"Common Spaces 2 - Identity" a ‘Dessauer Gespräch’ with Marika Schmidt

Copyright

© Dessauer Gespräche

Marika Schmidt studied architecture at the Technical University of Berlin and at the Berlin University of the Arts from 1997 to 2004, worked as a design and project architect for ROBERTNEUN, David Chipperfield Architects and Kuehn Malvezzi in Berlin from 2005 to 2008 and in between spent half a year as a guest for Office of Ryue Nishizawa in Tokyo, taught as a research assistant at 2007-2014 at the Carolo-Wilhelmina Technical University of Braunschweig, from 2014-2016 at the Technical University of Berlin and in 2019-2020 represented the professorship for design at the Bochum University of Applied Sciences.  

In 2010, Marika Schmidt founded mrschmidt Architekten in Berlin.

The lecture will be held in German and translated into English. 
It starts at 6.30 p.m. in the lecture hall of building 08, Dessau.

Date: November 12th, 2025. 
Time: 6.30 p.m. 
Place: Lecture Hall of Building 08.

Further events in Winter Semester 2025:

November 19th: Elisabeth Terrisse de Botton und Matthieu Brasebin,
Brussels.

November 26th: Wiebke Ahues, LXSY Architektur Berlin.

December 3rd: Markus Schmidt, inaugural lecture professorship for Building Material Technology and Sustainable Building Materials.

December 10th: Stefan Rettich. KARO* architekten Leipzig Hamburg.

December 17th: Catharina Förster, inaugural lecture professorship
for Interior planning and design.

January 14th: Marta Toscano, Studio Malta Stuttgart Berlin.

January 21st: Ulrike Dix, AFF Architekten Berlin.

Dean´s Office

We received some questions about the location of the Dean'Office especially with reagard of handing in your applications for Blue keys.

Until next week Tuesday, the Deans' Office is located in Building 6, 2nd floor, room 205.

From Wednesday next week they will move back to Building 8, room 172.

Best regards

Heike

"RETROCATIVE RESILIENCE" a ‘Dessauer Gespräch’ with Matthias Hoffmann

Copyright

© Dessauer Gespräche

“The Cologne office DEMO WORKING GROUP is loudly drumming up support for a positive rethink when building the future.”

Tim Panzer, Matthias Hoffmann and Thorsten Pofahl founded the DEMO WORKING GROUP in 2019 together with Wiebke Schlüter (no longer a permanent member since 2023).

“We are looking for new strategies to help shape the restructuring of the future.” The office's focus is on the potential of existing buildings. For them, it’s a belief and a business model at the same time. Because: “It will no longer be the way it was - and it shouldn’t be.” In times of rising costs, a lack of living space and dwindling resources, the group would like to offer a counter-model to established solutions. “So much is changing, we can now think and plan in a completely new way, which also offers an immense opportunity.”

*from 'Optimism and Radicality' by Stefan Kreitewolf, published in Deutsches Architektenblatt 03.2024.

The lecture will be held in German and translated into English. 
It starts at 6.30 p.m. in the lecture hall of building 08, Dessau.

Date: November 5th, 2025. 
Time: 6.30 p.m. 
Place: Lecture Hall of Building 08.

Further events in Winter Semester 2025:

November 12th: Marika Schmidt, mrschmidt architekten Berlin.

November 19th: Elisabeth Terrisse de Botton und Matthieu Brasebin, Brussels.

November 26th: Wiebke Ahues, LXSY Architektur Berlin.

December 3rd: Markus Schmidt, inaugural lecture professorship for Building Material Technology and Sustainable Building Materials.

December 10th: Stefan Rettich. KARO* architekten Leipzig Hamburg.

December 17th: Catharina Förster, inaugural lecture professorship for Interior planning and design.

January 14th: Marta Toscano, Studio Malta Stuttgart Berlin.

January 21st: Ulrike Dix, AFF Architekten Berlin.

