Dr. Gabri Van Tussenbroek

Biography

Gabri van Tussenbroek is a professor of Urban Identity and Monuments, particularly focusing on Dutch architectural history, at the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Amsterdam. His chair is established in collaboration with the Dutch Cultural Heritage Agency. Van Tussenbroek explores what portions of the historical city should be preserved and transformed to contribute to a balanced growth of the city, making it appealing for residents, entrepreneurs, and visitors. He researches the material manifestations of past constructions as expressions of demographic developments, ambition, economic cycles, disasters, technical innovations, and wear. The identity of this built past remains dynamic for users, residents, administrators, and visitors, especially in an era of increasing urbanization, advancements in construction techniques, rationalization, and globalization. The heritage sector holds a significant role in valuing the quality of the built historical environment with objective and transparent criteria. Since 2022, Van Tussenbroek has been a senior building historian at the Dutch Cultural Heritage Agency, and prior to that, he spent seventeen years as an urban building historian at the municipality of Amsterdam. Between 2011 and 2015, he served as a part-time lecturer in the Master’s program in History of Art at Utrecht University, focusing on Architectural History and Conservation. Van Tussenbroek has also been associated with the Technical University of Berlin as a postdoctoral researcher, where he conducted research on the Berlin Wall.

Research Interests

Experience