Exploring Memory and Nostalgia in Built Form

5th Year Architecture-2024
Thesis Project
SYNOPSIS
Student Name (full name).____Bismala Zahid__________
Roll Number._____2020-nca-arch-r-021______________
Date (date of submission of synopsis): To be decided
Exploring Memory and Nostalgia in Built Form:
This thesis delves into the evocative power of architecture, examining how
physical spaces can trigger memories, emotional associations, and personal
connections. It investigates the relationship between built form, cultural context,
and individual experiences, exploring how architecture shapes and is shaped by
memory and nostalgia.
1. Objectives
 Understand how architectural elements and design strategies evoke memories

and emotions.
 Analyze the role of cultural context in shaping collective memory and its
expression in built form.
 Explore the interplay between personal experiences and architectural
encounters, investigating how individual memories are interwoven with spatial
experiences.
 Develop design principles that leverage the evocative power of architecture to
create meaningful and enduring spaces
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2. Problem/Background/Motivation
Architecture is more than bricks and mortar; it is a vessel for stories, emotions, and
memories. In a world increasingly focused on the modern and innovative, there is a
risk of neglecting the deeper connections individuals and communities form with their
built environment. This thesis seeks to re-emphasize the emotional and narrative
potential of architecture, recognizing its ability to resonate with us on a personal and
cultural level.
3. Scope of Works (tentative)
 Investigate theoretical frameworks on memory, nostalgia, and their spatial

dimensions.
 Analyze case studies of built form, including vernacular architecture with
strong cultural ties and memorials designed to evoke specific memories
(e.g., Vietnam Veterans Memorial).
 Conduct field research and gather user responses to explore how individuals
interact with and interpret specific architectural spaces.
 Develop design recommendations and guidelines for incorporating memory
and nostalgia into architectural design in a sensitive and meaningful way.
4. Client (if any)
5. Site Location
6. Research Aspects
 Sensory Engagement: How do materiality, spatial configurations, and lighting

design contribute to evocative experiences?
 Cultural Narratives: How does architecture embody and transmit cultural
memories and values?
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 Personal Connections: How can design facilitate individual memory formation
and attachment to place?
6.1. Sensory Engagement
6.2. Cultural Narratives
6.3. Personal Connections
7. Methods
 Literature review on architectural theory, memory studies, and cultural

anthropology.
 Case study analysis through site visits, historical research, and archival
documentation.
 User surveys, interviews, and participatory workshops to gather qualitative
data.
 Spatial analysis and mapping of sensory elements and emotional responses
within chosen case studies.
8. Available Resources
 Academic databases and publications on architecture, memory, and cultural

studies.
 Access to relevant case study sites and archives.
 Collaboration with design professionals and community groups.
 Expertise of faculty advisors and researchers in architecture, psychology, and
cultural studies.
9. Hypothesis (working, if any)
Well-designed architecture can evoke powerful memories and emotional associations

by:
 Employing sensory elements that trigger personal and cultural memories.
 Embodying narratives that resonate with collective identities and experiences.
 Creating spaces that facilitate individual storytelling and meaning-making.
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By understanding the multifaceted relationship between memory, nostalgia, and built
form, architects can design spaces that connect with users on a deeper level, fostering
individual and collective well-being in an increasingly changing world.
10.List of Bibliography
Books:
 Anderson, Benedict. (1991). Imagined Communities: Reflections on the

Origin and Spread of Nationalism. Verso.
 Augé, Marc. (1992). Non-Places: Introduction to an Anthropology of

Supermodernity. Verso.
 Blunt, Anthony. (1994). On Architecture and Memory. Yale University Press.
 Carter, Eric. (1997). Ruptured Landscape: The Creation and Transformation of

the English Countryside. Faber and Faber.
 Forty, Adrian. (2000). Words and Buildings: Theory and Practice of On-Site
Documentation. Thames & Hudson.
 Koolhaas, Rem. (2000). Delirious New York: A Retroactive Manifesto for

Manhattan. Taschen.
 Norberg-Schulz, Christian. (1979). Genius Loci: Towards a Phenomenology

of Architecture. Rizzoli.
 Schama, Simon. (1995). Landscape and Memory. HarperCollins.
 Tuan, Yi-Fu. (1977). Space and Place: The Perspective of Experience.

