"Edge. a. The line of intersection of two surfaces. b. A rim or brink. c. The point at which something is likely to begin. d. The area or part away from the middle; an extremity. e. A dividing line; a border." Edges are linear elements that create boundaries between two entities and linear breaks in continuity: shores, railroad cuts, walls. They act as lateral references rather that coordinate axes. "Those edges seem strongest which are not only visually prominent but also continuous in form and impenetrable to cross movement. An edge may be more than simply a dominant barrier if some visual or motion penetration is allowed through it then it becomes a seam rather than a barrier, a line of exchange along which two areas are sewn together." In our built environment an edge is defined and made permanent by the presence of a wall just as a line defines an edge on paper. Walls are the physical as well as the metaphorical representation of an edge. This thesis will examine the edge at the urban-suburban threshold of a city and private-public threshold of a neighborhood. / Master of Architecture

The Project involves an architectural design for a facility located at the Tidal Basin on the Mall of the Washington District of Columbia. The Presidential Memorial Museum is a proposed facility to represent the presidential institution memorial and housing the exhibits of one of the most historical institutions in the country. The historical nature of the work represents the presidents of the United States, its artifacts, their collection exhibition and preservation of the objects and its meanings on the commemorated site of America's people. The work attempts towards the integration of architectural theories about museum buildings, site constraints, programming and purpose to represent America's Democracy. The building itself intends to contribute the encounter of a spacial and a democratic experience. The defined spaces and architectural geometry are organized around an urban-landscape framework with an architectural display. The Presidential Memorial Museum is developed with a method of design that involves a personal discernment in working with contemporary architectural design and programmatic concerns to create an expectation of the presidential future learning the historical background while making efforts to achieve the articulation and compatibility required by the immediate ambiance. / Master of Architecture

[ES] El fuerte de Santa Cruz está ubicado a más de 375 m, en el pico del Aïdour, en la montaña del Murdjajo. Es el símbolo de la ciudad de Orán, siendo el monumento histórico más visitado por los turistas como por los propios oraneses. Gracias a esta posición domina el paisaje urbano de la ciudad y por lo tanto su paisaje cultural. Su ubicación estratégica, le permite controlar la bahía de Orán por un lado y la de Mazalquivir por otro lado, unificando los dos presidios y controlando los accesos por mar o por tierra. Convirtiéndose de esta manera en la llave de la plaza de Orán durante la época española, lo que desencadenó una serie de proyectos para fortalecer su recinto y hacerlo inexpugnable. En manos del poder militar hasta los finales siglo XX, su recién patrimonialización le proporciona la clasificación como bien cultural nacional a nivel de Ministerio de Cultura. El sistema en su totalidad se ofrecerá para el registro en la lista de la UNESCO. Lo que nos incita a estudiar su evolución y entender su plástica actual a través de un trabajo de investigación dentro del marco del análisis histórico-arquitectónico. Esta tesis pretende analizar en base a los archivos históricos, la importancia del fuerte de Santa Cruz, su papel en el sistema defensivo español de la ciudad, y cómo evolucionó durante el periodo español: desde ser el talón de Aquiles de la plaza, para convertirse, a continuación, en su punto fuerte y un baluarte inexpugnable. Complementada con un análisis del sistema defensivo de Orán para contextualizar el papel de Santa Cruz. / [CA] El fort de Santa Cruz està situat a més de 375 m, en el pic del Aïdour, a la muntanya del Murdjajo. És el símbol de la ciutat d'Orà, sent el monument històric més visitat pels turistes com pels propis oraneses. Gràcies a esta posició domina el paisatge urbà de la ciutat i per tant el seu paisatge cultural. La seua ubicació estratègica, li permet controlar la badia d'Orà d'una banda i la de Mers-el-Kebir d'altra banda, unificant els dos presidis i controlant els accessos per mar o per terra. Convertint-se d'esta manera en la clau de la plaça d'Orà durant l'època espanyola, la qual cosa va desencadenar una sèrie de projectes per a enfortir el seu recinte i fer-ho inexpugnable. En mans del poder militar fins als finals segle XX, la seua recent patrimonialització li proporciona la classificació com a bé cultural nacional a nivell de Ministeri de Cultura. El sistema íntegrament s'oferirà per al registre en la llista de la UNESCO. El que ens incita a estudiar la seua evolució i entendre la seua plàstica actual a través d'un treball de recerca dins del marc de l'anàlisi històrica-arquitectònica. Esta tesi pretén analitzar sobre la base dels arxius històrics, la importància del fort de Santa Cruz, el seu paper en el sistema defensiu espanyol de la ciutat, i com va evolucionar durant el període espanyol: des de ser el taló d'Aquil·les de la plaça, per a convertir-se, a continuació, en punt fort i un baluard inexpugnable. Complementada amb una anàlisi del sistema defensiu d'Orà per a contextualitzar el paper de Santa Cruz. / [EN] Santa Cruz fort is located at more than 375 m above the sea, on the Aïdour peak, in the Murdjajo mountain. It is the symbol of the city of Oran, being the most visited historical monument by tourists as well as by the Oranese themselves. Thanks to this position, it dominates the urban landscaping of the city and therefore its cultural landscaping. Its strategic location allows it to control Oran Bay on one side and Mazalquivir Bay on the other, unifying the two presidios and controlling access by sea or land. Thus becoming the key of Oran during the Spanish era, leading to a series of projects to strengthen its enclosure and make it impregnable. In the hands of the military power until the end of the 20th century, its recent patrimonialization allowed its classification as a national cultural asset at the level of the Ministry of Culture. The entire system is offered for registration on the UNESCO list. What prompts us to study its evolution and current design through a research work within the framework of historical-architectural analysis. This thesis intends to analyze from the historical archives, the importance of the Santa Cruz fort, its role in the Spanish defensive system of the city, and how it evolved during the Spanish period: from being the Achilles heel of the place, to convert , then in its strong point and an impregnable bulwark. Complemented with an analysis of the defensive system of Oran to contextualize the role of Santa Cruz. / Metair, S. (2023). El Fuerte de Santa Cruz y el sistema defensivo español en Orán-Argelia [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/202291