Advent Market in VorOrt

Copyright

© VorOrt

This Saturday, December 6th, VorOrt will hold its annual Advent Market at VorOrt Haus! 

The Advent Market is a great opportunity to find unique pieces of art, design, and handmade goods for yourself or as Christmas presents, while supporting local artists and designers. 

There will also be music, food, and drinks.

🗓 6th December

📍 VorOrt Haus, Wolfgangstr. 13, Dessau

🕐 13:00 – 18:00

TOMORROW: Guest lecture with Giuseppe Dotto - BIM and Design Technology Manager at OMA

Copyright

© OMA

At this conference, you can discover how a top international architecture office actually works behind the scenes. It highlights the crucial role of database management in a leading architectural firm while integrating BIM and digital tools across global offices. It delves into the firm’s digital journey, focusing on standardized BIM content, templates, and a newly introduced web platform for knowledge sharing and BIM model management.

Giuseppe Dotto is a BIM and Design Technology Manager at
OMA, holding a double Master of Architecture from Italy and
Brazil, Università di Ferrara and PUC/PR Curitiba. He brings
extensive expertise in Building Information Modeling (BIM) to the
table, having worked on large-scale international projects across many
typologies, from residential to institutional, including museal,
healthcare, and sport. 

Additionally, his passion for computer science drives him to continually
explore cutting-edge technologies and develop digital strategies that
push the boundaries of standard AEC workflows. 

Date: Friday, December 5. 
Time: 5:00 p.m. 
Place: Audimax, Building 8.

Conference: Discourse | Cracks | Narrative - Bauhaus Matters: Materials of Modernity

Copyright

© Stiftung Bauhaus Dessau

The international conference under the banner of “Bauhaus Matters” interrogates the physical materials and the ideas at the core of the Bauhaus and its role within the narratives of modern architecture. Across three thematic blocks, the iconic building will be scrutinized in the lectures and panel discussions. The findings could result in model practices for taking care of the Bauhaus Building in the future. At the same time, they are an invitation to debate contemporary architecture in dialogue with the architectural heritage of the Bauhaus.

The Bauhaus Anniversary 2026 will explore the material foundations of the iconic building with three exhibitions in the historic workshop wing of the school building, which have been less considered in the history and reception of the Bauhaus. Steel, glass and concrete were considered pioneering building materials for modern industrial society at the time. Whilst their cultural implications and charge of meaning have been examined and addressed many times in the architectural history of modernism, the economic, geopolitical and ecological contexts of these materials have remained unconsidered. Today, the buildings of classical modernism, of which the Bauhaus Building in Dessau is considered an outstanding representative, have become problematic, precisely, because of their materiality. The “lightness” of the building, which was praised in the 1920s, was part of a long debate about a new form of architecture, which also linked the new industrially manufactured building materials with a completely new form of space as a built expression of a society determined by the dynamics of mechanization. At the same time, it is precisely these industrially produced materials, based on the overexploitation of ecosystems and natural resources, that celebrated their triumphant advance in the construction industry of the 20th century and contributed massively to the growing damage to the climate and environment, the planetary consequences, we are confronted with today. The production sites and global trade routes of these materials, which are often interwoven with colonial exploitation structures, have also been ignored.

By looking at the Bauhaus materials, the conference aims to contribute to a new perspective on the narratives of architectural modernism. This is not only about knowledge that has been ignored by historiography, but also about a general readjustment of the discipline.

For some years now, architects, architectural historians and theorists have been striving to decenter their discipline. While the architectural history of modernism was determined by the canon of a history of the designing architects and their buildings, multidisciplinary research approaches now examine architecture as a field of collaborative practice of the interaction of the most diverse actors, economies, matters, types of knowledge and technologies. With the decentration away from the object of the building towards the process of making and the activity of the materials within the production of architecture, buildings become relevant not as fixed but as dynamic structures of the interaction of climate, soil, different material cycles, energy flows and power relations. This also includes their pre- and afterlife, the landscapes and ecosystems that were destroyed for the extraction of building materials, the mountains of rubble, piles of debris and material stores that house the buildings that have become obsolete.

The Bauhaus Matters conference will explore the iconic building in depth in three thematic blocks. The term ‘Matter’ deliberately has multiple connotations: ‘Matter’ in the sense of questioning its current cultural and social relevance, but also as a physical material activity that includes its processuality and changeability. These conceptual facets are permanently present in the Bauhaus Building: e. g. in the tensions between concrete ceilings and stone wood floors, which can be seen in the cracks in the floor, in the building research archive as a reservoir of the cycles of materials, economies and technologies, within which Bauhaus buildings underwent changes, and in the various narratives and attributions of meaning with which the building made of glass, steel and concrete is still conveyed today. 

The conference thus proposes new perspectives on the material artifact of the Bauhaus and, on this basis, sees itself as an invitation to negotiate approaches for contemporary building. The conference asks which concepts of material and matter have determined the discourse on the physical aspects of building to date? And what strategies of building as a co-production of material cycles, energy flows, and ecosystems could look like from the criticism and distancing from static concepts of architecture as a final product turned to stone? 

The program consists of lectures, panel discussions, building tours, and walks. The English-language conference will be simultaneously translated into German.

See attached PDF for further information on dates, venues, and activities.

This is a joint project between the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation and Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Dessau.

Text: Stiftung Bauhaus Dessau 

“Building Materials yesterday, today, tomorrow” a ‘Dessauer Gespräch’ with Markus Schmidt

Copyright

© Dessauer Gespräche

Inaugural Lecture Professorship for Building Material Technology and Sustainable Building Materials. 

