The thesis is a detailed study of the changing middle class home in contemporary Sri Lanka. It examines whether and how the interaction of spatial boundaries and embodied meanings have changed as a consequence of current social change. Results suggests that the middle class home in Sri Lanka has transformed from a 'pre-open economy4 model and stabilised into a new a 'post-open economy model', after the free-trade regime was introduced in 1977. Quantitative analysis of forty house plans investigated through space - syntax and statistical tools suggested that configurations, thresholds, positions and vistas of space have been organised and controlled to create generic spatial patterns in two alternative models, corresponding to pre and post open economy periods. Qualitative analysis through accounts of home lives by women that the 'pre-open economy model' was first socially constructed during the British Colonial Period (BCP), which embodied behaviours of a strongly institutionalised home life. A 'lifestyle' constructed within Victorian ideals with a strong emphasis on power structures of the institution of the family was embodied in the spatial classification of the BCP home. Quantitative analysis also suggested that the 'pre-open economy' spatial classification has transformed and stabilised into an alternative model in recent years as a 'post-open economy' model. Published records in Sri Lanka suggests that indicators of social change that affect gender issues such as roles and position of women, decline in domestic services, transformation of family structures, merging of conjugal roles and distancing from the neighbourhood as a community, are global phenomena, known to change during urbanisation in other contexts, for example during industrialisation and in the post-war periods in the UK society. Interestingly, such global phenomena have acquired spatial forms, which are conditional to the socio-historical structures in which the Sri Lankan middle class evolved. Qualitative analysis of accounts of home lives by women living from the post-open economy period revealed a 'user oriented lifestyle' and social boundaries between categories of users such as the family, visitor and outsiders have acquired novel forms of inclusion and exclusion. Thus, the synthesis of quantitative analysis and qualitative analysis suggest that changing spatial organisation relates to new forms of social solidarity seen to be consequential to larger social changes effected by the open-economy.

Numerous hydrodynamic theories may be used to predict the performance of marine propellers. The goal of this thesis is to investigate and implement a lifting line theory as a program written in FORTRAN and to test its capabilities on some Wageningen B-Series propellers. Special attention is given to the validation of the routines involved in the implementation of the theory. Difficulties were experienced in obtaining results that accurately reflect the published experimental results, and some discussion is included regarding possibilities for the sources of these errors. Also discussed are the results of other lifting line codes and their respective differences from the current implementation.

O foco deste trabalho é a relação entre teoria e prática na trajetória profissional do arquiteto paulista Zenon Lotufo (1911-1985) destacando fatos marcantes que pontuaram um quadro evolutivo pessoal inserido em determinado contexto histórico. Período este onde a arquitetura moderna brasileira despontou e se consolidou. Fatos como sua formação acadêmica no curso de Engenheiro-Arquiteto na Escola Politécnica de São Paulo (33-36) e a influência didática de Luis Anhaia Mello dão origem a esse itinerário. Os contatos com a chamada escola carioca através de trabalhos realizados com  Abelardo de Souza e Hélio Duarte (46-48) e com Oscar Niemeyer  no projeto para o Parque do Ibirapuera (51-54) complementam seu repertório moderno. Por sua vez, sua experiência como professor da então recém fundada Faculdade de Arquitetura e Urbanismo (48) culmina com o polêmico Concurso de Cátedra (57). E finalmente, este percurso se encerra numa fase de produção madura (58-77), apoiada nas características do chamado brutalismo paulista. / The focus of this work is the relationship between theory and practice in the professional career of the architect Zenon Lotufo (1911-1985) pointing out remarkable facts that determined a personal evolving picture in a certain historical context. A period when the Brazilian modern architecture began to appear and consolidated . Facts as his academic formation in the Engineer-Architect course at the Escola Politécnica de São Paulo (33-36) and the influence of Professor Luis Anhaia Mello give origin to this itinerary. The contacts with Abelardo de Souza and Hélio Duarte (46-48) and with Oscar Niemeyer  in the project of the Ibirapuera Park (51-54) complement his modern repertory. His experience as a professor at the new founded Faculty of Archictecture and Urbanism (48) culminates with the polemic Chair Exam (57). And finally this route closes down in a mature production phase (58-77), based on the characteristics of the so called paulista brutalism\".

