradual reopening of the border, with a traveling market serving as a connector and an agent of resilience and change in borderscapes.

This thesis explores the intricate relationship between residents and cities, with a focus on Venice as a case study. It investigates the impact of external agents on the city’s evolution, highlighting challenges such as demographic decline, economic dependence on overtourism, all symptoms of an unlivable city. The study employs a hierarchical analysis to understand Venice’s problems, em- phasizing the urgency of preserving its residents, in terms of private, collective, and public living. Utilizing urban and architectural studies, the research proposes pragmatic solutions, advocating for a balance between curated experiences and authentic urban history. The Giudecca sestiere is taken into account, an island with the potential to challenge Venice’s issues and become a res- ident-centred space, contributing to the broader discourse on urban preservation and livability. Here, Gino Valle’s Social Housing Complex from 1984 is examined, establishing limitations and potential for architectural interventions.

Despite the rich Islamic history of Madrid, remnants of its Islamic past are hardly visible anymore. Contemporary architecture both in and outside of Madrid is centred around pragmatism, in contrast to the rich tradition of Andalusí architecture and the
extensive degrees of symbolism interwoven with its characteristic buildings. It is impossible to copy the form language of Islamic architecture without acknowledging the underlying cultural and religious symbolism. This research paper will therefore focus on the way in which different forms of symbolism are translated into edifice within the tradition of Andalusí architecture, and on the role atmospheres play in this translation. This is done through literature review, case studies, and experimental design research. Following the historical importance of water within both the city of Madrid and Islamic architecture, a particular focus is placed on water as a bearer of symbolism and the phenomenological qualities of water are elaborated upon. Finally, the analysis of Therme Vals by Peter Zumthor will provide insights into the atmospheric-architectural design methodology, which is combined with the findings of the literature review to be applied to a contemporary design project.

An analytical collection of theoretical, psychological, and methodological research applied
to spatial appropriation. Understanding our innate need to modify existing conditions to
satisfy personal needs begins with understanding user perception and action to uncover
the user’s needs and motives. This research is explored on the balcony and applies its
history and multi-programmatic character to understand the residents of the Lavapies
Neighborhood in Madrid. Site visit research and interviews reveal how locals reflect,
project, and respond to the current situations of their personal and communal needs
through balcony and gallery appropriations. Utilizing the Catalogue of Balcony
Appropriations, the main visual supportive source of my field research and site
understanding, revealed seven reasons for spatial appropriation. The analysis of these
seven derived four general conclusions that can be applied to learn from the amateurs of
other locations.

How can we move from an extremely prescriptive institution to one that empowers not only the users of the building, but also the whole neighbourhood and, ultimately, the whole city?
A Victoria Kent Social Integration Centre, formally known as Yeserías Prison, is the main focus and starting point of my design.
Of the twenty-one prisons that operated during the Franco regime, CIS Victoria Kent is the only one still functioning as a penitentiary institution. The rest of the former prisons have been returned to their original educational or religious functions or, to bury an uncomfortable history, have been demolished and the land sold to profit-seeking developers for housing. This building contains an important part of the city's history, having originally been built in the late 1920s as a beggar's asylum, then as a prison for political prisoners and finally as a women's prison. Currently, the building serves as a social integration centre for third-grade male inmates.
The main ambition is to challenge the prison to become an open institution and a valuable asset to the city and the community. Both spatially and programmatically - how can such a structured and controlled space become an system that opens the guarded wall to the community and helps inmates make a more seamless transition back into society?

Food is a vital part of our lives and throughout history it has shaped our cities. However, our current agricultural practices exhaust our natural environment and are threatened by climate change. Next to that, the design of our food system is highly susceptible to global instabilities. With the population only increasing and more people living inside cities, the pressure on the food system is only growing. This increases food insecurity and further planetary urbanization.

Urban agriculture is seen as a possible method to transform the food system into a sustainable system. In research, the qualities of urban agriculture and its effect on the food system are discussed. Yet, the effect on the direct surroundings are mostly ignored. At the same time, when these effects are reviewed, little differentiation is made between different types of urban agriculture. Hence, this paper focuses on the question: How can urban agriculture be implemented into cities to improve the liveability of the city? This is done using literature review, case study analysis and design experiments.

The research shows that the effect of urban agriculture on liveability is highly dependent on the strategy that is being implemented. Liveability consists of six dimensions: Stability, education, healthcare, facilities, social cohesion and physical environment. No direct effects can be measured on stability education and healthcare. Nevertheless, literature suggests there might be indirect positive effects. Facilities, social cohesion and physical environment can be improved through urban agriculture. Here, the strategy that is being implemented determines which dimension of urban agriculture is improved. There is not one strategy that improves all aspects of liveability, instead each strategy has its own strength. Other aspects that influence the liveability are the production system, activity, area, location, product and destination. Altogether, there is not one design in urban agriculture that can improve liveability, some aspects of urban agriculture might decrease liveability. Hence, a balance needs to be found between changing the food system and creating a qualitative living environment.