‘Dessauer Gespräche regional’ with Christian Däschler + exhibition opening "Holzwege"

Copyright

© Dessauer Gespräche

From October 29th to November 25th, 2025, the traveling exhibition „WOOD PATHS (Holzwege) - Sustainable timber construction in Central Germany“ can be seen at the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences in Dessau-Roßlau. The focus is on building with wood: 38 selected projects from Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia are shown: from residential construction to educational and cultural buildings, as well as commercial buildings.

As part of the event series 'Dessauer Gespräche regional', the Saxony-Anhalt Chamber of Architects invites you to the vernissage on October 29th. Marius Zwigart from the HTWK Leipzig, FLEX research group, presents current developments and research approaches to timber construction in Central Germany. The contributions are supplemented by practical examples from Saxony-Anhalt, including works by däschler architekten und ingenieure gmbh, from Halle (Saale).

The exhibition is a joint project of the Chambers of Architects of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia, led by the Chamber of Architects of Saxony and part of the 'State Initiative for Architecture and Building Culture in Saxony-Anhalt'. The 'Dessauer Gespräche regional' are organized by the Saxony-Anhalt Chamber of Architects in collaboration with the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Department 3, Architecture, Facility Management, and Geoinformation.

The lecture will be held in German and translated into English. 
It starts at 6.30 p.m. in the lecture hall of building 08, Dessau.

Date: October 29th, 2025. 
Time: 6.30 p.m. 
Place: Lecture Hall of Building 08.

Further events in Winter Semester 2025:

November 5th: Matthias Hoffmann, DEMO WORKING GROUP, Cologne.

November 12th: Marika Schmidt, mrschmidt architekten Berlin.

November 19th: Elisabeth Terrisse de Botton und Matthieu Brasebin, Brussels.

November 26th: Kim Le Roux, Margit Sichrovsky and Wiebke Ahues, LXSY Architektur Berlin.

December 3rd: Markus Schmidt, inaugural lecture professorship for Building Material Technology and Sustainable Building Materials.

December 10th: Stefan Rettich. KARO* architekten Leipzig Hamburg.

December 17th: Catharina Förster, inaugural lecture professorship for Interior planning and design.

January 14th: Marta Toscano, Studio Malta Stuttgart Berlin.

January 21st: Ulrike Dix, AFF Architekten Berlin.

EVENT- City workshop on construction change: Conversion instead of demolition

Copyright

© Baustelle Gemeinwohl

Three locations, one challenge: how can the construction revolution succeed at the local level?

Several large-scale construction projects in the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district are currently raising key questions:  

• How can we continue to use existing buildings? 
• What factors make renovation and conversion possible? 
• And how can we design development processes in such a way that they serve the common good? 

Date: Tuesday, October 21st. 
Time: 17:30-21:30 
Place: StadtWERKSTATT-FK auf dem Dragonerareal/Rathausblock - Obentrautstr. 19-21, 10963 Berlin-Kreuzberg

In the urban workshop ‘Conversion instead of demolition’, we focus on three current location projects in the district: Hafenplatz, SEZ, and Baerwaldbad. The aim is to take the processes a concrete step further in each case: towards socially acceptable development, ecologically responsible renovation of existing buildings, and cooperative planning. 

Objectives of the event: 

• Understanding the status of the processes at all three project locations; 
• Mobilising stakeholders for cooperation; 
• Establishing networks between stakeholders with overlapping agendas and common fields of activity; 
• Enabling cooperation between civil society, administration, and politics; 

People from the vicinity of the projects, from civil society, administration, planning, politics, research, and project development are invited – anyone who would like to provide impetus for a new building culture is welcome. 

In three moderated working groups on the respective projects, we will jointly develop approaches for action, discuss current obstacles, and join forces for the next steps. The Stadtwerkstatt creates space for exchange, networking, and cooperation – directly at the specific project locations. 

You may find more information and register here: https://www.baustelle-gemeinwohl.de/veranstaltung/stadtwerkstatt-umbau-statt-abriss/ 

You may find the PDF with further information (in German) here: https://www.baustelle-gemeinwohl.de/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20251015-stadtwerkstatt-umbaustattabriss-programmentwurf-01.pdf

Update 6 of the schedule is available

Dear all,

please pay attention to our newest update of the schedule.