O foco deste trabalho é a relação entre teoria e prática na trajetória profissional do arquiteto paulista Zenon Lotufo (1911-1985) destacando fatos marcantes que pontuaram um quadro evolutivo pessoal inserido em determinado contexto histórico. Período este onde a arquitetura moderna brasileira despontou e se consolidou. Fatos como sua formação acadêmica no curso de Engenheiro-Arquiteto na Escola Politécnica de São Paulo (33-36) e a influência didática de Luis Anhaia Mello dão origem a esse itinerário. Os contatos com a chamada escola carioca através de trabalhos realizados com  Abelardo de Souza e Hélio Duarte (46-48) e com Oscar Niemeyer  no projeto para o Parque do Ibirapuera (51-54) complementam seu repertório moderno. Por sua vez, sua experiência como professor da então recém fundada Faculdade de Arquitetura e Urbanismo (48) culmina com o polêmico Concurso de Cátedra (57). E finalmente, este percurso se encerra numa fase de produção madura (58-77), apoiada nas características do chamado brutalismo paulista. / The focus of this work is the relationship between theory and practice in the professional career of the architect Zenon Lotufo (1911-1985) pointing out remarkable facts that determined a personal evolving picture in a certain historical context. A period when the Brazilian modern architecture began to appear and consolidated . Facts as his academic formation in the Engineer-Architect course at the Escola Politécnica de São Paulo (33-36) and the influence of Professor Luis Anhaia Mello give origin to this itinerary. The contacts with Abelardo de Souza and Hélio Duarte (46-48) and with Oscar Niemeyer  in the project of the Ibirapuera Park (51-54) complement his modern repertory. His experience as a professor at the new founded Faculty of Archictecture and Urbanism (48) culminates with the polemic Chair Exam (57). And finally this route closes down in a mature production phase (58-77), based on the characteristics of the so called paulista brutalism\".

Esta pesquisa aborda a produção teórica e prática do escritório de arquitetura holandês MVRDV a partir do seu surgimento nos anos 1990, evidenciando as relações entre investigação projetual, processo de projeto e habitação, e a produção de novas espacialidades resultantes desses diálogos. O MVRDV é conhecido por seu método de trabalho, que desenvolve estudos e projetos experimentais, quantitativos e diagramáticos realizados em software combinados à extensa pesquisa, coleta e interpretação de dados do contexto para desenvolver as soluções projetuais. A proposta desta dissertação é analisar a produção da habitação contemporânea a partir dos modos atuais de fazer arquitetura, baseados em pesquisas, dados e tecnologias digitais e trazer para discussão os aspectos inovadores que o MVRDV traz ao processo de projeto e às espacialidades em habitação. O reconhecimento da pesquisa como prática propicia o desenvolvimento de um cenário que fortalece a teoria de arquitetura e expande o campo de atuação da arquitetura e urbanismo. Enquanto o panorama de trabalho do MVRDV se desenrola é possível visualizar também o contexto das principais questões que emergem na disciplina arquitetônica na atualidade. / This research addresses the theoretical and practical production of Dutch architecture firm MVRDV since its emergence in the 1990s, showing the relationship between research, design process and the production of new spatiality resulting from such dialogues. MVRDV, which is known for its work methodology, conducts studies and experimental, quantitative and diagrammatic projects implemented through software combined with extensive research, collection and the interpretation of data to develop design solutions. The purpose of this dissertation is to analyze the production of contemporary housing from the current ways of doing architecture, based on research, data and digital technologies and bring to discussion the innovations MVRDV introduces to the design process and housing spatiality. The recognition of research as practice enables the development of a scenario that strengthens the theory of architecture and expands the field of architecture and urbanism. While MVRDV\'s work panorama is developed it is also possible to view the context of the main issues that emerge in the current architectural discipline.

This study is a critical reconsideration of architecture&rsquo / s affiliation with mathematics and geometry both as practical instrument and theoretical reference. The thesis claims that mathematics and its methodological structure provided architects with an ultimate foundation and a strong reference outside architecture itself ever since the initial formations of architectural discourse. However, the definitive assumptions and epistemological consequences of this grounding in mathematical clarity, methodological certainty and instrumental precision gain a new insight with the introduction of digital technologies. Since digital technologies offer a new formation for this affiliation either with their claim of a better geometric representation or mathematical controllability of physical reality (space), the specific focus on these newly emerging technologies will be developed within a theoretical frame presenting the significant points of mathematics in architecture.

