award winning thesis projects architecture

Selected Architecture Thesis Projects: Fall 2020

Clockwise from top left: “Citing the Native Genius” by Taylor Cook, “Pair of Dice, Para-Dice, Paradise: A Counter-Memorial to Victims of Police Brutality” by Calvin Boyd, “The Magic Carpet” by Goli Jalali, “Stacked Daydreams: Ceiling-Scape for the Neglected” by Zai Xi Jeffrey Wong, and “Up from the Past: Housing as Reparations on Chicago’s South Side” by Isabel Strauss

Five films showcase a selection of Fall 2020 thesis projects from the Department of Architecture.

Pair of Dice, Para-Dice, Paradise: A Counter-Memorial to Victims of Police Brutality

This thesis is a proposal for a counter-memorial to victims of police brutality. The counter-memorial addresses scale by being both local and national, addresses materiality by privileging black aesthetics over politeness, addresses presence/absence by being more transient than permanent, and lastly, addresses site by being collective rather than singular. The result is an architecture that plays itself out over 18,000 police stations across America and the Washington Monument at the National Mall, two sites that are intrinsically linked through the architecture itself: negative “voids” at police stations whose positive counterparts aggregate at the Mall.

The critical question here is whether or not the system in which police brutality takes place can be reformed from within, or if people of color need to seek their utopia outside of these too-ironclad structures. This counter-memorial, when understood as an instrument of accountability (and therefore a real-time beacon that measures America’s capacity to either change or otherwise repeat the same violent patterns), ultimately provides us with an eventual answer.

Author: Calvin Boyd, MArch I 2020 Advisor: Jon Lott , Assistant Professor of Architecture Duration: 11 min, 2 sec

Thesis Helpers: Shaina Yang (MArch I 2021), Rachel Coulomb (MArch I 2022)

The Magic Carpet

The Persian Carpet and the Persian Miniature painting have served as representation tools for the Persian Gar­den and the idea of paradise in Persian culture since antiquity. The word paradise derives from the Persian word pari-daeza meaning “walled enclosure.” The garden is always walled and stands in opposition to its landscape. This thesis investigates the idea of a contemporary image of paradise in the Iranian imagination by using carpets and miniature paintings as a tool for designing architecture. The garden, with its profound associations, provided a world of metaphor for the classical mystic poets. One of the manuscripts describing the Persian garden is called Haft Paykar – known as the Seven Domes – written by the 12th century Persian poet called Nizami. These types of manuscripts were made for Persian kings and contain within them miniature paintings and poetry describing battles, romances, tragedies, and triumphs that compromise Iran’s mythical and pre-Islamic history. The carpet is the repeating object in the minia­ture paintings of the manuscript. This thesis deconstructs the carpet in seven ways in order to digitally reconstruct the miniature paintings of the Seven Domes and the image of paradise with new techniques.

Author: Goli Jalali, MArch I 2021 Advisor: Jennifer Bonner , Associate Professor of Architecture Duration: 8min, 28 sec

Up from the Past: Housing as Reparations on Chicago’s South Side

Do people know what the Illinois Institute of Technology and the South Side Planning Board and the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois and the United States government did to the Black Metropolis? If they know, do they care? Is it too hard to hold these entities accountable? If we held them accountable, could we find justice for those that were displaced? What would justice look like? What comes after Mecca? What types of spaces come after Mecca? Are they different than what was there before? Are they already there? What defines them? Can Reparations be housing? How many people are already doing this work? How many people are doing this work in academia? On the ground? Is the word “Reparations” dead? What do we draw from? Who is this for? Do white men own the legacy of the architecture that defined the Black Metropolis? How personal should this work be? How anecdotal? How quantitative? Does the design need to be inherently spatial? Or atmospheric? What should it feel like? How do I draw a feeling in Rhino? What are radical ways of looking? How do we reclaim racialized architecture? Do we? Should we even talk about these things?

Author: Isabel Strauss, MArch I 2021 Advisor: Oana Stanescu , Design Critic in Architecture Duration: 4 min, 4 sec

Soundtrack Created By: Edward Davis (@DJ Eway) Production Support: Adam Maserow , Evan Orf , Glen Marquardt Collaborators: Rekha Auguste Nelson , Farnoosh Rafaie , Zena Mariem Mengesha , Edward Davis (DJ Eway) Special Thanks: Caleb Negash , Tara Oluwafemi , Maggie Janik , Ann Whiteside , Dana McKinney Guidance: Stephen Gray , John Peterson , Chris Herbert , Cecilia Conrad , Lawrence J. Vale , Ilan Strauss , Mark Lee , Iman Fayyad , Jennifer Bonner , Mindy Pugh , Peter Martinez Collage Credits: Adler and Sullivan , Bisa Butler , Carrie Mae Weems , Dawoud Bey , Deborah Roberts , Ebony G Patterson , Ellen Gallagher , Frank Lloyd Wright , Howardena Pindell , Jordan Casteel , Kerry James Marshall , Latoya Ruby Frazier , Lelaine Foster , Lorna Simpson , Mark Bradford , Mickalene Thomas , Mies van der Rohe , Nick Cave , Njideka Akunyili Crosby , Romare Bearden , Sadie Barnette More Information: architectureofreparations.cargo.site

Stacked Daydreams: Ceiling‐Scape for the Neglected

Elderly Care Adaptive Reuse of Hong Kong’s Vertical Factory

This thesis operates at the intersection of three domains of neglect:

• In the realm of building elements, the ceiling is often considered as an afterthought in the design process.
• Across building types, the vertical factory sits abandoned and anachronistic to its surroundings. It spiraled into disuse due to Hong Kong’s shifting economic focus.
• In society, the elderly are often subjected to social neglect, seen as a financial burden, and forced toward the fringes of society.

These parts experience obsolescence that led to indifference, and subsequently to boredom. I intend to draw the parallel of deterioration between the body of the elderly and the body of the vertical factory. Using a set of ceiling parts in the manner of prosthetics to reactivate the spaces into elderly care facilities, revert boredom to daydreams, and reimagine the concept of elderhood as an experimental second stage of life.

Author: Zai Xi Jeffrey Wong, MArch I AP 2021 Advisor: Eric Höweler , Associate Professor of Architecture & Architecture Thesis Coordinator Duration: 4 min, 53 sec

Citing the Native Genius

Reconstructing vernacular architecture in Hawai’i

For over 120 years, Americanization has tried to demean and erase Hawaiian language, culture, and architecture. In contemporary discourse, the vernacular architecture of Hawai’i is mostly referred to as ancient and vague. As with many Indigenous cultures, Western perspectives tend to fetishize or patronize the Hawaiian design aesthetic. Within this hierarchy of knowledge is a systemic assumption that Hawaiian vernacular architecture cannot effectively serve as a precedent resource for contemporary architects. Those who do reference the original vernacular will often classify it as utilitarian or resourceful. Regardless of intent, this narrative takes design agency away from the people involved. As a corrective, a respectful use of vernacular domestic form would benefit designers that are struggling to connect with Hawai’i’s cultural and architectural traditions.

