Graduate Theses

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AI in Master’s Education: A Tool for Innovation or a Threat to Academic Integrity?
(2025) Yacoub, Mark Wasfy Faragalla; Hynes, Jennifer; Master of Business Administration (MBA); Berlin International University of Applied Sciences
This thesis explores the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) tools into master’s education, examining whether their use enhances academic innovation or threatens academic integrity. Through a mixed-methods approach combining a comprehensive literature review and empirical survey data from postgraduate students at Berlin International University of Applied Sciences, the study investigates four key areas: adoption patterns, demonstrated benefits, emerging challenges, and ethical considerations. Findings reveal that AI tools—particularly ChatGPT, Grammarly, and DeepSeek—have become essential academic resources, with over 86% of students adopting them to streamline tasks such as literature reviews, data analysis, and academic writing. These tools offer significant benefits including improved time management, enhanced research quality, and increased confidence in academic tasks. However, the rapid adoption of AI also introduces notable risks. Students report challenges such as over-reliance on AI, reduced motivation for deep thinking, and concerns about academic dishonesty. Furthermore, unequal access to premium AI tools and a lack of institutional guidance raise questions about fairness and academic equity. The study highlights the tension between AI’s potential to enhance learning and its capacity to undermine critical cognitive and ethical foundations of postgraduate education. Ultimately, this study positions AI as a transformative force in postgraduate education—one that demands thoughtful integration rather than avoidance. The findings highlight the importance of developing new academic frameworks that protect critical thinking, uphold academic integrity, and address growing concerns around equity and authorship. By centring the real experiences of master’s students, the research provides timely insights into how AI is reshaping higher education and underscores the need for universities to evolve alongside emerging technologies while preserving the core values of independent scholarship.
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Business Storytelling and Filmmaking: The Impact of Sewmehon Yismaw in Ethiopian Cinema
(2025) Worku, Emebet Alemayehu; Prof. Dr. Erick Behar-Villegas; Master of Business Administration (MBA); Berlin International University of Applied Sciences
This thesis considers how narrative as business and culture communication means react to filmmaking practice and industry identity from the perspective of Sewmehon Yismaw, a successful Ethiopian cinematographer. This thesis considers how the practice of narrative generally used in business and organisational life is used in Sewmehon's narrative of cinematography, and through his films, promoting Ethiopian film development, authenticity, and international representation. As follows from the grasp of the traditional business story, in addition to narrative communication impact on audience reception, this research is also concerned with imaginative leadership and cross-cultural communication in filmmaking. In a qualitative case study research design, this research weaves together semi-structured interviews with Ethiopian filmmakers, cinematographer, director,and actors, and thematic analysis of some of Sewmehon Yismaw's chosen films. They are prize-winning films for presenting traditional Ethiopian folklore stories to new-age film-making methods. This article discusses Sewmehon's method of constructing characters, symbolic characters, and emotional resonance, and how his use of culture-centred narration has influenced indigenous filmmakers and the direction of learning about Ethiopian film globally. Discovery confirms that Sewmehon's biography is neatly built and culturally authentic, and through his films, they are built into cultural diplomacy, exchange, and imagination tools. His success in the films confirms how neighbourhood stories derived from identity can cross fences and motivate lives in larger media cultures. Promptness in the convergence of ancient storytelling and modern film grammar is what the research espouses for new film cultures that require artistic genuineness as well as global legitimacy. The thesis contributes to the scholarship of African cinema, business narratives, and filmmakers as cultural entrepreneurs. Remarks by researchers on the practice of storytelling as a pervasive force that is not only beyond entertainment but is even a strangling force in industry, narratology, and national honour.