This study investigates Bengaluru’s Chamarajpet Eidgah Maidan as a proxy of Hindu-Muslim religious communalism manifesting in public space. The maidan has been a ground of controversy since June 2022 due to a conflict over its use for (religious) ritual activities. The incumbent Hindu-nationalist BJP government fails to mediate such contestations of socio-religious public space between Hindu and Muslim groups. The main risk, among others, is an escalation of communal violence.
However, other major risks include the disenfranchisement of Chamarajpet Maidan’s everyday existence, and by extension, of its everyday stakeholders. A failure to understand these tensions will exacerbate the megacity’s existing infrastructural and social woes. This study explores how public space could address religious communalism. It has been found that, in addition to exploring the religious and ritual meanings of the maidan through analytical cartographies, an analysis of its ‘worldings’ - through media representations and physical-social realities - were invaluable to produce a countercartography of the maidan. These countercartographies were possible with reference to books, journal articles, news articles, historical maps, site observations and interviews. Public architecture could address religious communalism if the maidan’s religious conflict is addressed alongside its everyday social needs. A longterm view necessitates the integration of (unanticipated) stakeholder uses and clear governance for infrastructural resilience. Politicised religions, which normalise a Muslim versus Hindu antagonism, is becoming ever more rampant in India. To understand its spatial ramifications is a first step in addressing a nation-wide problem.

This master thesis answers the following research question:

How can architecture enable communities to rebuild and thrive in the aftermath of ruinous chaos, by rapidly implement simple, sustainable design solutions, whilst acknowledging the chaotic situation and leveraging the receptiveness to change?

The research assumes the inevitability of chaos and explores the events following ruinous chaos, and how a community can be of risk to be exposed to an aid-gap; a period of lacking resources or synergy between stakeholders that prevents a community from recovering after ruinous chaos. A single case-study is conducted within this research, following the aftermath of the Beirut harbour explosion on the 4th of August 2020. It concludes what obstacles occur, two years post blast, and what strategies and prerequisites are promising. The information that is incorporated in this research stems for a multidisciplinary approach, connecting historic, economic, urban, humanitarian and governance viewpoints to the research.
The theoretical framework of this research is based on theories such as Antifragile, Nasim Taleb, Doughnut economics, Kate Raworth, or the transition model of D. Loorbachand. Furthermore, it uses frameworks set up by UN-habitat, The Green Building Council and BHP Foundation.

The findings from this research, including the theoretical framework and fieldwork in Beirut, indicate that an interdisciplinary approach will have a plausible and positive effect on sustainable development. Key approaches can be identified that stimulate and facilitate sustainable recovery and development. These approaches include decentralization, bottom-up approach, accountability and improving synergy between stakeholders by decreasing asymmetric knowledge and data sharing.

Several indicators are found to be highly important in the successful implementation of design interventions: Community ownership over the development, moving away from humanitarian aid towards development as soon as the situation allows, and addressing the psychological impact of the event, in this case, the explosion in the Beirut harbour area.

In social quandaries is an analysis of three council housing estates dating back to the 1960s, all situated within the Greater London area. The analytical framework was informed by the book “Paris Haussmann: A Model’s Relevance,” which extensively examines the Haussmann plan in Paris, employing various mediums such as writing, drawing, and photography to explain its characteristics across different dimensions.
Drawing upon the research, my study concludes in several recommendations that form the foundational basis of my research-based design. These principles have been derived from a qualitative analysis of the estates, incorporating insights from two books that cover various factors that are crucial in establishing architectural and urban spatial quality. The principles are: facilitating interaction and vegetation, the incorporation of pedways and walkways, densification, mixed typologies, a multifunctional plinth, and the inclusion of courtyards.
Consequently, the design process that has been undertaken centers around these guiding principles, using them as primary elements to create architectural and spatial quality within the redevelopment of a London council estate.
By doing this I try to complete my design objective, which is to demonstrate the value present in the social housing stock of 1960s London, emphasizing the importance of preserving or redeveloping these buildings rather than resorting to demolition.

This thesis explores how contemporary community centers can be improved to better serve the needs of future generations of elderly. The research is positioned by previous studies that elaborated on subjective values attached to space and the theory of aging-in-place, and emphasizes on the role the community center could play in creating more social interaction for the elderly who age-in-place. It highlights the significance of social connections by addressing loneliness which is an significant topic relation to the elderly. The study includes observations, interviews, and a survey involving 35 individuals aged 50 and older. The findings underscore the importance of tailored programs for the future generation of elderly, such as adapted space for elderly with dementia and intergenerational involvement. Further research is needed to delve into specific design features that enhance social interaction within the community centers.

This research paper is the research that will be comple- mentary to the mobility hub design made for Architectural Design Crossovers Graduation studio. The aim of this research is to find out which urban design interventions are needed to move the city of Lon- don out of the car and get them to walk, cycle and use public trans- port. First several concepts are discussed that form the theoretical framework. Then the research starts with positioning within literature about design handles for implementing cycle infrastructure. After, the future of mobility is discussed and several precedents where the car was removed in favour of pedestrians and cyclist are analysed. The findings are then bundled and implemented at the design site in Il- ford, London. The result is an urban proposal for the area, with a focus on slow traffic and the transfer to public transport, which the design of the graduation studio will build further on.

The use of artificial intelligence (AI), digital tools and fabrication technologies in architecture has followed a paradigm shift, enhancing its design and construction processes and performances. While it has enhanced the performability and efficiency aspects of architecture, it has removed the aesthetics and symbolism of ornamentation and individuality of buildings. This research questions what the new relationships and arrangements for architecture and ornament are, specifically focusing on the use of AI and digital technology, to understand how these instruments can be used to bring craft, structure, functionality, and symbolism back to contemporary ornamentation in architecture.