It relates to the Monday lecture in CADlogic of Elaine Bonavia.

Best regards

Heike

“The Pleasure of Architecture” a ‘Dessauer Gespräch’ with Sophia Tang und Hans-Christian Buhl

Copyright

© Dessauer Gespräche

“sophie & hans is a Berlin-based design and architecture studio dedicated to creating meaningful objects, spaces, and atmospheres across all scales and functions.

Our work ranges from benches in the Canadian forest, a social work pavilion embedded in the urban fabric, to a community building in the Bavarian Alps that reimagines communal living for an aging society.

We believe architecture shapes the way people connect, interact, and experience the world. We work closely with communities, clients, and collaborators to create impactful public spaces that foster connection and enrich everyday life. 

We approach each project with an open mind, allowing the unique context and needs to guide the design rather than adhering to a fixed style. 

Inspired by craft, material, and machines, we aim to produce refreshing works that embody new tools with old techniques while aspiring to create spaces that make the physical world around us better for everyone.

Founded in 2019 by Sophia Tang and Hans-Christian Buhl, the studio is driven by a shared motivation and commitment to design soulful and impactful places, especially for public life.”

www.sophieandhans.eu 

The lecture will be held in German and translated into English.  
It starts at 6.30 p.m. in the lecture hall of building 08, Dessau. 

Date: October 22nd, 2025. 
Time: 6.30 p.m. 
Place: Lecture Hall of Building 08. 

Further events in Winter Semester 2025:

October 29th: Dessauer Gespräche regional + opening of the exhibition 'Holzwege' with the Chamber of Architects. 

November 5th: Matthias Hoffmann, DEMO WORKING GROUP, Cologne. 

November 12th: Marika Schmidt, mrschmidt architekten Berlin. 

November 19th: Elisabeth Terrisse de Botton und Matthieu Brasebin, Brussels. 

November 26th: Kim Le Roux, Margit Sichrovsky and Wiebke Ahues, LXSY Architektur Berlin. 

December 3rd: Markus Schmidt, inaugural lecture professorship for Building Material Technology and Sustainable Building Materials. 

December 10th: Stefan Rettich. KARO* architekten Leipzig Hamburg. 

December 17th: Catharina Förster, inaugural lecture professorship for Interior planning and design. 

January 14th: Marta Toscano, Studio Malta Stuttgart Berlin.

January 21st: Ulrike Dix, AFF Architekten Berlin.

TODAY: “How do I become an architect and can I call myself one?”

In today's lecture, Prof. Ralf Niebergall will explain why in Germany (and many other countries), “architect” is a protected professional title that is subject to certain requirements and bureaucratic procedures, and how to navigate them.

He will shed some light on the process, point out differences, and explain what you need to pay attention to so that, despite your studies, you don't one day find yourself being told: “Sorry, but you're not an architect!”. 

Until autumn, Prof. Ralf Niebergall was Vice-President of the Federal Chamber of Architects for Europe and International Affairs and Head of the German delegation to the Architects Council of Europe. He is an expert on the subject in Germany, the European states, and, to some extent, beyond. 

You are all welcome to join! The conference will be in English.

DATE: TODAY, October 15th, 2025. 
TIME: 18:30 (6:30 pm) 
PLACE: Auditorium of Building 8 (AudiMax).

Lecture: "How do I become an architect and can I call myself one?" with Prof. Ralf Niebergall

Copyright

© DIA

How do I become an architect, and can I call myself one?

In Germany and many other countries, „architect“ is a protected professional title that is subject to certain requirements. 
Qualification as an architect often also requires membership in a professional chamber or association. The requirements and bureaucratic procedures are a thicket that is often difficult to navigate. 

Until autumn, Prof. Ralf Niebergall was Vice-President of the Federal Chamber of Architects for Europe and International Affairs and Head of the German delegation to the Architects Council of Europe. He is an expert on the subject in Germany, the European states, and, to some extent, beyond. 