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Workplace Safety and Psychosocial Safety Practices in Medium Scale Textile Companies in Turkey
(2025) Ünal, Berk; Hynes, Jennifer; Master of Business Administration (MBA); Berlin International University of Applied Sciences
This thesis examines workplace and psychosocial safety practices in medium-sized textile companies in Turkey. The focus is particularly on the psychosocial safety climate (PSC) framework. Occupational Health and Safety Law No. 6331 has regulated this legislation in Turkey. Despite this, psychosocial risks remain a significant factor, particularly in labor-intensive industries like textiles. This thesis examines workplace and psychosocial safety practices in medium-sized textile companies in Turkey. The focus is particularly on the psychosocial safety climate (PSC) framework. Occupational Health and Safety Law No. 6331 has regulated this legislation in Turkey. Despite this, psychosocial risks remain a significant factor, particularly in labor-intensive industries like textiles. This thesis was conducted using a mixed-methods, multiple-case study design (Yin, 2018). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with managers in four medium-sized textile companies. As a result, the necessary qualitative data were collected and analyzed. Analyses were conducted and evaluated using the thematic analysis method of Braun and Clarke (2006). The PSC-12 survey was administered to collect employee data. Quantitative data from these surveys were analyzed using statistics and reliability analyses using Rstudio. As a result, it was seen that some of the companies had low levels of psychosocial safety. Not only the administrative level of the institutions but also the perception of the employees in this regard was examined. This study is a sectoral study and does not represent the entire sector and country due to limitations. However, the findings can be evaluated for future studies.
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ETHICAL CONCERNS OF USING AI IN HR IN THE DEFENSE AND AVIATION SECTORS IN TÜRKİYE
(2025) ÜNAL SARAL ÖZGE; HYNES JENNIFER; Master of Business Administration (MBA); Berlin International University of Applied Sciences
At a moment when machines are deciding things about people, the question is no longer whether AI can optimize HR, but whether it can do so ethically, fairly, and in ways that preserve human dignity in environments like Türkiye's sensitive defense and aviation sectors. This thesis is an exploration of the ethical governance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Human Resource Management (HRM) with specific reference to the defense and aviation sectors of Türkiye, two data-sensitive industries with national security imperatives amidst international digitalization pressures. In the face of growing international interest in AI ethics in HR, much of the literature still remains Western-centric, leaving a critical knowledge gap regarding how emerging economies like Türkiye balance ethical pitfalls in AI-driven HR practices. The thesis answers the question ‘How are HR professionals managing ethical concerns of using AI in HR practices in Türkiye?’ The study adopts a qualitative methodology, founded upon semi-structured interviews with eight HR practitioners from seven organizations. Thematic analysis, through Braun and Clarke's six-stage process, was employed to identify prevalent patterns and ethical quandaries. The research is founded upon utilitarian ethical theory, which evaluates actions based on their effect on general well-being, a fitting prism through which to consider AI's complex efficiency-fairness trade-offs. Findings reveal five themes that are interconnected: (1) Artificial Intelligence Usage Patterns (2) Ethical Concerns and Perceptions like algorithmic bias and lack of transparency of decision systems, (3) Regulatory and Cultural Influences Specific to Türkiye, (4) Ethical Management Strategies and Employee Engagement, and (5) Balance Between Ethics and Efficiency. Participants strongly advocated for hybrid systems where AI augments, but does not replace, human judgment. The study contends that ethical AI integration in Türkiye requires culturally sensitive governance structures, technical PDPL adherence, and organizational arrangements such as AI audit boards. These not only control risk but also convey a utilitarian imperative as promoting social good in order to uphold human dignity. The study contributes to a more inclusive global AI ethics debate through its prioritization of local voices and the proposal of actionable measures to support ethical AI use in emerging contexts.
