Design Studio Bachelor Thesis 2023/24: Stranger Realisms

Tim Altenhof & Giacomo Pala

In our studio, we highlight that ideas often stem from existing knowledge, and practices like reuse and appropriation are vital in design and textual production.

Unlike written works, where borrowing is explicit, architectural references, such as to the Parthenon, are more casual.

Final Exhibition, June 2024

For the first semester, we've introduced a card game. Each student selected a house card, analysed it, wrote an essay, and modified its design.

These exercises, encompassing various historical and contemporary architectural styles, served as preparation for the bachelor thesis in architectural theory.

In the second semester, drawing from past experiences, students chose an imaginary place to inspire their thesis. In pairs, they developed a contemporary research topic based on these places, culminating in the writing of a research book, and a design.

The provided settings, such as forested Acaire or cliff-bordered Nepenthe, prompt exploration of issues like ecology, climate change, Anthropocene, new identities, today’s urban issues, new forms of expression, technological advancements—and much more—to be explored by each project.

Which research paths could you explore by thinking, writing, and designing within your own framework?