Esta pesquisa aborda a produção teórica e prática do escritório de arquitetura holandês MVRDV a partir do seu surgimento nos anos 1990, evidenciando as relações entre investigação projetual, processo de projeto e habitação, e a produção de novas espacialidades resultantes desses diálogos. O MVRDV é conhecido por seu método de trabalho, que desenvolve estudos e projetos experimentais, quantitativos e diagramáticos realizados em software combinados à extensa pesquisa, coleta e interpretação de dados do contexto para desenvolver as soluções projetuais. A proposta desta dissertação é analisar a produção da habitação contemporânea a partir dos modos atuais de fazer arquitetura, baseados em pesquisas, dados e tecnologias digitais e trazer para discussão os aspectos inovadores que o MVRDV traz ao processo de projeto e às espacialidades em habitação. O reconhecimento da pesquisa como prática propicia o desenvolvimento de um cenário que fortalece a teoria de arquitetura e expande o campo de atuação da arquitetura e urbanismo. Enquanto o panorama de trabalho do MVRDV se desenrola é possível visualizar também o contexto das principais questões que emergem na disciplina arquitetônica na atualidade. / This research addresses the theoretical and practical production of Dutch architecture firm MVRDV since its emergence in the 1990s, showing the relationship between research, design process and the production of new spatiality resulting from such dialogues. MVRDV, which is known for its work methodology, conducts studies and experimental, quantitative and diagrammatic projects implemented through software combined with extensive research, collection and the interpretation of data to develop design solutions. The purpose of this dissertation is to analyze the production of contemporary housing from the current ways of doing architecture, based on research, data and digital technologies and bring to discussion the innovations MVRDV introduces to the design process and housing spatiality. The recognition of research as practice enables the development of a scenario that strengthens the theory of architecture and expands the field of architecture and urbanism. While MVRDV\'s work panorama is developed it is also possible to view the context of the main issues that emerge in the current architectural discipline.

Cherchant à répondre aux questions :1- Une définition unifiée de la qualité architecturale peut-elle encore exister ou doit-elle être modulée en fonction des programmes et des observateurs ?2.La qualité architecturale est-elle intemporelle ou varie-t-elle dans le temps, en fonction de valeurs de références ?3.La décomposition de la qualité architecturale en un corpus d’indicateurs permettant d’étayer le jugement permet-il de réduire voire de supprimer la « boîte noire » de la qualité, en particulier de sa valeur d’art habituellement réservée aux initiés ?Ma thèse sur travaux s'appuie sur mes trois livres publiés antérieurement ("Jean Ginsberg", "L'Habitat des personnes âgées" et "Qualité architecturale et innovation") et sur mon expérience d'enseignant et de constructeur pour explorer la pertinence des approches qualitatives en interrogeant aussi l’actualité du triptyque vitruvien, les théories anciennes, les doctrines et pratiques contemporaines / Seeking to answer the questions:1- A unified definition of architectural quality can it still exist or should it be modulated according programs and observers?2.Is architectural quality timeless or does it vary over time, depending on reference values?3.Does the decomposition of architectural quality in a set of indicators to substantiate the judgment allows to reduce or even eliminate the "black box" of quality, especially its art value usually reserved for specialists ?My thesis is based on my previously published three books ( "Jean Ginsberg", "The Habitat of the elderly" and "Architectural quality and innovation") and my teaching experience and builder to explore the relevance of qualitative approaches also exploring lhe actuality of Vitruvian triptych, old theories, contemporary doctrines and practices