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Adoption of Machine Learning In E-commerce Teams: A Case Study
(2025) Silva Barros , Diego Osvaldo; Mantel, Peter; Master of Business Administration (MBA); Berlin International University of Applied Sciences
The rapid growth of data in the digital economy has positioned machine learning (ML) as a transformative technology for improving decision-making, efficiency, and competitiveness. While large corporations have the resources to integrate ML through dedicated data teams and advanced infrastructures, e-commerce teams often face significant barriers. Despite generating valuable data through sales, customer interactions, and marketing, many teams struggle to adopt ML effectively due to limited resources, lack of expertise, and uncertainty about practical implementation. In 2024, only 11% of European SMEs reported using ML, highlighting a substantial adoption gap compared to larger firms. This thesis investigates how small e-commerce teams with no formal data science background perceive, explore, and begin to adopt ML tools. Drawing on Diffusion of Innovations theory and the Dynamic Capabilities framework, the study emphasizes both the human and organizational dimensions of adoption. A mixed-methods approach was employed, including structured interviews with team members at Berlin Brands Group, an educational workshop, and a live demonstration of ML applied to a practical dataset. This process allowed the researcher to capture changes in perceptions, readiness, and confidence before and after exposure to ML. The findings highlight three central themes: (1) adoption challenges at the technological, organizational, and personal levels; (2) enabling factors such as curiosity, ease of use, and peer examples; and (3) shifts in awareness and openness following experiential learning. The study contributes to both theory and practice by offering a grounded understanding of ML adoption in SMEs and by proposing practical recommendations to make ML more accessible, actionable, and democratic for small teams.
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THE ROLE OF GOLF IN BUSINESS NETWORKING AND CORPORATE ENGAGEMENT IN GERMANY
(2025) KURUCAM, ZEKERIYA; HYNES, JENNIFER; Master of Business Administration (MBA); Berlin International University of Applied Sciences
The paper reviews how beneficial golf can be as a strategic business networking and corporate engagement platform in the German business world. It is based on the Social Capital Theory and the Strength of Weak Ties of Granovetter, discussing the way golf can be used to establish strong, as well as weak social ties and help professionals establish trust, share knowledge, and open new opportunities in the business world. Investigating the use of qualitative research with survey and thematic analysis of answers, the research results indicate that informal and extended social side of golf can create a special environment to develop and build genuine relationships because it is not directed on traditional office environment. This exclusivity of the sport and its cultural value in Germany will play a role in its use as representation of prestige and as a method of accumulating social capital, though there is also a number of implications following this, in the accessibility and inclusivity of the sport. The results demonstrate the dual ability of golf to foster bonding among secure networks and bridging among various professional categories, and the need of utilizing golf in succeeding corporate relations, brand popularity and personnel interaction. The paper also presents and discusses implications to the business persons and organizations who hope to use golf as a networking tool, especially the fact that they should strike a balance between preserving traditions and inclusiveness and adapt to the changing trends in culture and technology. Suggestions to future studies involve examination of long-term effects, organizational involvement in knowledge transfer, and demographic relationships inside the network of any business in golf.
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Analysis of Startup Failure Patterns, Early Warning Signs, and the Startup Survival Matrix
(2025) Ksaiby, Anas; Mantel, Peter; Master of Business Administration (MBA); Berlin International University of Applied Sciences
Startups became a main player in transforming countries’ economies, fueling technological innovation, and creating vast job opportunities, yet unfortunately, the majority of startups fail at early stages of business life. Recent studies warn that about 90% of startups fail in the very first few years (Hvidkjaer, 2022), the failure has consequences not only on the economy at different scales but also on founders personal relationships, emotional distress and financial burden, and missed opportunities (Hvidkjaer, 2022; Eisenmann 2021). Even though many researchers analyze the reasons behind startups failure, with most studies focusing on isolated factors, the complex interaction between these factors is still not fully explored, explaining the consistently high rate of startup failure. The topic of this thesis arises from a personal goal and a deep interest to understand the observations within entrepreneurial experience on both sides, success and failure. I have witnessed friends, relatives, and business owners invest years of their precious time and effort, into ventures that appeared promising at first, yet ended up unexplained, fading out years of savings and leaving founders at huge stress, anxiety, and financial losses, this motivated me to create a comprehensive, data-backed study that bridges the gap between academic theory and founders reality. This study suggests that startups failure is rarely caused by a single reason, but instead, it heavily impacted by cascading interactions between different factors like vulnerable funding, market & timing challenges, team dynamics, wrong management strategies, and some other external factors. Inspired by specialized business and entrepreneurship books, focusing on and detailing startups failure patterns and how different risks can be mitigated, backed with a quantitative analysis of a rich dataset including details about thousands of successful and failure ventures across five major business sectors, and on the top, findings from a short tailored questionnaire, this research aims to develop a Startup Survival Matrix, a practical diagnostic tool for entrepreneurs and investors to understanding, identifying, and be alerted about cumulative risks that threaten the survival of their new ventures. The Startup Survival Matrix provides founders, investors, and even policymakers with a comprehensive insights, early warning signs, and a winning strategy based on real businesses and entrepreneurship experience. By making the overlooked patterns of startup failure visible and actionable, this research aims to help more new startups survive and thrive, by expanding the knowledge and understanding of patterns driving startups to failure and by creating a roadmap for first-time entrepreneurs highlighting risks they might face in each stage during their journey.