In this lecture, he will shed some light on the process, point out differences, and explain what you need to pay attention to so that, despite your studies, you don't one day find yourself being told: „Sorry, but you're not an architect!“

You are all welcome to join!  The conference will be in English.
DATE: Wednesday, October 15th, 2025.
TIME: 18:30 (6:30 pm.)
PLACE: Auditorium of Building 8 (AudiMax).

Update 4 for your schedule is available

Dear All, we had some changes in rooms for the Friday classes. 

Please check the new schedule, evailable now.

Best regards

Heike

CADLogic Lists (version 2) are online

The final version of the CADLogic lists is already online. You may find it in the “Files&Links” Section.

We're working on the Elective lists and will publish them tomorrow.

Update of the schedule available

for information please always take the last updated version.

Best regards

Heike

CADLogic Lists (version 1) are online

The first version of the CADLogic lists is already online. You may find it in the „Files&Links“ Section.

Please remember that Prof. Schlecht's class begins today at 16:30 in room 106 of Building 15.

We'll publish the final CAD lists soon.

We're also working on the Elective lists and will publish them as soon as possible.

Book Presentation - "Die Mitte in Dessau"

Copyright

© Mitte

For the closure of the ZiZ Project, the young city makers at Hochschule Anhalt are launching a book compiling the results and field notes of their 2-year long research.

You are all invited to join the event.

Date: Thursday, October 10th, 2025
Place: Mitte (Ferdinand-Von-Schill Str. 3, Dessau)
Time: 6:00 pm.

Links to Electives and CAD

Here are the links to Electives and CADLogic. Please take into account that they will open at 8:05 am

ELECTIVES: https://forms.gle/Ey6xWMSgoxUNHzJB9

CADLogic: https://forms.gle/vCjZSx6izPZN3m2S6

Visit the Workspaces

To make an informed decision about your Elective and CADLogic classes, make sure that you pay a visit to the Workspaces that your teachers have created, and, once the lists have been published, also join them.

Here are some of the CAD and Elective Workspaces:

• Plantation mutations: https://dia.incom.org/workspace/305
• Emancipatory living practices & feminist neighbourhoods: https://dia.incom.org/workspace/268
• Cosmically eccentric: https://dia.incom.org/workspace/264
• Architecture, Heritage & Power: https://dia.incom.org/workspace/272
• The Folly and the image of Arcadia: https://dia.incom.org/workspace/277
• „Hello“ - The Second Life of Public Infrastructures: https://dia.incom.org/workspace/285
• 2008 TEMPELHOFER FELD- initiation to landscape design for urban and architecture students: https://dia.incom.org/workspace/309 
• BUILDINGS, LANDSCAPES, GARDENS: https://dia.incom.org/workspace/282
• From Rhino Basics to Grasshopper Scripting: https://dia.incom.org/workspace/297
• Architectural Hallucinations: Do GPTs Hallucinate Neural Wool?: https://dia.incom.org/workspace/287
• I Now Pronounce You DIN & BIM: https://dia.incom.org/workspace/289
• SPATIAL DRAWING (Group I): https://dia.incom.org/workspace/294
• SPATIAL DRAWING (Group II): https://dia.incom.org/workspace/295

Selection Process will take place on Wednesday at 8:00 am

Dear all,

We're sorry to inform that, due to technical difficulties, we are forced to move the selection process for Electives and CADLogic to tomorrow at 8:00 am.

We're very sorry for the inconvenience, and we thank you for your patience.

Best,

Your DIA Team

1st-Year Studio Lists - Now available!

The lists for the 3rd semester Studios are now available on Incom.

You can find them here: https://dia.incom.org/action/open-file/6202

Links to Electives and CAD will be published at 8:00 pm

Dear all,

We're finishing the Studio lists, and they will be published soon.

In order for you to check the lists and have time to check which electives and CAD you may take, and also for us to finish the preparation of the elective and CAD selection (and to guarantee a smooth process), we'll be publishing the links at 8:00 pm.

Thank you for your patience,
Your DIA Team 

New CADLogic Video

On our Vimeo channel, you may find a new CADLogic video: https://vimeo.com/1125159517 

Remember to check out the compendium, the schedule and the videos to make an informed decision about your courses.