Houston modern architect, Karl Kamrath (1911-1988), collected books, periodicals, and archival material that document the career and legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright. Kamrath identified himself as a collector of Wright and a devotee to the principles set forth by the master architect. In this thesis, I present Kamrath’s collection by organizing the materials by subject, considering how Kamrath marked books and journals, and drawing connections between his collecting interests and his architectural work. Kamrath collected and consumed information on Wright and organic architecture and then presented his own articulations of the principles in built form. His interest in organic architecture was evident in his projects that blended into the landscape and satisfied the individual needs of each client. The purpose of this thesis is to contribute to the story on Karl Kamrath, adding the details of the collection he donated to The University of Texas at Austin. / text

In 1946, House Beautiful's editor-in-chief Elizabeth Gordon launched the Pace Setter House Program, an annual series of exhibition houses that proposed a new modern architecture for postwar America. Set in direct opposition to Arts & Architecture's Case Study Houses, the Pace Setter houses criticized orthodox modernism, and offered a "livable" and distinctly American alternative. Organic design, particularly the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, further informed this new concept of American modernism, adding a rich layer of humanism, naturalism, and democratic idealism. Rejecting the Case Study prototype of universal solutions and prefabrication, the Pace Setter houses advocated a solution in which the craft of building guaranteed regional variation, artistic quality and individual expression. House Beautiful's Pace Setter Program, with its implicit organic roots, underscored one of the most charged architectural debates of the postwar period: the renewed tension between the specific and the general, the regional and the international, the individual and the collective. With the establishment of the Pace Setter House Program, Gordon developed a mature paradigm for the postwar house -- and simultaneously created a dynamic public forum for architectural debate. With the Pace Setters as counterpoint, she lashed out against the architectural current to attack what she viewed as the greatest threat to American design: the unlivable, autocratic, and foreign modernism of the International Style. Gordon's role in the larger architectural debate was critical, not only in her vociferous opposition to what she viewed as a blind continuation of an oppressive modernist lineage, but in her stalwart support of alternative design tropes. The Pace Setter Houses and their architects -- ranging from Cliff May to Alfred Browning Parker to Harwell Harris -- represented one battlefield in the aesthetic and philosophical struggle between the emerging modernisms of the postwar period. Accompanied by Gordon's insistent voice and publications, the Pace Setters became ammunition in an architectural revolution that, for House Beautiful, lasted nearly twenty years. The Pace Setters chronicled the emergence of a vital strand of American modernism, and provided a lens through which to view the ultimate integration and acceptance of modernism within the mainstream of middle-class America.

Nature has been a source of inspiration for many architects, one of them being Frank Lloyd Wright. He re-interpreted the principles of architectural design by searching nature and uncovering its hidden dimensions to introduce his idea called organic architecture, at the onset of the twentieth century. This thesis aims to discuss the offspring of this idea in Turkey, with the awareness of the fact that the Turkish examples of Vernacular and Local architecture have always displayed great concern towards nature. The developments subsequent to the recognition of organic architecture and Wright in the Turkish Architectural arena are surveyed with reference to significant discussions, competitions, exhibitions, conferences as well as concrete examples of architectural practice. Throughout the study the discussions related to Modernism in Turkey are also referred to taking the misconception of organic architecture into consideration. Since the meaning of and the interpretations concerning organic architecture are different from those made in Europe and the USA, some Turkish architects have also conceived organic architecture different from Wright&rsquo / s understanding and interpreted it from a merely formal perspective. Wright&rsquo / s approach to &lsquo / house design&rsquo / , which transforms confined, formal, symmetrical boxes into flowing spaces, is focused in comparison to Vernacular and Local examples in Turkey, and the works designed by Contemporary Turkish architects are selected to investigate the application of the principles of design and characteristics introduced by Wright. The concept of space, use of material, relation of the building with its environment, functional requirements and constructional concerns are studied within this context.

The study contrasts the architecture of the Art Nouveau period  1880-1915 with contemporary curvilinear computational designs created 1980-2015. This is done by examining similarities and differences in design context, methods, philosophy and forms. The study includes an analysis of the curved lines used in Art Nouveau architecture as well as comparative study of  the two periods’ building compositions, façades and ornamentation. The thesis tries to answer the following questions: Is it possible to identify significant forms or geometric markers in  the Art Nouveau architecture of the period 1890 to 1920? How do such markers differ from post 1980 computational curvilinear architecture? Is it possible to reinterpret Art Nouveau architecture today in a relevant way? / Denna studien kontrasterar Art Nouveau/ Jugendstil perioden 1880-1920 med dagens datorstödda design diskurs med fokus på den böjda linjen. Studien undersöker skillnader och likheter i kontext, metod, filosofi och form mellan de båda perioderna. Studien inkluderar en analys av den kurvatur som används inom Art Nouveau / Jugendstil och undersöker vidare byggnadskomposition,  fasader och ornament i de båda tidsperioderna. Studien försöker besvara följande frågor: Fins det några signifikanta former eller geometrier i  Art Nouveau / Jugendstil arkitekturen och hur skiljer dessa sig från dagens datorstödda arkitektur, Går det att på ett relevant sätt använda delar av  Art Nouveau / Jugendstil arkitekturen och dess diskurrs på ett idag relevant sätt.

