Browsing by Subject "Vernacular"
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Item Restricted Reclaiming Interior Spaces : an Anti-crisis of Space and Identity in Post-colonial Morocco(2023) Boutaina Kondah; Köknar, Sait Ali; Pöğün-Zander, Yüksel; Faculty of Architecture and Design; Berlin International University of Applied SciencesAI-GENERATED ABSTRACT: Abstract: The legacy of colonialism has had a profound impact on the cultural identity and physical landscape of North-African countries, including Morocco, leading to a crisis of identity as traditional heritage clashes with modern influences. This crisis is evident in the design of interior spaces, often reflecting the values of the colonizers rather than the local culture. Balancing traditional and modern influences is challenging, as an over-reliance on tradition or globalization may lead to a loss of cultural specificity. This thesis aims to explore how a modern vision of the vernacular can strike a balance between these influences, creating culturally relevant and meaningful interiors. The primary objective of this thesis is to demonstrate that a middle ground between modernism and the vernacular can be achieved by consolidating local techniques, materials, and design elements with modern realities, sustaining cultural identity and the identity of place. It seeks to answer the question of how modern design can be combined with vernacular traditions to preserve the identity of places. Using a qualitative approach, the thesis will investigate case studies, local typologies, and spatial techniques to understand the cultural and emotional significance of vernacular design elements and their adaptability to contemporary contexts. The exploration will analyze the crisis of identity and space, delve into the meanings associated with spatial elements, and examine how case studies have incorporated vernacular elements in modern projects. The culmination of the research will be a practical interior design project that integrates the insights gained, showcasing the potential for a contemporary vernacular design that moves beyond traditional stereotypes. Keywords: Colonialism, cultural identity, vernacular, modernism, interior spaces, crisis of identity, contemporary vernacular design, local techniques, cultural specificity, spatial elements, case studies, sustainability, Moroccan interiorsPublication Restricted Restoring Human-Centered Interior Design through the Vernacular Language of Ornamentation(2025) Milosevic, Tihana; Stone, Sally; Köknar, Sait Ali; Interior Architecture/Interior Design (MA) (Two-Year); Berlin International University of Applied SciencesThis thesis argues for the potential of ornamentation to restore human-centered design within contemporary interiors. It begins with the description of industrialization and modernist ideology that have replaced handmade qualities which are historically rooted in unique cultures which lead to a loss of beauty, identity, and emotional connection in the built environment. With the theories of Christopher Alexander, Christian Norberg-Schulz, and Peter Zumthor, the research sheds new light on the relationship between people, places, and design, ultimately emphasizing perception, beauty, and the genius loci as fundamental parts of meaningful spaces. Furthermore, two case studies, Adolf Loos's Villa Müller and Petra Blaisse's Casa da Música, illustrate the contrasting effects ornamentation has on human experience. This builds the foundation for the introduction of aemulatio as design strategy that connects tradition and modernity by transforming imitation into innovation. Instead of rejecting history, the concept of aemulatio allows ornament to evolve organically which enriches spaces in the sense of complexity and cultural continuity. Finally, the design project applies this principle to the interior of an Alpine farmhouse and therefore demonstrates how vernacular ornamentation can coexist with contemporary needs. In summary, the work argues that ornamentation is not an aesthetic excess but a living language that reconnects human beings with their environment through beauty, memory, and wholeness.