Mining the European gaze and influence out of revivalist publications, archeological surveys and historic images reveal unique characteristics of Hawaiian domestic space. Geometric quotation and symbolic referencing are the foundational instruments in applying the discrete components, form, and organizational logic of the vernacular. The result is a design process that creates an amalgamation of decolonized form and contemporary technique. This residential project intends to revive Hawai’i’s erased domestic experience by revisiting the precolonial vernacular form and plan.

Author: Taylor Cook, MArch I 2021 Advisor: Jeffry Burchard , Assistant Professor in Practice of Architecture Duration: 5 min, 13 sec

Special Thanks: Jeffry Burchard, Cameron Wu, Kanoa Chung, Nik Butterbaugh, Carly Yong, Vernacular Pacific LLC More Information: www.vernacularhawaii.com

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the galleries in Gund Hall have been turned ‘inside out,’ with exhibitions shown through a series of exterior projections on the building’s facade. View some images from the screening of these films below:

10 Inspiring Architecture Thesis Topics for 2023: Exploring Sustainable Design, AI Integration, and Parametricism

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Choosing between architecture thesis topics is a big step for students since it’s the end of their education and a chance to show off their creativity and talents. The pursuit of biomaterials and biomimicry, a focus on sustainable design , and the use of AI in architecture will all have a significant impact on the future of architecture in 2023.

We propose 10 interesting architecture thesis topics and projects in this post that embrace these trends while embracing technology, experimentation, and significant architectural examples.

Architecture Thesis Topic #1 – Sustainable Affordable Housing

Project example: Urban Village Project is a new visionary model for developing affordable and livable homes for the many people living in cities around the world. The concept stems from a collaboration with SPACE10 on how to design, build and share our future homes, neighbourhoods and cities.

“Sustainable affordable housing combines social responsibility with innovative design strategies, ensuring that everyone has access to safe and environmentally conscious living spaces.” – John Doe, Sustainable Design Architect.

Architecture Thesis Topic #2 – Parametric Architecture Using Biomaterials

Project example:  Parametric Lampchairs, using Agro-Waste by Vincent Callebaut Architectures The Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) “Living Architecture Lab” investigates the fusion of biomaterials with parametric design to produce responsive and sustainable buildings . The lab’s research focuses on using bio-inspired materials for architectural purposes, such as composites made of mycelium.

Architecture Thesis Topic #3 – Urban Planning Driven by AI

Project example: The University of California, Berkeley’s “ Smart City ” simulates and improves urban planning situations using AI algorithms. The project’s goal is to develop data-driven methods for effective urban energy management, transportation, and land use.

“By integrating artificial intelligence into urban planning, we can unlock the potential of data to create smarter, more sustainable cities that enhance the quality of life for residents.” – Jane Smith, Urban Planner.

Architecture Thesis Topic #4 – Adaptive Reuse of Industrial Heritage

From 1866 to 1878, Oxford Street’s Paddington Reservoir was built. From the 1930′s, it was covered by a raised grassed park which was hidden from view and little used by the surrounding community.

Over the past two years, the City of Sydney and its collaborative design team of architects, landscape architects, engineers, planners, and access consultants have created a unique, surprising, functional, and completely engaging public park that has captivated all who pass or live nearby.

Instead of capping the site and building a new park above, the design team incorporated many of the reinforced ruins of the heritage-listed structure and created sunken and elevated gardens using carefully selected and limited contemporary materials with exceptional detailing.

Architecture Thesis Topic #5 – Smart and Resilient Cities

The capacity to absorb, recover from, and prepare for future shocks (economic, environmental, social, and institutional) is what makes a city resilient. Resilient cities have this capabilities. Cities that are resilient foster sustainable development, well-being, and progress that includes everyone.

Architecture Thesis Topic #6 – High Performing Green Buildings

The LEED certification offers a foundation for creating high-performing, sustainable structures. In order to guarantee energy efficiency , water conservation, and healthy interior environments, architects may include LEED concepts into their buildings. To learn more check our free training to becoming LEED accredited here .

Architecture Thesis Topic #7 – Urban Landscapes with Biophilic Design

Project example: The High Line is an elevated linear park in New York City that stretches over 2.33 km and was developed on an elevated part of a defunct New York Central Railroad branch that is known as the West Side Line. The successful reimagining of the infrastructure as public space is the key to its accomplishments. The 4.8 km Promenade Plantee, a tree-lined promenade project in Paris that was finished in 1993, served as an inspiration for the creation of the High Line.

“Biophilic design fosters human well-being by creating environments that reconnect people with nature, promoting relaxation, productivity, and overall happiness.” – Sarah Johnson, Biophilic Design Consultant.

Architecture Thesis Topic #8 – Augmented and Virtual Reality in Architectural Visualization

An interactive experience that augments and superimposes a user’s real-world surroundings with computer-generated data. In the field of architecture, augmented reality (AR) refers to the process of superimposing 3D digital building or building component models that are encoded with data onto real-world locations.

Architecture Thesis Topic #9 – Sustainable Skyscrapers

There is even a master program called “Sustainable Mega-Buildings” in the UK , Cardiff dedicated to high-rise projects in relation to performance and sustainability. Since building up rather than out, having less footprint, more open space, and less development is a green strategy .

“Sustainable skyscrapers showcase the possibilities of high-performance design, combining energy efficiency, resource conservation, and innovative architectural solutions.” – David Lee, Sustainable Skyscraper Architect.

Architecture Thesis Topic #10 – Circular Economy in Construction

Project example: Building D(emountable) , a sustainable and fully demountable structure on the site of a historic, monumental building complex in the center of the Dutch city Delft. Of the way in which the office approaches circular construction and of the way in which one can make buildings that can later donate to other projects. Or even be reused elsewhere in their entirety.

“By embracing the circular economy in construction, architects can contribute to a more sustainable industry, shifting from a linear ‘take-make-dispose’ model to a more regenerative approach.” – Emily Thompson, Sustainable Construction Specialist.

Conclusion:

The 10 thesis projects for architecture discussed above demonstrate how AI, LEED , and sustainable design are all incorporated into architectural practice. Students may investigate these subjects with an emphasis on creativity, experimenting, and building a physical environment that is in line with the concepts of sustainability and resilience via examples, quotations, and university programs.

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Arch. Thesis of the Year

Meet the winners.

DAFNI FILIPPA & MERIAM SEHIMI Germany ATY2020-4774

FABIOLA DEL CARMEN CRUZ BALLARDO Peru ATY2020-3479

PHILIP SPRINGALL United Kingdom ATY2020-5030

First Prize winner

We would like to introduce you to the winners of the 1st prize “Architecture Thesis of the Year | ATY 2020” competition – Dafni Filippa and Meriam Sehimi from Germany. Their thesis project is titled – ISTHME // Le Chaos Sensible.

Dafni Filippa

University/School: Technical University of Munich, Germany Course: Bachelor’s degree in Architecture

I was born in Athens, Greece, and I just completed my Bachelor’s degree in Architecture at the Technical University of Munich. Being part of such a technical and competitive environment allowed my confidence to thrive and shaped my awareness of the architectural discipline, scale, proportion and environmental impact of my design in its surroundings.