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Et si l’architecture pouvait être vécue comme élément d’intercession orienté entre l’homme et son environnement ? Cette idée a été soutenue par un mouvement architectural cohérent, l’architecture organique, formant une tradition constructive alternative traversant tout le XXe siècle et repérable dans le monde entier. En considérant qu’une pratique architecturale adaptée favorise une relation apaisée entre l’homme et son environnement bâti ainsi qu’une reconnexion entre l’homme et son environnement naturel, l’organicisme peut véritablement être considéré comme une architecture environnementale. Cependant, en dépit de ce que nous pensions à l’origine, cette tradition architecturale ne se définit que difficilement par sa forme. Il faut plutôt en passer par la théorie architecturale pour voir émerger une vision commune à un ensemble de théoriciens ou d’architectes. Cette manière de pratiquer ou d’envisager l’architecture est lisible dans les idées de Kenneth Frampton ou de Christian Norberg-Schulz, dans les positionnements sur la question centrale de la fonction en architecture ou à travers la théorie de la pure visibilité et son corolaire, la connaissance corporelle. Bruno Zevi, entre autres, apporte également sa pierre à l’édifice théorique mais c’est Frank L. Wright qui est le grand bâtisseur de l’architecture organique au sens propre comme au figuré. Il n’en est cependant pas le seul pratiquant et les carrières d’autres architectes majeurs comme Eladio Dieste, Hassan Fathy, Gaudí, les époux Griffin, Hundertwasser, Alistair Samuel Knox, Rudolf Steiner ou Gustav Stickley notamment, peuvent être examinés avec intérêt sous l’angle de l’architecture environnementale. / What if architecture could be lived as an oriented element of intercession between human and his environment ? This idea was supported by a coherent architectural movement, organic architecture, forming an alternative building tradition through the entire 20th century and noticeable throughout the world. Considering that an appropriate architectural practice promote a peaceful relationship between man and his built environment and a reconnection between man and his natural environment, organicism can truly be considered as an environmental architecture. However, in spite of what we thought originally, this architectural tradition is not easy to define by its formal aspect. Rather, it is necessary to go through architectural theory to see the emergence of a common vision to a group of theorists and architects. This way of practising or considering architecture can appears in the ideas of Kenneth Frampton or Christian Norberg-Schulz, in the opinion on the key question of function in architecture, or through the theory of pure visibility and its corollary, physical knowledge. Bruno Zevi, among others, also contributes to the theoretical edifice but it is Frank L. Wright who is the great builder of organic architecture both literally and figuratively. However, he is not the only proponent of this type of architecture and the careers of other major architects such as Eladio Dieste, Hassan Fathy, Antoni Gaudí, the Griffin’s, Friedensreich Hundertwasser, Alistair Samuel Knox, Rudolf Steiner or Gustav Stickley, especially, can be analyzed with interest from the perspective of environmental architecture.

The diploma thesis deals with the design of a sustainable urban structure of the 21st century based on a medieval town in Náměšť nad Oslavou in the Vysočina region. It is a relatively large location defined by a zoning plan for the future development of the town. The area is specific because it is located entirely on the northern slope and is directly adjacent to the railway track, which is a physical as well as noise barrier for potential construction. The aim of the thesis is to design a solution that uses the potential of the place, offers a modern and economical way of living and creates appropriate public spaces based on medieval towns. The intention is to connect the new location with the existing structure of the town and thus prevent it from becoming the city periphery.

This master's thesis deals with the construction of a new sports center in Brno region Za Lužánkami. The project comprehensively addresses the urban links, roads, parking and leisure facilities in a given area. At the area of a new sports facilities, which creates a field Za Lužánkama highly integrated sports and relaxation center, in direct relation to the park Lužánky. The thesis further elaborates on the level of architectural study of a newly created structures - Multifunctional hockey arena.

The diploma thesis was preceded by a specialized atelier focusing on the urban – architectural design of the area of „Vsetín – Ohrada“. During this project, I was mainly focusing on the analysis of the area and the basic design. The project focuses on the area in the southern part of Vsetín. Its borders are formed by Vsetínská Bečva from the northwest side, the 1st class expressway from the northeast side and the waterworks building from the south. The main goal of the project is to attract more visitors to the quiet nature oriented area, who will be provided with a large number of outdoor and indoor activities that can be done in the area. The area is separated by a bridge and an industrial zone from the outskirts of the city and thus lacks a connection to urban development. The project is therefore designed as a separate urban unit, reflecting the natural aspects of the whole area. The advantage of the place is the previously mentioned river Bečva flowing directly through the area and a bike path lining the right bank of this river. Buildings with added soil to create slopes with hangout areas form, among other things, a noise and aesthetic barrier from the city, turning attention to the river and nature. The grass-covered slopes will be made of soil obtained from the current slopes of soil under the auditorium around the spartakiad stadium as well as the excavation work of the newly designed buildings. These slopes also visually unify the buildings, contribute to the organic and natural appearance of the entire design, create hangout areas for spectators and add back the grass areas that were taken away because of the construction of the buildings.