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The Effect of Digital Stress on Work Quality and Productivity in Hybrid Work Models
(2025) Kara,Ömer Lütfi; Master of Business Administration (MBA); Berlin International University of Applied Sciences
The recent introduction of digital technologies in modern workplace settings has revolutionized organizational operations with hybrid work design being widely embraced, which entails the mixture of remote and physical work. The transformation poses at the same time the opportunities of heightened flexibility, productivity, innovativeness and challenges on account of the digital stressors of information overload, perpetual connectivity, techno-invasion as well as a blurred work-life boundaries. These stressors are involved in psychological strain, role overload, and role conflict, which is of a detrimental impact on the well-being, job satisfaction, work quality and productivity of the employees. The fact that technological progress, corporate culture and personal coping skills interact in a very complicated way in digital stress requires a holistic view of its multifactorial effects. This synthesis explores the development of work models, origin and nature of digital stress, theoretical frameworks such as technostress theory as well as methods of measurement to gauge work outcomes in hybrid environments. It outlines the disparate impact of digital stress on demographics and occupational roles and assesses preventive, restrictive, and rejecting coping practices besides highlighting the crucial importance of the organizational support, leadership, and policy formulation. Cultural and regulatory differences manifest themselves in international views on experiences of digital stress and its coping. Lastly, new technologies and the anticipated changes in work paradigms draw the necessity of continuous investigation to obtain the ongoing research to develop evidence-based interventions that enhance resilience , well-being, and sustainable productivity of employees in hybrid workplaces mediated by digital technologies.
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Identifying GDPR Violation Patterns in Different Digital Marketing Channels: A Case-Based Analysis of Enforcement Decisions and Strategic Recommendations
(2025) Seok Joon Kang; Erick Behar Villegas; Despoina Glarou; Master of Business Administration (MBA); Berlin International University of Applied Sciences
In this study, I investigate the enduring persistence of GDPR violations in digital marketing despite widespread awareness and substantial penalties. Drawing on a systematically filtered sample of 222 enforcement cases from the 1,000 most recent entries on EnforcementTracker.com, I focus on decisions issued by the five EU countries with the highest violation counts. To process multilingual legal documents efficiently, I employed large language models (LLMs) guided by rigorously engineered prompts for translation and semantic analysis. Hallucination was controlled through outline-based review checkpoints, and model outputs were cross-validated against a second, state-of-the-art LLM before all remaining discrepancies were manually verified. Quantitative analysis reveals that 19.8 % of GDPR violations occur in digital marketing contexts, with telephone/SMS campaigns presenting the highest risk. Root-cause coding uncovers that 77.3 % of cases stem from organizational governance failures rather than purely technical misconfigurations. By integrating rigorous AI-assisted methods with researcher-driven verification, this thesis offers both methodological innovation for cross-language legal-compliance analysis and actionable recommendations for strengthening governance frameworks in digital-marketing operations.