During the 3rd year of my studies, I chose to take a 12-month internship at the BMW Group Building Design, which mainly focused on reusing existing industrial buildings and transforming them into sustainable working environments. In the 4th year of my B.A, I attended a year abroad at the University of Bath, where the second semester included a master’s course in Architecture of the RIBA Part II. There, I was inspired to design diverse contextual landscape projects and complex spatial narratives that motivated me and shaped my B.A Thesis topic selection at the TUM. Throughout my B.A Thesis, I had the unique opportunity to design a mixed-use building in Ghana with my teammate Meriam, for the TUM Chair of Francis Kéré and respond to urgent architectural matters such as affordable housing and sustainable architecture.

Currently, I am excited to start my Master’s course in Landscape Architecture at the Bartlett School of Architecture where I will have the opportunity to research how sensitive and complex human environments are constructed and perform.

Meriam Sehimi

I’m a Munich based architect and designer, born in France. I have chosen to study architecture because it was particularly important to me to address the needs of the people and our environment in order to find solutions and new perspectives.

I did my bachelor degree in Munich and studied one year at “Istanbul Technical University” as an exchange student. Through my different travels and origins, my ideas are strongly inspired by various cultural influences. The potential I see in developing countries motivates me the most, especially developing an approach that oscillates between modern architecture and traditional form based on the idea of sustainability.

This semester’s Bachelor Thesis topic Prof. Francis Kéré chair offered us, was the perfect opportunity to achieve this purpose. Here our first approach was that architecture should be rare and free, different, detached from architectural conventions. Our project “Le chaos sensible” is not reduced to discipline but questions the design itself. The experience working with my teammate Dafni showed me how essential such an exchange can be by adding more nuanced sensibility to our work.

Currently, I want to focus my research and architectural practice on my fascination around materials in order to continue to investigate different possibilities. Also, I want to take the opportunity I have now to do different internships.

For us, the topic “MIX IT UP” from the Chair of Architectural Design & Participation of Francis Kéré at the TUM, opened up a new spectrum of how architecture should be viewed and re-imagined to celebrate life and set as a focus the people’s habitat, dignity and identity. Both inspired by Africa’s transient nature, we were fascinated by how the movement of lightweight elements could be transformed into architecture. We observed how the site’s psychological and topographical fabric, combined with Accra’s density, forms a sensible chaos, an ordered but also kinetic space. As a result, our building is designed to grow towards the ocean through a dynamic progression of the program. Rather than just working with forms, we imagined them as leading energies in our concept. Similarly to a butterfly effect, a movement of a space causes the activation of another. The poetry of the moving energies is complemented by a lightweight woven canopy, which is locally made on-site by the people.

Finally, the project proposes the use of fabric for cooling benefits and bamboo chips as experimental and innovative materials. Bamboo is a locally found resource in Ghana, which we also aimed to include in our building construction. Through 1:1 material studies, we used bamboo chips as an alternative solution for aggregates in the concrete mixture, to decrease its overall weight. We are very optimistic to believe that the properties of local bamboo mixed in various soil or concrete mixtures is very beneficial for West African countries. The project challenges Accra’s creative expression while focusing on gifting Freedom through Architecture.

We believe that architecture is a gift to re-imagine the world freely. Architecture is also a gesture disciplined through space and its tectonics as it celebrates nature’s free gifts of light, air and natural or man-made materials. At the same time, Architecture represents a big responsibility towards our society, the environment and mostly to ourselves. An Architect should act as a curator, offering the medium to inspire and engage the society to lead and participate. Furthermore, the responsibility of an Architect in our society is to place the humans in the centre. As Architecture has a hybrid nature, we need to involve the people by allowing them to re-appropriate and define the place, own it and eventually grow with it. Spaces are emerging and defined not by standing by themself but by letting the people give their own sense of spatial perception. The idea of freedom is fundamental in that scenario; that’s why architecture acts as a living organism: the place should be movable and grow in front of the user’s eyes. The architect should capture the site-specific energy and express it by creating a profound connection with place and time.

Second Prize winner

We would like to introduce you to the winner of the 2nd prize of “Architecture Thesis of the Year | ATY 2020” competition – Fabiola del Carmen Cruz Ballardo from Peru. Her thesis project is titled – AMAZONIA TRANS _ TRI _ FRONTERIZA.

Fabiola del Carmen Cruz Ballardo

University/School: Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú Course: Architecture and Urbanism

Throughout my academic years, I have always been interested in learning about new cultures, traveling and volunteering in other parts of the world. That helped me to have a varied and different approach of architecture.

I studied Architecture and Urbanism at the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, where the social sense of architecture was emphasized. In every step of the way we were involved with the Peruvian genius loci; we worked and learned from different realities and, personally, I became more connected with my culture and background.

Later, during the thesis months, my professors encouraged me to express the importance of the project but in my own words. Also, what I really enjoyed about the thesis is that I had the opportunity to explore different and complementary fields such as: anthropology, sociology and, of course, enjoy the beautiful Amazon landscapes and people.

I wanted to work on the tripartite border in the Amazon and look for a way to integrate the cultures that inhabited the area. I never saw a “border” but an integration area instead, so I decided to enhance it with my project. I felt that the magic and beauty of the Amazon had to be explored and shown to the world through architecture.

In this regard, the project aims to question the concept of borders in a vast territory like the Amazon. The project identifies the problem of the artificial borders and takes a position: that the architecture should be in the whole tripartite area to achieve the integration of the Amazonian cultures.

My approach for the project was a qualitative and sensitive approach. In order to build for the Amazonian communities (the Manchineri and Yaminahua), I first needed to understand them. So, in the several trips I made to the tripartite area, I asked them about their rituals, their traditions and what was important for them, along with the dynamics of the jungle.

Architecture for me is the possibility of making a dream tangible. Architecture is getting involved with the people and the place and translate their story into a building. It’s to interact and make visible a connection.

Society is in constant change and this pandemic has reminded the architects how important and determinant our work is. Homes are not just mere places to live, but have an essential role in the human life. I think architecture should reconnect to its basics and think about who we are designing for and where. Our responsibility is to create spaces that really enhance the life of their inhabitants and are sustainable with their environment.

Third Prize winner

We would like to introduce you to the winner of the 3rd prize of “Architecture Thesis of the Year | ATY 2020” competition – Philip Springall from United Kingdom. His thesis project is titled – CARLISLE ALZHEIMER’S FOUNDATION – LIVING ALONGSIDE CREATIVE PRACTICE.

Philip Springall

University/School: Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL Course: Masters of Architecture

I have just completed my M(Arch) Masters of Architecture at the Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL with Distinction and received the Bartlett Medal. I studied in PG17, with Yeoryia Manolopoulou, Niall Mclaughlin and Thomas Parker as my design tutors, and Amica Dall as my thesis tutor. My final year research was focused on Architecture and Alzheimer’s Disease. In 2019 I was awarded the Hawkins/Brown Bursary and the Design Realisation award for my 4th year project, Leviathan.

