Introduction / mission

AHT explores architectural history, theory, philosophy, and heritage studies, reflecting the interplay between these disciplines and their relation to architectural and urban design.

Highlighted phrase

Adding depth to technical, architectonic and urban development through history and theory

Organisational profile

Architectural History and Theory reflects on design artifacts, designs and design practices within the framework of specified cultural and societal themes. Key areas of research are architectural history including heritage studies, architectural theory, philosophy of design and architectural criticism. Historians and theorists focus on architecture as a basic act of culture by mobilizing relevant theoretical concepts that may inspire the production of architecture.

In terms of concrete products the staff of AHT is devoted to studies into, f.e., biographies of leading personalities or trends within the architectural culture, the representation of architecture in museum policies, value assessments of buildings and ensembles on various scale levels including also international practices of heritage policy, and the intellectual and ethical fundamentals of the design practice. These studies are all meant to celebrate the value of architecture as a rooted cultural practice within society, while recognizing that the transformations architecture has to accommodate nowadays not necessarily secure its position.

AHT has been accommodated within the AUDE Living Cities research program and supports other chairs of the AUDE unit through analysis and critique as well as autonomous research, seeking a discursive approach to design through a process of reflection. A critical and autonomous role for research is encouraged while the chair aspires to involve itself in public debate, pursuing both fundamental scholarship and societal valorization. Research is conducted within academic circuits, public venues are a fitting podium for its valorization. For this reason, architectural criticism is seen as one of the core activities of the chair. AHT contributes to curricular courses as well as to seminars and design studios.

The UNESCO Chair on Sustainability and Heritage in Advanced Research and Education. (SHARE) will be added to AHT. SHARE focuses on the dual relation between heritage and sustainability in historic urban landscapes. It envisions a world in which people manage their heritage and other resources sustainably, and in which all sectors of society, current and future generations, can enjoy the social, economic, environmental and cultural benefits of such valuable resources.

Apart from Unesco, the work of AHT is embedded in a variety of partnerships, with domestic and international universities, municipalities such as Amsterdam, local and national architecture centers and collaboration platforms for distinguished academic and professional journals.