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Sovereign Debt Sustainability For Emerging Market Economies - A Lesson From Greece For Argentina
(2025) Siddhartha Chaturvedi; Peter Mantel; Master of Business Administration (MBA); Berlin International University of Applied Sciences
Sovereign Debt Crisis has been a key topic for research in International Economics as it generates persistent threat to the global economic stability, impacting both advanced and emerging market economies. This thesis presents an analysis of Greece Debt Crisis (2009-2016) with an aim of generating certain critical policy lessons for the enhancement of Sovereign Debt Sustainability in the emerging market economies, particularly for Argentina. The Greece’s experience has been critically analysed in this thesis to identify the effective debt management strategies. With the use of a mixed methods comparative approach the author Amalgamates both qualitative and quantitative analysis using macroeconomic secondary data publicly available on the portals of the IMF, World Bank, European Central Bank and other national sources of Argentina to identify the trends on the various key macroeconomic indicators and empirically validating the key theories of international economics such as the Debt Overhang Theory and the Financial Contagion Theory.This research Identifies certain similarities and differences between Greece and Argentina and highlights the role of institutional support for a Sovereign. Recommendations crafted out from this thesis include: stringent fiscal discipline, Comprehensive structural reforms, proactive debt management and vigilant management of the contagion risks. Thus this thesis offers data driven insights for the debt sustainability of the emerging market economies validating the core theories of international economics.
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The Role of Supplier Relationship Management to the Supply Chain Performance of an Organization: Railway Industries in Germany
(2025) Chanyapat, Charm; Ippendorf, Niko; Master of Business Administration (MBA); Berlin International University of Applied Sciences
This research examines how supplier relationship management affects supply chain performance in German railway manufacturing companies. The study identifies connections between supplier performance measurement systems and three outcomes: operational efficiency, cost reduction, and supply chain resilience, exploring how these systems create value beyond cost reduction. The German railway sector faces challenges in maintaining reliable supply chains while controlling costs. Companies must balance quality requirements with pressures to improve sustainability and innovation. While supplier relationship management has been extensively studied in industries like automotive manufacturing, limited research exists specifically addressing the German railway industry despite its global significance. This knowledge gap is particularly relevant as Germany, being one of the world's largest railway manufacturing hubs, develops increasingly sophisticated approaches to supplier management. Twelve interviews were conducted with procurement professionals from three leading railway manufacturers. The semi-structured interviews explored supplier performance measurement practices and their business impact. Content analysis identified key themes and patterns across companies. Key findings demonstrate that companies employing advanced digital monitoring capabilities achieved superior supply chain resilience through early risk identification. Performance measurement data contributed to cost management primarily through quality cost avoidance and total cost visibility. Significant variations in digital maturity and implementation approaches reflected different organizational priorities across companies. This study contributes to the theoretical understanding of supplier relationship management by revealing how performance measurement systems function as multidimensional value creators in complex supply chains. The findings extend existing frameworks by demonstrating the importance of strategic alignment, cross-functional integration, and total cost perspectives in supplier performance measurement. This research enhances supply chain management theory through empirical evidence connecting measurement approaches to performance outcomes, offering valuable insights into how organizations can achieve competitive advantage through more sophisticated supplier relationship governance in specialized manufacturing contexts.