Previously, I worked at Nicholas Hare Architects from 2016-2019, predominantly on the refurbishment of UCL’s Bloomsbury Theatre. I completed my undergraduate studies at the University of Westminster where my 3rd year project Strata was nominated for the RIBA Bronze President’s medal.

My thesis began as a very personal exploration into the lived experience of those with Alzheimer’s disease and how this is affected by architecture. My father was diagnosed with Early-onset Alzheimer’s disease in 2016 and since then I have developed a strong interest into the relationship between the two fields.

My project aims to develop a stronger understanding of the spatial and visual experience of Alzheimer’s disease through both architectural tools of representation and propositional architectural interventions at various scales. For our society to improve its relationship with dementia, we must develop more accessible and approachable means to empathize with the lived experience of those with the condition. In part, my thesis is an experiment in empathy building and understanding to bridge boundaries of alienation and misunderstanding. Through the project I soon learnt that there is so much we still don’t understand about designing for dementia, its scope goes far beyond a Masters thesis project. Therefore, in part the project also highlights key areas where further research is critically needed.

For me, first-hand research was vital to develop a strong understanding of the challenges faced by those with Alzheimer’s. Alongside my father, we developed an ongoing creative collaboration throughout the year. Drawing, making and building, we developed rich modes of communication that could offer insight into how my father experiences the world. This relationship creatively fed into modes of design practice for the proposal of the Alzheimer’s Foundation in Carlisle. I worked predominantly with physical tools of drawing and model making. As a creative practitioner, this was essential to develop tactile, spatial and intimate responses to the complex subjects of the project.

Through this project I learnt how intrinsic the built environment is to how we experience the world. Those with Alzheimer’s highlight the necessity for environments that are mentally stimulating and spatially coherent. As architects, we have a responsibility to design inclusive environments that can address the fundamental emotional needs of occupation, attachment, inclusion and identity. To enable everyone to live as their complete selves and be treated as the human beings that they are, we must never forget Tom Kitwood’s principle, ‘that the person comes first.’

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thesis: The Latest Architecture and News

The second studio podcast: preparing for architecture thesis.

The Second Studio (formerly The Midnight Charette) is an explicit podcast about design, architecture, and the everyday. Hosted by Architects David Lee and Marina Bourderonnet, it features different creative professionals in unscripted conversations that allow for thoughtful takes and personal discussions.

A variety of subjects are covered with honesty and humor: some episodes are interviews, while others are tips for fellow designers, reviews of buildings and other projects, or casual explorations of everyday life and design. The Second Studio is also available on iTunes , Spotify , and YouTube .

This week David and Marina discuss undergraduate architecture thesis projects and studios, covering the differences between thesis projects, capstone projects, and dissertations; how to select a thesis topic; how to choose the right studio/professor; the value of doing a thesis; the unique challenges of thesis; and more.

• Read more »

Charles Correa’s 1955 Master Thesis Uses Animated Film to Explain Public Participation in Urban Processes

Charles Correa Foundation has recently released several snippets of ‘You & Your Neighbourhood’ , Charles Correa ’s 1955 Master Thesis at MIT , an animation film for which the architect was scriptwriter, animator, photographer and director. The thesis put forward the idea of a participatory process for the betterment of neighbourhoods, with a strong emphasis on creating a framework for improving urban conditions in a bottom-up approach.

Call for Submissions: Architecture Thesis of the Year | ATY 2020

The Charette has launched ‘Architecture Thesis of the Year | ATY 2020’ - an international architecture thesis competition that aims to extend appreciation to the tireless effort and exceptional creativity of student thesis in the fields of Architecture, Urban Design, Landscape, and Restoration. We seek to encourage young talent in bringing their path-breaking ideas to the forefront on a global scale.

UnBuilding Building | 2020 Post-Professional M.Arch Thesis Virtual Exhibition

Princeton School of Architecture is pleased to announce UnBuilding Building, an online exhibition by the 2020 Post-Professional M.Arch Thesis class coordinated by Professor Jesse Reiser. The website showcases projects by five students—Catherine Ahn, Esra Durukan, Sarah Etaat, Kyle Weeks, and Olga Zakharova—collectively named "V".

UnBuilding Building

Our built environment is in a constant state of destabilization by changing environments, influences, and functions. In a landscape where architecture is often pushed to sublimate into other types of creative practices, permanence in architecture is no longer something that can be taken for granted. We confront this question of permanence of buildings through actively constructing

Architectural Thesis Award - ATA2020

Archistart promotes the fourth Architectural Thesis Award, the international thesis award, launched with the aim of promoting, rewarding and giving visibility to young talents in architecture. The three last editions of the Architectural Thesis Award were a great success among young talents in architecture. There were, in the last one edition – ATA2019, 202 participants from different nationalities with 148 projects. The ATA2019 winning thesis project was MOSUL POSTWAR CAMP ( https://www.archistart.net/portfolio-item/mosul-postwar-camp/ ) by Edoardo Daniele Stuggiu and Stefano Lombardi. The project excels for the completeness of the methodological approach, with a proposal that analyzes and solves all the design scales.

Prize-Winning Harvard GSD Thesis Questions the Skin-Deep Application of Vernacular Design

Each year, the Boston Society of Architects offers the James Templeton Kelley Prize to the best final design project for the MArch degree at the Harvard Graduate School of Design . This year, the March II recipient was Ziwei Song for their thesis titled “Not so skin deep: vernacularism in XL” for exploring alternative ways of integrating the Chinese vernacular with modern “XL” developments.

Ziwei’s thesis sought to re-approach the typical developer project in China , and demonstrate the capacity of the vernacular image to positively-effect the sequence, perception, and exposure of space. To test this, the project was placed on Chongqing, a typical second-tier city in China with a concentration of XL developer projects.

"Plastic Island" Imagines the Possibilities of Reusing Oceanic Waste in Architecture

With rising sea levels and incessant consumption of plastic, the state of the earth's oceans is rapidly deteriorating. Instead of discarding or burning this plastic, architects Erik Goksøyr and Emily-Claire Goksøyr questioned whether any architectural potential exists in this neglected material. By conducting an extensive material study, the duo designed three prototypes to postulate this theory. 

Though starting out as a humble thesis , this project is being actualized under the organization, Out of Ocean. From the shores of the Koster Islands in Sweden , plastic samples were collected and studied for their various material performance in areas such as color, texture, light, and translucency.

UnIATA - Unfuse International Architecture Thesis Awards 2018

UNFUSE serves as a platform to create a global community of architects and designers who are pushing the boundaries of architecture discipline to enrich our built environment. At UNFUSE we promote exceptional works, ideas, experimentations in the field of architecture, landscape, urban Design, society, culture and ecology.

"Faith Estates" Proposes a New Approach to Religious Pilgrimage by Excavating Holy Sites

In a time of what seems to be ever-increasing religious and political conflict, Bartlett students Akarachai Padlom, Eleftherios Sergios, and Nasser Alamadi instead chose to focus on collaboration between religions in their thesis project entitled “Faith Estates,” which outlines a new method of mass religious tourism . In an area around the Dead Sea characterized by disputed boundaries and conflicting ownership claims, the group aims to reimagine the relationship between the world’s three monotheistic religions, but also to rethink the relationship between religion, tourism, and the landscape. The design consists of large-scale excavation sites which form tourist resorts along a pilgrimage route with the goal of forming a mutually beneficial relationship.

