„ Hello, you're already here! What else could you be? “

Prof. Dr. (Univ. FLorenz) Elisabeth Merk, 2023

Existing public spaces were and are challenged by the thread of economical, ecological, and social changes which lead to their abandonment or sale, including many public buildings and building complexes such as sport, educational and health facilities, but also housing structures.

Often it is on the scale of the neighbourhood that these losses become apparent for the local communities because qualities that define public life get lost. But also, on the scale of a whole city they can become apparent, prominently when it comes to the sale of large public housing structures.

On the other hand, with deindustrialization processes and structural changes happening; formerly closed areas become available and open for development, such as former airfields, etc.

With today’s notion of space being a limited resource, the understanding that urbanized areas today should not continue to grow further outwards and the demands of adapting the existing urban landscape to climate change – the topic of RE_SOURCING PUBLIC SPACE moves into focus.

As the built and urbanized environment is already a source of existing material and space, it is commonly understood that it is necessary to develop concepts for the re-design of existing public spaces that are based on the strategy of the 3 Rs - Reduce, Reuse & Recycle: To reduce new construction and consumption of space, to reuse the already built spaces and materials, and to recycle material (or plan with later recycling in mind) as well as local building cultures.

Which underused spaces connected to public infrastructures can we activate in-order to densify and diversify our existing urban landscape? How can we re-integrate nature – such as urban woods – into the existing public spaces of the city? Which strategies are there to transformed existing public spaces into blue/ green infrastructures?

Which strategies are there to enhance functional mix and/ or biodiversity within the urban landscape? With which programmatic and spatial strategies can we reactivate abandoned public buildings? Can we integrate the approach as space as a limited resource when it comes to the design of new public buildings and public spaces by aiming for flexibility and the multiuse of spaces? How much can we densify existing public housing structures to balance the needs of old and new inhabitants? And finally, which public spaces could play a role when it comes to counteracting on the process of social stratification within the existing city form inner-city districts to the outskirts. Where will society still meet in public space – on the scale of the city as well as on the scale of the neighbourhood?

The studio deals with the topic of RE_SOURCING PUBLIC SPACE and its manyfold possibilities for the development in the context of transforming societies, both on the large urban scale as well the scale of a building, to transform our urbanized areas today into resilient, climate-neutral, and just urban landscapes tomorrow.

Key elements in this transformation are the affordability for a society, the use of minimal recourses in the transformation processes and the integration of flexibility and multifunctionality, to make future urban and architectural public spaces financially, ecologically, and socially sustainable for future generations.

Program

The first semester is roughly split in two parts, during the first part the students will work theoretically and analytically on various themes in relation to RE_SOURCING by analysing potentials, defining strategies, and thinking about new approaches regarding the potentials of abandoned, underused, or challenged public spaces – architectural or urban.

Together we will begin with extensive research on various typological models that use/have used space in a resourceful way, analyse exiting projects as references and research on new phenomena.

Each student will then create her/ his own “Typological Survey Zine” summarizing her/ his findings.

During the second part each student will then choose her/ his own topic/ typological model of interest in relation to the studios theme and develop a drawn and written thesis which includes a design hypothesis and the selection of a project site.

In the second semester the students will then translate their findings and concepts into projects – small or large scale, architectural or urban. Answering either with a strategy for an existing space – be it a building, an infrastructure, or a build situation to transform and activate its qualities for our future urban landscape or by developing an architecture or urban project that explores specific qualities of RE_SOURCING integrating new technologies, new uses, integrated approaches and many more…

Studio

The studio will be accompanied by guest-lectures and fieldtrips in 2024 to Munich/ Stuttgart and in 2025 to the Netherlands/ Belgium where we will visit both old and brand-new approaches in urbanism and architecture that explore the idea of RE_SOURCING. Weekly discussions as well as regular pin-ups and two presentations with guest critics will accompany the process. Collaboration and exchange of knowledge, both between individuals and groups, are essential for a successful learning process. I conceive the design studio as research project and would like to encourage every member of the design studio to feel part of this mission.

Semester 2024/25 & 2025

Qualification

The design studio addresses highly motivated students, skilled in drawing, modelling, and other media. You should be curious and open towards a design process, which seeks to explore innovative solutions.

Spring School 2025

As part of our Germany-wide collaboration in the „Young professionals design the future“ program, selected students will have the opportunity to participate in a workshop-week that will take place during spring break 2025. Students will have the opportunity to present their work, collaborate with other students, and receive feedback from other specialists. The participation fee and travel expenses for the selected students will be covered by the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR). The selected projects will appear in a common publication.

The spring school will take place March 9th, 2025 – March 14th, 2025, in Stuttgart.

Further Information

Go to Moodle or to INCOM & visit the open studio for a Q&A session, Monday, October 7th, 06.00 p.m. – 07.00 p.m., Building 06, Studio 2.05

Cooperation

The 2nd Year Studio is part of a cooperation of 16 architecture - and urban planning chairs of German universities and colleges which participate together in the programme „Young professionals design the future“ funded by the “National Urban Development Policy” (BMBF). The theme of this year’s cooperation program is “City Without Ground”.