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Light in the Shade: A Study on the Impact of Lighting on Mood Perception in Polish Hotel Interiors
(2025) Pendrasik Zuzanna; Martin Javier; Interior Architecture/Interior Design (MA) (Two-Year); Berlin International University of Applied Sciences
This thesis explores the impact of architectural lighting on mood creation within hotel interiors in Poland. It examines how light functions as both a psychological and spatial tool, shaping human experience. Drawing on environmental psychology and lighting design theory, the study highlights the potential of light to create emotionally resonant and atmospheric spaces in contemporary hotel design. Methodologically, the thesis employs a combination of systematic literature review and case study analysis of selected Polish hotels. The case studies demonstrate that lighting is not merely a technical component but also a medium for narrative and emotion that can enhance spatial legibility and reinforce brand identity. The design component focuses on the adaptive reuse of a post-industrial building located in the historic center of Częstochowa, transforming it into a hotel. The project investigates the broader social potential of introducing hospitality functions into a heritage structure, aiming not only to preserve the architectural identity of the site but also to revitalize its urban context and engage the local community. By reinterpreting an underutilized industrial structure, the adaptation project aims to create a hotel that not only ensures a comfortable stay but also allows guests to experience the architectural qualities and embedded narrative of the existing structure. Ultimately, the thesis advocates for a holistic design approach that integrates lighting strategies as a core element. It positions light as a crucial factor in shaping atmosphere and user well-being in modern hotel interiors.
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Reviving Yutopia
(2025) Dusica Mitrovic; Dr. Sally Stone; Interior Architecture/Interior Design (MA) (Two-Year); Berlin International University of Applied Sciences
This thesis explores the cultural and architectural significance of abandoned socialist-era hotels in the former Yugoslav region through the frameworks of vernacular architecture and critical regionalism. These buildings, once symbols of modernity and collective ambition, now stand as contested sites where memory, identity, and material decay intersect. By analyzing their layered histories and examining selected case studies, the research investigates how architectural identity in Yugoslavia was shaped by the tension between international modernist ideals and regional vernacular traditions. Vernacular architecture, rooted in local material practices and cultural rituals, provides a lens to reconsider how interiors embody place and community. Critical regionalism offers a complementary perspective, advocating for designs that resist placeless globalization by grounding themselves in tectonic and cultural specificity. Together, these concepts highlight the importance of materiality and symbolism in shaping spatial experiences that are both contemporary and deeply rooted in tradition. The study introduces the notion of Yutopia as a critical lens to reinterpret Yugoslav architectural monuments, utopian aspirations that have become fragmented through abandonment, yet still hold potential for renewal. Through comparative analysis of regional and global precedents, this thesis argues for an approach to interior architecture that honors vernacular heritage while engaging critically with modernity. The findings contribute to broader discussions on cultural continuity, architectural identity, and the role of design in negotiating between history and the present.
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From Shadows to Light: Atriums as Transformative Spaces Connecting Inside to Outside
(2025) Vinny Chadha; Martin Fuentes Javier; Interior Architecture/Interior Design (MA) (Two-Year); Berlin International University of Applied Sciences
A growing body of research agrees that exposure to nature significantly aids recovery, reduces stress, and enhances overall well-being. Within this context, atriums emerge as pivotal architectural elements that can embed natural qualities into built environments, serving as more than circulation zones to become restorative spaces. This thesis examines the capacity of atriums to act as transformative spatial mediators that connect interior and exterior realms, fostering conditions that nurture psychological balance, social interaction, and a sense of belonging. Through a systematic analysis of case studies, this research identifies five design principles that inform the creation of healing atrium environments. Glazed walls provide visual continuity with the outdoors, natural materials enrich sensory experience, vegetation introduces patterns of renewal, water and reflective elements add multisensory depth, and circulation strategies establish rhythms of movement that support exploration and pause. Synthesized from diverse precedents, these principles form transferable strategies for therapeutic design. Their application in the rehabilitation center project demonstrates how theoretical insights can be translated into practice to create environments that actively support recovery. The findings emphasize that atriums, when designed with intention, extend beyond aesthetics to embody an architectural ethos of care. As spatial anchors, they integrate natural light, air, and openness, shaping built environments that restore, inspire, and reconnect individuals with nature and themselves.