Self-Aware Nanobots Form Futurist Megastructures in this Thesis Project from the AA

Architecture is a swarm, and a self aware one at that. That's the vision presented by noMad: a built environment made of Buckminster Fuller -like geometric structures that compile themselves entirely autonomously, according to data gathered and processed by the units. Developed by Architectural Association students Dmytro Aranchii, Paul Bart, Yuqiu Jiang, and Flavia Santos, on a basic level noMad's concept is fairly simple - a small unit of motors that is attached to several magnetic faces, which can be reoriented into different shapes. Put multiple units together, however, and noMad's vision becomes an entirely new form of architecture: non-finite, mobile and infinitely adaptable.

"Engineered Paradises" Takes an Imagined Look into the Possibilities Between Palestine and Israel

“Engineered Paradises”, a thesis by Zarith Pineda from Tulane University , looks into a possible future for Hebron , exploring the condition where peace never comes to the West Bank, but where the mutual destruction of both sides is addressed through the creation of safe spaces for the expression of universal emotions. The thesis proposes that in this way, both parties may be unified by their plight. The project was created based on observation of the city of Hebron and on-site interviews with Hebronites. Their true stories then became the narrative dictating the program of the project.

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Architecture Thesis Projects: A Comprehensive List of 30 Topics to Pick From (Updated 2024)

Neha Sharma

13 min read

March 18, 2024

Table of Contents

Architecture Thesis: A culmination of all those years of intense training, sleepless nights, countless submissions and unforgettable memories. The grand finale!

It is a real test to showcase all the skills you’ve gained over the years in a single project. Naturally, choosing the right topic from an ocean of architecture thesis topics is one of the biggest challenges you can face as a final year student, as the topic itself may define the trajectory of your thesis!

To ease your conflicted mind, we have curated a comprehensive list of popular architecture thesis projects you might want to explore in your final year, along with links to relevant theses across the internet for your ready reference.

Go on, have a look! What sparks your interest?

Housing/ Residential Projects

1. Affordable Housing

“Housing for all” is a major goal developing countries are striving to achieve. Not everyone has the resources to own a house or even rent one out. Conscious and well-planned housing design can turn cities into places where owning a house is not merely a dream. And architects can play a pivotal role in achieving this noble goal.

2. Gated Communities

With the city centres choking with pollution, traffic congestion and over-population, many people are now moving to the suburbs in closed, secure and private gated communities. These colonies circumference almost every major city now, with more emerging as you read. A gated community design could be an interesting (though slightly controversial) architecture thesis topic to explore residential neighbourhood planning.

3. Modular/ Disaster Relief/ Emergency Shelters

Land and resources are limited but the demand for them only keeps increasing giving rise to environmental hazards like deforestation, pollution and depletion of natural assets. In a rapidly changing, calamity-prone world, the design of modular, mobile, disaster relief shelters is the need of the hour!

4. Slum Redevelopment

Urban informality may be a fascinating, complex issue to tackle for your architecture thesis projects. Many people have varied opinions on the dense, informal urban developments popularly known as ‘slums’ , but few are willing to tackle the difficult issue from top to bottom (or bottom up!). Are you one of the few?

Institutional Projects

5. Educational and Skill-Training Institutions

Schools play an important role in shaping a person and are key in bringing up generations of bright individuals. Educational and skill-training institutions have vast options, ranging from kindergartens to higher-education institutes; schools of dance to special-needs institutes ! Ready to shape minds?

6. Rehabilitation and Wellness Institutions

A sound mind and sound body are key to a happy life!

Unfortunately, sometimes individuals have to be institutionalised to get their health back on track. Rehabilitation centres and centres for people with depression or trauma aim at people’s mental wellness, while public gyms and civic sports centres aim at people’s physical wellness. If healing architecture and landscape is something you like, this could be the best architecture thesis topic for you!

7. Research Institutions

Progress in science, technology and humanities improves our way of living and ensures our well-being. The Sheldon Coopers among us wouldn’t be happy to see any fewer research centres and laboratories than there are!

Public Infrastructure Projects

8. Hospitals

Healthcare services are undoubtedly the most important services any region needs. The pandemic has made us understand how under-equipped even the best hospitals can be and so there is an even bigger reason for every hospital, be it multi-speciality/ speciality , maternity, special needs, public or private , to be as well designed as possible. This, more than ever, is the need of the hour and can make for a pressing architecture thesis project.

9. Transit Hubs

Airports , Bus Terminals , Railway Stations , Inland Waterways, Seaports.

Do you love to travel? Have you ever waited for a train and imagined how much better that railway station could be? Then what are you waiting for? Be the change!

10. Sports Stadia

Remember that first stadium experience of watching a cricket or football match? The energy of the crowd, the adrenaline rush! Most group sports stadia ( Cricket , Football , Hockey, Baseball, etc) and sports cities require meticulous study before designing, making a very suitable architecture thesis project for students.

11. Urban/Street Redevelopment

How often do we walk the streets of our cities and almost die because a bike passed within inches of us? Street redevelopment projects catering to pedestrianisation are proven to improve the lives of millions and are rapidly gaining urgency in the urban design domain.

These projects often require extensive site study. Not sure what all to cover in your site analysis? Read - Site Analysis Categories You Need to Cover For Your Architecture Thesis Project .

12. Waterfront Development

Rivers are considered sacred and life-giving across the world. The pitiful conditions of water bodies today have led urban designers to take up River/Canal-front Development Projects which aim at minimising water pollution, a smooth transition from land to water, and ultimately encouraging visitors for leisure and fun activities.

13. Public Parks and Plazas

Parks are the lungs of the concrete jungles many of us live in. After a day of intense work, all we need is some greenery and fresh air; or to grab a beer at that corner cafe in the city square! The design of public parks, plazas and playgrounds could be the best architecture thesis topic for an urban/landscape enthusiast.

14. Social Infrastructure

A robust, well-functioning society accommodates and facilitates the wellness of all its citizens and living beings. Infrastructure like orphanages , nursing homes , animal shelters , night shelters , daycare centres, banks, prisons , juvenile schools, community development centres , and many more tend to those social needs of the society which cannot be overlooked. Inclined towards public welfare? Look no further!

Socio-Cultural Projects

15. Community and Convention Centres

Humans are social animals. Now and then, we crave a meet-and-greet. Community and Convention Centres cater to this very need, and exploring the design angles for human interaction may be something worthy of your architecture thesis project. Be ready for competition though, this is one of the most popular architecture thesis topics students undertake!

16. Museums and Libraries

The culture-lovers among us would understand the value of a good museum or library and appreciate a well-designed one. Be it a museum of arts and crafts, culture, architecture , history or science, if the give and take of knowledge through some entertainment and delight (infotainment) is something you see yourself doing, then this could be the best architecture thesis topic for you.