Prof. Dr. Markus Schmidt is a civil engineer active in teaching and research. He studied at the University of Technology, Economics and Culture (HTWK) Leipzig with a focus on building renovation/ construction in existing buildings. Then he worked there as a research assistant in the field of building materials. During this time, he completed his doctorate in an external doctoral process at the University of the West of Scotland, UK. 

He then worked as a project engineer at the Research and Transfer Center Leipzig e.V. before moving to Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences in 2014. Here, he taught building materials science in the areas of civil engineering, environmental engineering, and architecture. Other main areas of activity included testing building materials, research into durability aspects, and the supervision of often interdisciplinary project work on building material topics and the sustainable use of materials. 

Since March 2025, Markus Schmidt has been Professor of Building Materials Technology and Sustainable Building Materials at Anhalt University of Applied Sciences and heads the building materials laboratory of the AFG department. 

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: December 3rd, 2025.
Time: 6.30 p.m.
Place: Lecture Hall of Building 08. 
Further events in Winter Semester 2025:
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.

Guest lecture with Giuseppe Dotto - BIM and Design Technology Manager at OMA

Copyright

© OMA

Giuseppe Dotto is a BIM and Design Technology Manager at OMA, holding a double Master of Architecture from Italy and Brazil, Università di Ferrara and PUC/PR Curitiba. He brings extensive expertise in Building Information Modeling (BIM) to the table, having worked on large-scale international projects across many typologies, from residential to institutional, including museal, healthcare, and sport. 

Additionally, his passion for computer science drives him to continually explore cutting-edge technologies and develop digital strategies that push the boundaries of standard AEC workflows. 

Date: Friday, December 5. 
Time: 5:00 p.m. 
Place: Audimax, Building 8.

Baustelle Transformation - Ten strategies for urban and rural scopes: Book and Exhibition

Copyright

© DAZ

EXHIBITION 
November 21st, 2025, to March 1st, 2026
at the Deutsches Architektur Zentrum DAZ 
Wilhelmine-Gemberg-Weg 6, 10179 Berlin

How can socio-ecological transformation succeed in urban and rural areas? This project presents ten strategies developed by architects and urban planners. They focus on existing buildings, our most valuable resource on the path to a climate-friendly future. To jointly shape change and generate acceptance for climate goals, they rely on discourse and trial and error, on experiments and temporary uses – and call for shared responsibility rather than mere participation. Community spaces, productive neighborhoods, and contemporary housing models open up new perspectives. This is how transformation becomes concrete and imaginable.

The publication and exhibition »Baustelle Transformation. Zehn Strategien für Stadt und Land« are part of the research program »Maßnahmen auf dem Gebiet der Baukultur« of the BMWSB/BBSR and are funded by the Bundesministerium für Wohnen, Stadtentwicklung und Bauwesen.

The publication was edited by Olaf Bahner and Laura Holzberg for the Association of German Architects (BDA). Prof. Julia Köpper, from our program, as well as Marika Schmidt and Demo Working group, who just gave lectures at our school, were also part of this project.
The exhibition was curated by Laura Holzberg and Alissia Hoffmann.

Text source: https://www.daz.de/en/baustelle-transformation-project/

"The beauty lies in the cycle" a ‘Dessauer Gespräch’ with Wiebke Ahues

Copyright

© Dessauer Gespräche

„For us, architecture is increasingly an attempt to find answers to the most urgent social, societal, economic and ecological challenges of our time in the built environment. True originality and creativity are most clearly shown in the extent to which all aspects of human coexistence, the immediate environment and global connections are taken into account.“

LXSY Architektur Berlin

Wiebke Ahues studied architecture at the University of Dortmund and the Technical University of Dresden. As a project and office manager, she worked for many years in renowned offices such as Max Dudler, David Chipperfield and Henning Larsen and was responsible for high-profile, international projects and competitions. She has been a partner at LXSY since the beginning of 2024. Her many years of expertise have taught her to view architecture holistically and with a circular approach. As an ambassador for the building transition, Wiebke Ahues is actively committed to circular planning and construction. For her, creating sustainable architecture means working with what is there or what grows.

In 2021, Wiebke Ahues was appointed as a member of the BDA Berlin. As a board member of the Berlin Chamber of Architects since 2022 and as Vice President since 2025, she is committed to advancing the social discourse about shaping a sustainable future. In autumn 2025, Wiebke Ahues was appointed to the office of Vice President of the Federal Chamber of Architects.

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

Date: November 26th, 2025. 
Time: 6.30 p.m. 
Place: Lecture Hall of Building 08.

Further events in Winter Semester 2025:

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.

„After the Parties“ a ‘Dessauer Gespräch’ with Elisabeth Terrisse de Botton und Matthieu Brasebin

The collaboration between Elisabeth Terrisse de Botton and Matthieu Brasebin began in 2023 with their award-winning contribution to Europan17 “Earth, Wind and Water”. Since then, they have engaged in a variety of experimental and collective formats - researching and questioning topics such as public space or material use and cycles. This is also the case with their project “No Time to Waste” - an experimental pavilion developed for the Tallinn Architecture Biennale 2024 under the theme “Resources for a Future”.

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

Date: November 19th, 2025. 
Time: 6.30 p.m. 
Place: Lecture Hall of Building 08.

Further events in Winter Semester 2025:

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.

"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 regard to 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