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Salt-based materials in Interior Architecture
(2025) Saad, Uafaa; Prof. Javier Martin; Interior Architecture/Interior Design (MA) (Two-Year); Berlin International University of Applied Sciences
This thesis examines the viability of using salt-based materials as sustainable and innovative components in Interior Architecture, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. Salt, a resource with deep cultural historical roots that is frequently neglected in modern design, is scrutinized as a material that can tackle both environmental and architectural challenges. The main research question is: How do salt-based materials contribute to the development of sustainable interior design in dry regions? The study investigates the versatility and significance of salt using a mixed-method approach that combines historical research, cultural analysis, and material experimentation. Karshif, a traditional salt-rich mud composite from Egypt's Siwa Oasis known for its thermal regulation, humidity control, and circular material lifecycle, is being assessed in this thesis. The topic shows how vernacular knowledge provides practical solutions for today’s sustainability challenges by evaluating its properties and performance, both historically and through contemporary scientific studies. Simultaneously, the study looks at modern uses such as salt-based furniture, 3D-printed salt buildings, and salt-crystal panels. These case studies highlight salt's aesthetic and practical properties as well as its drawbacks, such as its limited structural strength and sensitivity to moisture. The investigation of its design possibilities is further supported by experimental efforts, such as the production of salt-crystal tiles. By integrating ancient methods with modern creativity, the Siwa Oasis design project demonstrates how salt-based materials may be used into practical building concepts. The results demonstrate how salt can improve interior spaces through sensory, cultural and even therapeutic aspects in addition to decreasing its negative effects on the environment. This research positions salt as both an ancient and forward-looking material, offering a compelling alternative to conventional resources. It contributes to broader debates on sustainable architecture by demonstrating how local materials and cultural heritage can inform innovative, low-impact design strategies.
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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 Sciences
This 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.
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Living Libraries: Spatial Design and Rhythms of Social Connectivity
(2025) Lepp, Rebecca; Stone, Sally; Interior Architecture/Interior Design (MA) (Two-Year); Berlin International University of Applied Sciences
As technology advances and digital devices begin to replace traditional print materials, libraries are shifting their focus from resource-centric spaces to empowering more human-centric design. This transformation of public libraries reflects a growing emphasis on experiences, collaboration, and community, positioning the library as a social and cultural hub as opposed to a repository of books and productivity. This thesis explores how libraries have evolved from quiet, individual study spaces into social and dynamic environments that foster human connection. In response to the digital age, public library spaces have changed their spatial environments, and the library has become a flexible and hybrid space balancing digital and physical experiences. Through classic design theories, case studies, and the development of a conceptual design framework, the project reimagines library interiors with spaces to reflect, discover, and exchange. The thesis and proposed framework found that through flexible spatial arrangements and an interior space that allows for dynamic changes that promote community, the public library space can become a beacon of social connectivity.
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SPACE THAT MOVES YOU: Active Environment Design in Youth Recreation Centres to Promote Physical Activity.
(2025) Ouk Panharoth; Stone Sally; Interior Architecture/Interior Design (MA) (Two-Year); Berlin International University of Applied Sciences
This study examines the concept of an active environment and active design to explore a new intervention for active spaces that can encourage young people to participate in physical activities in the designated youth recreation centre. Additionally, to investigate how spatial design can encourage physical activity among youth through the active design components. The literature review will be explored to examine the active design principles that contribute to youth movement, along with the study of youth and their interest in recreation activities, exploring the aspect of recreation centres in the past and in the present. Furthermore, the answer to such issues can also be found in those studies that will be conducted in the form of case study analysis from the 4 projects in Germany to identify the conceptual elements of active design and their spatial design functions within the projects. And also using the example from the 2 projects from Denmark to add to the complement of what the actual active design components are that help build and foster youth physical activity within the space. The study found that active design basic elements are the staircase and the multilevel or changing of the flooring level can be a significant component of active design that contributes to the youth’s physical activity. The staircase is an important element that works well and is the main connector of multi-level concepts. However, there is a shortage of sources that support the ideation of active design for interior, and there are not many sources that mention active design for interior or indoor recreation centre design. That is why, youth recreation centre design project will be put to the test for examination infrastructure and serve as a tool to try out how active design features can be implemented in the youth recreation centre to foster physical activity.