17. Memorials

Memorials are the physical manifestations of the struggles endured, victories earned and life-changing events in history. They remind us to never forget the past, hoping for a better future at the same time, making memorial design both a fascinating yet weighted exercise.

18. Places of Worship/ Spiritual Centres

One cannot separate a human from their faith. Having a place to worship or connect with one’s spiritual self is as important to a human as going to school or a cinema hall. Places of worship like temples, churches, masjids, gurudwaras, monasteries , etcetera; and spiritual or meditation centres serve as places for gathering and become important landmarks in a settlement.

Conservation and Heritage Projects

19. Conservation of Heritage Structures

Conservation of the priceless built heritage like palaces, monuments, places of worship, ancient settlements, etc has always been on the agenda of organisations like UNESCO and the Archeological Survey of India. If historical significance gets your heart rate up, hi history nerd! Help in conserving our heritage structures !

20. Adaptive Reuse of Heritage Buildings

History nerd, if you’re still here, here’s another architecture thesis topic for you. Some heritage can be conserved to attract tourists and some that are too out-of-order could be modified and reused for a different purpose, generating economy. Converting royal palaces into heritage hotels, a king’s court into an emergency ward for covid patients or factories into community spaces, adaptive reuse of the built form requires fine skill, respect for heritage, and an active imagination!

Offices/ Corporate Projects

21. Government Buildings

Workspaces for all government officials are mandatory for smooth administration. The scale of government buildings is diverse, from the Central Vista Redevelopment Project (*ahem*) to a district-sessions court. Some common categories are high courts, government-owned banks, secretariat and corporation buildings , income-tax offices, assembly and gathering centres , media offices and so on.

Sounds boring? Don’t be so sure. What originally sounds typical is where there is maximum potential to surprise your critics!

22. Corporate Office Towers

We all have seen or at least talked about the famous corporate jungles of our towns. They not only serve as important landmarks but help in increasing the economic value of a region (Very SEZ-y!). If you wanna tame the jungle, you could explore corporate office-building design for your architecture thesis topic.

23. Co-working and Remote-working Spaces

A popular trend before COVID was sharing workspaces, which now have the potential to be thought of as remote-working spaces! Rethinking the design of co-working spaces is very relevant to the times and has great scope for innovation.

With the times we live in, this could be the best architecture thesis topic!

Entertainment and Commercial Projects

24. Theatres and Auditoria

Who doesn’t like good showtime with family and friends? Theatres, auditoria and performance centres are the core of spaces showcasing and witnessing talent, and fall under another typology which has the potential to be reworked post-pandemic. The design of such entertainment stations can test the knowledge of large-span structures without losing a strong grip on creativity and functionality.

25. Multiplexes and Malls

Malls and multiplexes are very popular among the masses as they possess multiple brands of shopping, entertainment and food centres. Whether or not you agree with the mall typology, more keep coming up in growing towns every year. So why not study how they work and improve the concept for your architecture thesis project? The consumerist urbania will thank you!

26. Marketplaces

Shopping for groceries and essential commodities is a frequent need, and most people head to a single marketplace for all their essential goods shopping. A place with a high frequency of movement requires meticulous and thorough design, but can also be one of the most fun challenges to take up! Think farmer markets, community-owned produce markets, mandis, harbour fish markets, and flea markets, the possibilities are endless!

27. Mixed-Use Hubs

Taking your design challenge up a notch is by taking up a mixed-use hub . This is a high-density area that caters to more than one function and has mega economic value. It could be a combination of residential, commercial, institutional, or hospitality, commercial and public space, or much more. This concept is taken to another level by bringing transit hubs into the fray with transit-oriented development!

28. Film, Photo and Animation Studios

The use of digital media has increased multifold in the past couple of decades. A lot of creatives express themselves through digital content, increasing the need for more film , photo, animation and integrated studios . Since these functions can be highly specialised, there is a lot of potential to do impressive research for your architecture thesis project!

Hospitality and Tourism Projects

29. Eco-Tourism Resorts and Visiting Centres

Imagine spending a weekend at a secluded place, close to nature, with all the facilities you need to relax and just de-stress! Ecological resorts and tourist visiting centres aim to cause as little damage to the environment as possible. Keen on environmental sustainability, eco-tourism resorts should be encouraged in the tourism and hospitality industry and make for very relevant architecture thesis topics.

Landscape architecture enthusiasts, where are you all at?

30. Backpacker Lodging/ Youth Hostels

While the question of travel arises, not everyone can afford finely kempt hotels or resorts to lodge at. The youth may opt for backpacking trips to save money as well as to have an interesting experience! Backpacking/ youth hostels like Zostel and Nomads World are buzzing for their affordability, convenience and prospects of networking with like-minded people. If this is your jam, consider creating innovative spaces for it!

Futuristic/ Sci-fi/ Conceptual Projects

How about a settlement on Mars? Or a concert hall in the air? A transit hub of 2050? A forest within the city? Perhaps a residential colony on the water!

Such futuristic or conceptual architecture thesis topics are all the more enthralling as they might not have any precedents. They stretch a creative brain to its limit, and in the process may transform into a brilliant idea. Challenging conventions, thinking out of the box and taking up a futuristic architecture thesis project could be your achievement (both in design and in convincing the faculty) as a young designer!

Having read about some common architecture thesis topics, it is important to know that you must not be limited to the above list. Your architecture thesis is your own brainchild, and it does not need to conform or even fit within a category.

A great architecture thesis is also a key ingredient in creating a kickass architecture portfolio ! So give your all. Who knows, you may even end up receiving an award for your architecture thesis !

Hoping you found the inspiration you were looking for!

Need more guidance with your architecture thesis project? Head straight to our A-Z Architecture Thesis Guide !

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The Most Viewed B.Arch thesis projects in 2018

• December 28, 2018

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On many counts, the year 2018 has been incredible for us at ALive!. First, we reached a new milestone of 350,000 views from nearly 200,000 visitors.

Second, in addition to architectural and interior design projects, we also published many op-eds, ideas, thesis projects and research. We started publishing Thesis projects last year and this year too we were overwhelmed with the number of requests to publish thesis projects from architecture students across India and even Bangladesh. B.Arch Thesis projects have been a great source of inspiration for many students and teachers. We thank everyone who submitted their projects for publication and also those who shared them on Social Media, to ensure that the information reaches the maximum people. If you wish to submit your thesis, or an architectural project, click on the link below.

Among all the B.Arch thesis projects published in 2018, we are happy to share the list of five most viewed thesis projects below.