L'étude examine les rapports entre théorie de l'architecture et réflexions sur l'art à la fin de l'âge classique. À travers l'analyse du discours sur l'architecture, en considérant l'architecte comme un auteur, la recherche envisage la question de l'expressivité de l'objet architectural. Elle porte sur l'esthétique des architectes, en tant que théorie de la sensation du beau. Deux mots sont ainsi étudiés dans leur discours : caractère et type. Deux concepts qui résument à eux seuls deux théories de l'art antagonistes, car ils renvoient à deux visions du monde distinctes : celui de Blondel, Boullée et Ledoux, qui se tient au plus près de la nature, et celui de Quatremère de Quincy, qui est déjà rentré dans l'Histoire. L'enquête s'arrête sur son rôle déterminant dans le paysage artistique de la France du 19ème siècle, et sur son application à y introduire une théorie de l'art idéaliste empruntée à la critique d'art allemande et écossaise. En forgeant le concept de type, Quatremère de Quincy a contribué à renverser durablement les valeurs des architectes, jusqu'au 20ème siècle, en imposant une conception universaliste et abstraite contre une appréhension empirique de la réalité, une représentation de l'imagination contre une réflexion par l'entendement discursif, une imitation idéale contre l'antique principe d'imitation de la nature. Le concept de type idéal a été forgé à l'appui des écrits des philosophes, des naturalistes et des philologues, qui eurent de tout temps une forte influence sur les théories artistiques. Aussi, l'étude se propose d'inscrire le discours de l'architecte dans un champ épistémologique plus général pour confronter sa parole à celles de ces savants et penseurs. À travers l'analyse comparée des notions d'imitation, de jugement de goût et de style, thèmes centraux des théories sur l'architecture, l'étude questionne la place de l'histoire dans le processus conceptuel, ainsi que le rôle de la mémoire et de l'habitude au moment de la réception de l'œuvre / The study examines the relationships between theory of architecture and reflections on art at the end of the classic age. Through the analysis of the discourse on architecture, by considering the architect as an author, the research treats the question of expressiveness of the architectural object. It focuses on the aesthetic of architects, as a theory of sensation of beauty. Two words are studied in their discourse: character and type. Two concepts that summarize two theories of art antagonists, because they refer to two different visions of the world: that of Blondel, Boullée and Ledoux, which is closer to nature, and that of Quatremère de Quincy, which is already go into history. The survey stops on his determining role in the artistic landscape of 19th century in France, and its application to introduce a theory of idealistic art borrowed from German and Scottish art critic. By forging the concept of type, Quatremère de Quincy contributed to revaluate durably the values of architects, until the 20th century, by imposing a universalist and abstract design against an empirical understanding of reality, a representation of the imagination against a reflection based on discursive understanding, an ideal imitation against the classic art principle of imitation of nature. The concept of ideal type was forged on contact with the writings of philosophers, naturalists and philologists, who always had a strong influence on the artistic theories. Also, the study proposes to include the discourse of the architect in a more general epistemological field to confront his voice to those of these scientists and thinkers. Through the comparative analysis of the concepts of imitation, judgment of taste and style, central themes of theories on architecture, the study questions the place of history in the design process, as well as the role of memory and habit at the time of reception of the work by the public

Enquanto na dita Idade Média se erguiam igrejas com planta predominantemente em cruz latina, a partir do chamado Renascimento se encontram nos principais tratados, como os de Leon Battista Alberti (1452) e Sebastiano Serlio (Livro V, 1547), o elogio à perfeição das plantas circulares. Tem sido consenso na historiografia que a censura à construção das igrejas centralizadas e o retorno às formas basilicais foi defendido pelo Concílio de Trento, que teria traçado diretrizes que orientariam o projeto para a matriz romana dos jesuítas, a igreja de Il Gesù (1568). Este trabalho, tendo por objeto a análise do conjunto de igrejas e oratórios construídos em planta longitudinal em Roma, após o Grande Saque de 1527 e nas décadas que antecederam o projeto de Vignola para a casa-mãe jesuíta, se propõe a atenuar tal mito e a demarcar as noções e os princípios que nortearam a construção de tais edifícios sagrados. / While in Middle Ages churches were conceived predominantly in a latin cross plan, the Renaissance brought treaties, such as the one from Leon Battista Alberti (1452) and the other from Sebatiano Serlio (book V, 1547), which praise the perfection of circular plan. It has been consensus in historiography that the return to basilical forms, as advocated by the Council of Trent, is inaugurated with the construction of Il Gesù (1568). This essay, which aims to analyze the set of Roman churches and oratories built in longitudinal plan after de Sack of Rome in 1527 and in the decades that preceded Vignola\'s project to the Jesuit House Church, proposes to mitigate such myth and to investigate the notions and principles that guided the construction of such worship buildings.