University of Minnesota Press.
Articles:
 Barrows, John. (2004). "Built Landscapes of Memory: Reframing Place

Memory and Architectural Nostalgia." Journal of Architectural and Planning
Research, 21(3), 256-279.
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 Crang, Mike. (2008). "Reconsidering Nostalgia: On the Limits of a
Postmodern Emotion." Cultural Geographies, 15(4), 443-473.
 Doordan, Dennis. (2008). "Haunted Landscapes: Materiality and Memory in

Urban Ruins." Journal of Landscape Studies, 3(2), 1-27.
 Hitchings, Kathleen. (2014). "Nostalgia and Material Culture: The Evocation

of Memories Through Objects." The Journal of Material Culture, 19(4), 449-
467.
 Ingold, Tim. (2000). "The Perception of the Environment: Essays on Mood

and Materiality." Routledge.
 Karsten, Kari. (2001). "Memory Work: Landscapes and Material Culture in

the Postmodern Age." Environment and Planning D: Society and Space, 19(4),
501-522.
 Layton, Robert. (1993). "An Anthropology of Art." Cambridge University

Press.
 Lowenthal, David. (1995). "Maligned Nostalgia." History and Theory, 34(3),

349-371.
 Nasr, Seyyed Hossein. (1998). The Sacred and the Profane: Architecture and
Civilization. SUNY Press.
Websites and online resources:
 The Society for Urban Anthropology: [<invalid URL removed>]
 The International Memory Studies Association: [<invalid URL removed>]
 The Center for Public History: [<invalid URL removed>]
 The Architectural Association: [https://www.aaschool.ac.uk/]
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5th Year Architecture-2024

Student Name (full name).____Bismala Zahid__________

Date (date of submission of synopsis): To be decided

Exploring Memory and Nostalgia in Built Form:

 Understand how architectural elements and design strategies evoke memories

3. Scope of Works (tentative)

 Investigate theoretical frameworks on memory, nostalgia, and their spatial

4. Client (if any)

 Sensory Engagement: How do materiality, spatial configurations, and lighting

6.1. Sensory Engagement

6.2. Cultural Narratives

6.3. Personal Connections

 Literature review on architectural theory, memory studies, and cultural

 Academic databases and publications on architecture, memory, and cultural

9. Hypothesis (working, if any)

Well-designed architecture can evoke powerful memories and emotional associations

 Anderson, Benedict. (1991). Imagined Communities: Reflections on the

 Augé, Marc. (1992). Non-Places: Introduction to an Anthropology of

 Blunt, Anthony. (1994). On Architecture and Memory. Yale University Press.

 Carter, Eric. (1997). Ruptured Landscape: The Creation and Transformation of

 Koolhaas, Rem. (2000). Delirious New York: A Retroactive Manifesto for

 Norberg-Schulz, Christian. (1979). Genius Loci: Towards a Phenomenology

 Schama, Simon. (1995). Landscape and Memory. HarperCollins.

 Tuan, Yi-Fu. (1977). Space and Place: The Perspective of Experience.

 Barrows, John. (2004). "Built Landscapes of Memory: Reframing Place

 Doordan, Dennis. (2008). "Haunted Landscapes: Materiality and Memory in

 Hitchings, Kathleen. (2014). "Nostalgia and Material Culture: The Evocation

 Ingold, Tim. (2000). "The Perception of the Environment: Essays on Mood

 Karsten, Kari. (2001). "Memory Work: Landscapes and Material Culture in

 Layton, Robert. (1993). "An Anthropology of Art." Cambridge University

 Lowenthal, David. (1995). "Maligned Nostalgia." History and Theory, 34(3),

Websites and online resources:

 The Society for Urban Anthropology: [<invalid URL removed>]

 The International Memory Studies Association: [<invalid URL removed>]

 The Center for Public History: [<invalid URL removed>]

 The Architectural Association: [https://www.aaschool.ac.uk/]

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Student Name (full name).Bismala Zahid______