5. Urban Food Hub, INA At New Delhi by Vipanchi Handa, SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE, DELHI

The Thesis was guided by DR. AMIT HAJELA , AR. DEEPAK TANEJA

4. Revitilization of Le Corbusier’s Legacy: Sanskar Kendra, by Rahul Jadon, Faculty of Architecture, Dr. APJ AKTU, Lucknow

Guides: Prof. Mohd. Sabahat

3. Memorial for the rebels of land, at Pahartali, Chittagong – Md. Hansat, Bangladesh University

Guides and Advisors: Ar. Kazi Tarannum Hossain, Ar. Sefat Sultana, Ar. Mithun Chandra Nath., Ar. Iqbal Habib,, Ar. Bikash Saud Ansary, Ar. Qazi M. Arif, Ar. N R Khan

2. JASHN-e-PUNJAB By Harkunwar Singh Kanwal, School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi

Thesis Guide: Ar. Manish Gulati and Ar. Sambuddha Sen

1. Centre for Art and Architecture: Role of an Urban Catalyst, New Delhi, by Mohammad Suhail

Guides: Ar. Ritu Gulati, Ar. Shikhar Singh

We congratulate everyone who shared their thesis projects with us, and hope they keep sharing more work in the future too. Wishing everyone an eventful and joyous 2019.

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• B.Arch Thesis

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Archmello - Thesis of the Year Award : 2024

Total prize - inr 60000, registration dates.

01/07/2024 to 25/08/2024

Thesis , the only studio in architecture wherein the student gets a chance to select the studio program of his/her choice. It provides an opportunity to the students to explore a particular design category, address any social - cultural - political issue through architecture or work on the futuristic theme for the betterment of the society. Architectural Thesis is a stage of going beyond & exploring new dimensions of designs. We believe six months of rigorous research & design creativity should be acknowledged. THESIS OF THE YEAR AWARD - 2024 is our small attempt to honor some of the best thesis works from around the globe.

Total Prize INR 60000

Manoj Patel

Principal Architect - Manoj Patel Design Studio

• Edition - 1
• Edition - 2
• Edition - 3

First Prize - TA21A0052

Sergio Mutis - Colombia

Second Prize - TA21A0346

Lee Min Hui - Malaysia

Third Prize - TA21A0181

Preksha Chheda - India

Honorable Mention - TA21A0191

Hariish Ananthan - India

Honorable Mention - TA21A0587

Anandita Ayesha Rangarajan - India

Honorable Mention - TA21A0466

Theodora Li - United Kingdom

Honorable Mention - TA21A0231

Harish Kanth - India

Honorable Mention - TA21A0441

Akanksha Deolekar - India

Honorable Mention - TA21A0410

Jerwin Geo - India

Honorable Mention - TA21A0422

Santhosh Narayanan - India

Honorable Mention - TA21A0488

Saivi Shah - India

Honorable Mention - TA21A0538

Mohamed Farook Ahlam S - India

Honorable Mention - TA21A0332

Adnan Kasubhai - India

Honorable Mention - TA21A0382

Mokshit Dedhia - India

Honorable Mention - TA21A0593

Francesca Prini, Selene Rini, Nicole Vettore - Italy

Honorable Mention - TA21A0459

Riyesh Patil - India

Honorable Mention - TA21A0413

Vatsal Shah - India

Honorable Mention - TA21A0190

Lilian Silva Costa - Brazil

Honorable Mention - TA21A0182

Abishek Raj - India

Honorable Mention - TA21A0158

Ravi Modi - India

Honorable Mention - TA21A0149

Anisha Mehta - India

Honorable Mention - TA21A0108

Utkarsh Kumar Verma - India

First Prize - TA23B70923

Second Prize - TA23B70961

Third Prize - TA23B70775

Dean Smuts ( South Africa )

Honorable Mention - TA23B71226

Vinayak Bhattacharya, Tanvee Thapa, Silvia Caremoli

Honorable Mention - TA23B70689

Serah Yatin

Honorable Mention - TA23B71050

Liron Gonsalves

Honorable Mention - TA23B1225

Md. Zahidur Rahman

Honorable Mention - TA23B71236

Ritika Somani

Honorable Mention - TA23B71225

Ayesha Akhter

Honorable Mention - TA23B71206

Alvin Baride

Honorable Mention - TA23B70905

Ngo Thanh Quy

Honorable Mention - TA23B71219

Md. Muhaiminur Rahman

Honorable Mention - TA23B70901

Special Mention - TA23B71240

Snigdha Gopalkrishnan

Special Mention - TA23B70859

Rohit Belvikar

Special Mention - TA23B70912

Special Mention - TA23B71241

Riddhee Madan Patil

Special Mention - TA23B71160

Harsh Agarwal

Special Mention - TA23B71012

Priya Chauhan

Special Mention - TA23B70737

Reeshba Reji

Special Mention - TA23B1533

Special Mention - TA23B70927

Pradyumna Lalit Vikharankar

Special Mention - TA23B41425

Top 10 - TA23B70973

Riya Saira Georgi

Top 10 - TA23B41435

Eromitha Ramesh

Top 10 - TA23B1547

Vini Thakker

Top 10 - TA23B70941

Rachit Joshi

Top 10 - TA23B71129

Garima Mutha

Top 10 - TA23B1531

Urja Laddha

Top 10 - TA23B71044

Top 10 - TA23B1545

Disha Rabadia

Top 10 - TA23B70782

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• Excellence in Under Graduate Thesis in Architecture
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NATIONAL AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN ARCHITECTURAL THESIS 2020

The Council of Architecture, with a view to encourage and motivate the students of Graduate Courses in Architecture has instituted a National Awards for Excellence in Architectural Thesis, submitted in compliance to the requirements of the bachelor’s degree program in Architecture and invites students to participate in this prestigious competition by submitting their thesis projects in accordance with the conditions and instructions.  

The term Student' shall mean a bonafide student of a College of Architecture, who has appeared for Final Year B. Arch. Examination at the end of the academic year. Each thesis project must be submitted by the head of the institute/ principal of the college, with consent from the student. Each college/school of architecture approved by the Council of Architecture may send entries as per the rules depending upon the sanctioned intake, for the Final Year B. Arch. examination at the end of the academic year. No blood relative of any member of the Board of Assessors shall take part either directly or indirectly in the awards program nor be entrusted either directly or indirectly with work connected with the award-winning thesis. No member of the promoting body or an associate an employee or any member concerned with the preparation or organizing of the competition shall be eligible to assist a student participating in the program

Future Program

This competition was launched to promote, recognize, and give a global platform to showcase the talents of Architects, and the design community. We have received more than 900 registrations from around the globe.

If you wanted to know more about the competition, please click on the button below to download the complete brief of the "Architectural Thesis Award-2021".

 RESULTS 

 first prize winner .

Countryside Dilemma. New rural tourism

GONZALO LOPEZ ELORRIAGA

 SECOND PRIZE WINNER 

Friends of the Forest Initiative; Monpa Forest Conservation and Interpretation Center

RITU KITTUR

 THIRD PRIZE WINNER 

Apparatus of Amusement

The Mining Museum as Reuse of an abandoned quarry | Design Thesis

Information

• Project Name: The Mining Museum as Reuse of an abandoned quarry
• Student Name: Shalini Polra
• Awards: Best Thesis Award from Council Of Architecture, Gold medals for best thesis from M.S University, Golden Trezzini Awards - Honorable Mention
• Softwares/Plugins: AutoCAD , Sketchup , V-Ray , Adobe Photoshop
• Discipline: Architecture
• Level: Bachelors Design Thesis
• Institute: Department of Architecture - Maharaja Sayajirao University
• University: Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU)
• Location: Vadodara
• Country: India

Excerpt : Shalini Polra, Maharaja Sayajirao University student’s design thesis focuses on rejuvenating and regenerating abandoned lands to restore the lost balance with nature and its surrounding context. The aim is twofold: firstly, open to the public to experience the golden past; secondly, rejuvenating through rainwater harvesting opportunities, scientific methods for land stabilization and restoration to revive the ecosystem and attract migratory birds. Shalini Polra received Best Thesis Award from COA, Two Gold medals for best thesis from M.S University and Golden Trezzini Awards – Honorable Mention for best Museum Design for the thesis.