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ADAPTIVE REUSE STRATEGIES FOR CONTENTIOUS BUILDINGS
(2025) Al-Nahas, Nura; Stone, Sally; Ebert, Carola; Interior Architecture/Interior Design (MA) (Two-Year); Berlin International University of Applied Sciences
Examining how historically loaded architecture can be reinterpreted without denying its past, this master’s thesis focuses on the example of wartime bunkers. Commonly perceived as reminders of the violence and trauma, these concrete structures oftentimes remain abandoned. Nonetheless, their mysterious presence and their unique spatial qualities evoke something captivating in the eye of the contemporary. Rooted in the dilemma of how to engage with architecture that originates from a sinister past, this research investigates how a reinterpretation of a bunker’s genius loci can inform the transformation and identity of contemporary spaces. Structured as a journey through four thematic “chambers“, this thesis first provides an understanding of contentious buildings, using bunkers as a particular of loaded heritage. Considering bunkers as a challenging site of intervention, leads in the second chamber to an analysis of their spatial, material, and typological nature, and explores their transition from wartime structures to cultural sites, supported by case studies of reimagined Berlin bunkers. A third chamber works out design strategies for building with the history, that transform the spatial identity, emotional atmosphere, and cultural potential of contested spaces, particularly bunkers. It includes an interview with a contemporary musician, Pablo Mirò, reflecting on creativity in isolation. In the final chamber, the master’s project “Shelter for Culture” is presented, which turns a Berlin Hochbunker into an expressive space for artists, without erasing its history. Rather than neutralizing the past, this master’s thesis proposes that meaningful transformation results when architectural interventions are grounded in the spirit of a place. Leaning on concepts such as the palimpsest and architectural memory, it proposes that new spatial identities can coexist with previous narratives, even with sinister ones. Layered, instead of replaced. Thus, bunkers become more than just relics of war; they become sites of a dialogue between past and present.
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Energy efficient refurbishment strategies in 100 years-old single family houses
(2025) Margaux Metzen; Martin, Javier; Interior Architecture/Interior Design (MA) (Two-Year); Berlin International University of Applied Sciences
This master thesis examines whether and to what extent interior design can contribute to the energy-efficient refurbishment of existing single-family homes. The focus is on developing and elaborating strategies that demonstrate the extent to which interior architecture can act as a bridge between the preservation of architectural identity and technical modernisation. How can spaces be created that meet both parts, the historical character of a building and the ecological requirements? The basis for this is the issue of climate change and, in this context, the increasing urgency for sustainable construction. Ambitious climate goals in Germany, such as climate neutrality by 2045, advocate the relevance of renovating existing buildings. In Germany in particular, a large proportion of the building stock consists of old buildings, which is why energy optimisation can serve as a central lever for CO2 savings and more climate-friendly living. In the course of this master thesis, it emerges that interior architecture can be used as a mediating bridge between history and the demands of the present. Furthermore, this thesis also refers to theoretical concepts such as adaptive reuse and the palimpsest approach, as well as to technical knowledge such as embodied energy to show strategies how interior design can contribute to old buildings. Spaces are seen here as a projection surface for the future and also serve as preservers and carriers of historical narratives. An example of an energy modernisation in a detached house in Darmstadt shows how successfully old houses can work with new technologies. This shows that an energy-efficient refurbishment does not have to compromise comfort or destroy the character of the building. On the contrary, through targeted planning and design sensitivity and technical innovation, both requirements can be achieved. This master thesis comes to the conclusion that interior design can serve as a bridge in today's world as well as in this important area of interaction. It plays a key role in the design of spaces and at the same time conveys values. Interior design is the link between functionality and atmosphere, between what has been and what is yet to come.