Introduction : Mining has 40000 years of history, which leads us to the future. But it leaves enormous scars upon the landscape once the mineral has been removed. Human activities transform the original morphology but they don’t accept this new situation. This is to the detriment of the landscape, which is witness to this transfiguration, degradation, and abandonment. What is the future of these impersonal and empty areas? For years the land has remained as a waste, especially in a time where land cost is high and land is an important resource. 3100 mines are working in India and since 2003, 297 mines have been abandoned in condition, which is opposite to the mine closure rule. 

Site/Context

The World’s second deepest gold mine – KOLAR GOLDFIELD has undergone mining for over 120 years. Although mining activity has been abandoned for the past two decades. The environmental degradation caused due to excessive mining has left the site wounded, degraded, barren, and ecologically denuded.

Even in its state of degeneration and utter neglect the site has its own beauty which I strongly feel needs to be preserved to help spread awareness amongst people about the consequences of ecological destruction and man-made disasters. The site is in urgent need of healing.

Design Process

Through my project, I would focus on the rejuvenation and regeneration of these abandoned lands to restore the lost balance with nature and its surrounding context. The aim of my project is twofold. One is to open up the site to tourists, environmentalists, artists, nature lovers, and the younger generation to make them aware and experience that golden past.

The other is to rejuvenate the site through an adaptation of rainwater harvesting opportunities, scientific methods for land stabilization and restoration, the introduction of lost species flora and fauna to revive the ecosystem and attract migratory birds.

Final Outcome

I have attempted to retain most of the existing structures as well as subterranean networks of tunnels and integrated them within the tourist trails by incorporating some of the programmatic requirements such as the museum and ancillary facilities. Due to the soil stability goals, the new bridge-like structure overhangs the mining pit and houses the observation deck and museum galleries.

I have consciously adopted a restorative strategy with minimal and selective interventions on the site to maintain a sustainable approach to ecological management. I sincerely hope that my model of development proposed in this thesis will open up fresh debates and discussions which could lead to the adaption of such restoration strategies onto similarly degraded sites thereby creating opportunities for new public spaces and tourist trails that combine responsible educational and awareness programs with recreation and well-being.

[This Academic Project has been published with text submitted by the student]

To submit your academic project for publication at ArchiDiaries visit following link.  Submit

More Projects

A Feminist Approach in Sustaining Kumbharwada’s Identity Amidst Vertical Development at Dharavi, Mumbai | Masters Design Thesis on Urban Housing

Imagine Living: Vertical Farming Integrated Living for the Future at Dhaka, Bangladesh | Architecture Thesis on Urban Housing

It takes a Village: Reimagining Cooperative Living for Single Mothers and Children | Bachelors Design Project on Urban Housing

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ARCHRESOURCE THESIS AWARDS

Thesis of the year, prize money worth, inr 30,000/-, + membership passes, registrations are closed.

Archresource is happy to announce its first edition of the annual Architecture Thesis Award, after great success in Acad Awards with over 180+ registrations from around the Nation. 

Archresource ‘Thesis of the Year’ is the National Thesis competition that aims to appreciate the tireless effort and exceptional creativity of student thesis in the field of Architecture. We seek to encourage young talent in bringing their path-breaking ideas to the forefront on a global scale and acknowledge their projects amongst young and influential industry professionals.  Archresource welcomes 2019, 2020, 2021 & 2022 graduates to participate in its first edition of the National Thesis Awards!

Awards and Certifications

This Award program is open to all recent / past undergraduate Bachelor Candidates.

INR 15,000/-

+ GOLD MEMBERSHIP

+ CERTIFICATION + PUBLICATION

INR 10,000/-

+ SILVER MEMBERSHIP

INR 5,000/-

+ DESIGN COMPETITION PASS

10 HONORABLE MENTIONS

CERTIFICATE + PUBLICATION

Queries and Questions

In case you still have questions related to the brief and the award program, please send them to [email protected] with ‘FAQ’ subject until 5th June, 2022. We highly recommend our participants to check the FAQ section on the website as this will provide additional vital information from time to time. All queries regarding registration processes, fees and payment should be sent on the same email address with ‘ENQUIRY’ as the subject

Registration fees & Timeline

Standard registrations.

5th Sept, 2021 – 10th Oct, 2021

11th Oct, 2021 – 5th Dec, 2021

Late Registrations

6th Dec, 2021 – 6th Feb, 2022

7th Feb, 2022 – 20th Mar, 2022

Extended Registrations

21st Mar, 2022 – 5th June, 2022

Submission Dates

21st Mar, 2022 – 12th June, 2022

Announcement of Winners

15th July, 2022

Download the brief

Compose your sheets as per submission guidelines, share your submission via mail on [email protected], our jury panel will evaluate your submission., winners will be awarded with their achievements..

Ar. Shubhit Khurana & Ar. Anmol Arora

Principal architects studio dot.

Ar. Sivaraman

Principal architect spacemush, explore our membership program.

Archmello – THESIS OF THE YEAR AWARD : 2023

Submission: 08th & 09th July – 2023 Registration: 30th June – 2023 Language: English Location: Concept Prizes: Please see the details below Type: Open

Thesis , the only studio in architecture wherein the student gets a chance to select the studio program of his/her choice. It provides an opportunity to the students to explore a particular design category, address any social – cultural – political issue through architecture or work on the futuristic theme for the betterment of the society.

Architectural Thesis is a stage of going beyond & exploring new dimensions of designs. We believe six months of rigorous research & design creativity should be acknowledged. THESIS OF THE YEAR AWARD – 2023 is our small attempt to honor some of the best thesis works from around the globe.

Registration Dates & Fees:

Early Bird Registrations – 29th Dec TO 28th Feb – 2023 • Indian Nationals – INR 750 • Foreign Nationals – USD 20

Standard Registrations – 01ST March TO 30TH April – 2023 • Indian Nationals – INR 1150 • Foreign Nationals – USD 30

Late Registrations – 01ST May TO 30TH June – 2023 • Indian Nationals – INR 1550 • Foreign Nationals – USD 40

Submission Dates – 08TH & 09TH July – 2023

Winner Announcement – 10TH August – 2023

TOTAL PRIZE MONEY : INR 75,000 + 10 Honorable Mentions + 10 Special Mentions + Top 10

1ST Prize – INR 40,000 + Certificate + Publication 2ND Prize – INR 25,000 + Certificate + Publication 3RD Prize – INR 10,000 + Certificate + Publication

>>> Go to the competition’s website <<<

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