EXHIBI TION ARCHI TECTURE 2016
PREAMBLE PROF. DR.-ING. CARSTEN MANZ
President of the HTWG Konstanz Like in the previous years, the annual exhibition of the architectural studies at our University of Applied Sciences offers an inspiring insight into the outstanding work of our bachelor and master students. The exhibits show impressively the results of good teaching, combined with the individual creativity of the up-and-coming-architects. Therefore, the exhibition does not only offer architectural delights but gives an authentic insight into the architectural course by documenting the summer schools, the lecture series in autumn as well as artistic work. For years, the “Seestern” prizes tendered for the best work have been mirroring the high appreciation for our students. This will now even be augmented as they turn to be a pre-selection for the Association of German Architects’ (BDA) selection of the best works from across the state of Baden-Württemberg. The trust inherent in this upgrade undermines the quality of past years’ works. By presenting itself to the public with this exhibition in a public shopping mall, the Faculty of Architecture and Design promotes the perception of our university’s activities outside the campus. The work presented does not only grab the attention in the context of the exhibition but also in the university’s overall development. Especially the master projects concerning the neighboring “Wessenberg School” provide us with a solid base for current considerations about the future development and long-term perspective of the campus. We are grateful for having the students’ elaborations on possible 4
utilization contexts, figures concerning the energetic balance and the concise design planning for our talks with decision-makers about a possible expansion of the campus. That is why I would like to thank you in due form in the name of the university as a whole for the work you have completed on this important issue. Please be assured that it has also had a significant influence on my point of view of the campus as a place for studying and living. Thank you very much! To both students and teachers, I wish you all great success for this year´s exhibition as well as for all future projects.
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FOREWORD PROF. MYRIAM GAUTSCHI
Dean of the faculty of architecture and design We have a dream. The study course “Architecture” organizes an annual exhibition, presenting selected work to the public. All citizens are invited to discover what is being taught and worked out at “their” university of applied sciences, and all this is compiled in a yearbook. It is a tradition, but not a given one. As a review of what has been mutually achieved, it adds to the chronicle of our faculty of architecture and design, and mirrors our search for architectural teaching, which on the one hand guarantees profound knowledge and skills, and simultaneously faces local and current topics. During the winter session, most projects and elective courses dealt with the topic “Wessenberg School”. If the premises of the school became vacant and our university continued to spread along the river and so, involving the various dormitories, spanned the campus from the river Rhine to the Rheingut street, the university might become a place offering high-quality indoor and outdoor space for studying, working and living, and at the same time connecting the campus as a building block of urban planning indivisibly with the site. It’s a vision of the campus providing a boost to the neighborhood and simultaneously integrating it, of weaving university and surrounding urban area on different levels. Our dream: opening this building of Bauhaus-student Hermann Blomeier, who was an iconic figure of modern architecture in Constance, to the faculty of architecture and design and therefore creating a sphere of 6
interdisciplinary working and teaching, interconnecting various faculties and offering working space for our students! Our students want to move and mobilize with their work. In this spirit, we do not only write the chronicles of our faculty but of the university as a whole. Common stories bind together, and we can be proud of them. I give thanks to my colleagues for the constructive cooperative work for the goals of our course of study, for their immense efforts in teaching and research and for their intensive support of our students. Our principal assets are the students. Their enthusiasm, commitment and passion for architecture are the foundation for good teaching. I pay tribute to them.
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INTRODUCTION PROF. KATRIN GÜNTHER
Dept. of Chart and Design Innovative and imaginative projects which show effects internally as well as externally, practical imagination and technical education are the basic elements for active and sustainable learning processes. It is the ability to act and the courage to try the impossible which set the stage for long-lasting experience and new insights. One more time, the annual exhibition of the architectural courses of studies at Konstanz University of Applied Sciences shows a cross section of the broad range of our teaching, reaching from technical to more artistic projects, from visionary ideas on future housing to concrete constructive detailed solutions in building. This variety in our courses reflects the speed of technical and esthetic change in today’s architectural world. For quite some time, a house has not just been “a house” but a hybrid building, penetrated with technology, controlled on many layers and (under ideal conditions) even esthetically pleasant. As the world is branching out more and more into differentiated fields of knowledge, with each one splitting explosively into separate areas of research and throwing its jibs into space in increasingly shorter intervals, knowing all by oneself is no longer sufficient. And what about learning? In this case, not only in general, but directed towards an understanding penetration and shaping of each special case.
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Interdisciplinary teamwork in solving complex questions does not only have to generate new knowledge, but also longs for innovative design approaches and strategic solutions. This is why experiments are an important part of knowledge acquisition. To begin with, common technical and social rules may be reinterpreted on a limited temporal and local scale, to be seen in a new perspective, be turned upside down and renewed. In this sense, students undertook interventions in public space in the community of Muri in the course of a contest. “A narrow, discomforting underpass is transforming and imparts for a moment a sense of wanderlust, of travel bug and freedom. By dressing the cross with reflective material, its gravity of stone is being suspended and a connection to its surroundings is being created. By displaying nature and the sky on its surface, new greatness is emitted, giving each spectator images of his own, which change over and over again and which allow different interpretations …”. In 2015, the Open Innovation Lab (OIL) has developed from the architectural Laboratory for Rapid Prototyping (RAPLAB) into a cross-faculty institution –strongly influenced by our course of studies. In a huge innovation lab with 3D-scanners and -printers, milling and cutting machines, glasses for virtual and augmented reality, sensors and miniature computers, students and teaching staff are to develop new projects around the direct digital production which are only thinkable in exchange with other people. 9
Therefore, the OIL works as an incubator, where creative, economic and constructive aspects intersect and where experimenting and understanding on the object take center, far more than mere planning. Our innovative and unconventional approaches have also been recognized on a national level. Two entries submitted to the renowned Schinkel competition have been awarded at a time for their improvement solutions for an area in the south of Berlin, which shows strong structural and substantial deficiencies. Another work rewarded by the magazine “Wettbewerbe aktuell” makes a huge step into the future, dealing with the possible impact of the digital revolution on urban development and architecture. In the past year, we put an emphasis on discussing the way we work and on our identity as a student or professor. Cause for this analysis was given by the neighboring building complex of the “Wessenberg School” at the Seerhein, dating from 1968. Its architect was Hermann Blomeier, who had settled in Constance for a building project in Zurich after having graduated from Bauhaus under Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. The bachelor thesis in the winter term dealt with a topic following the Bauhaus Masters’ houses in Dessau, as “Masters’ houses” for current professors were planned. Within the framework of the project “School of Design 2.0”, which was conducted in cooperation with the communication design studies, possible uses by the faculty of architecture and design were developed and therefore 10
the Bauhaus idea of joint teaching and learning was interpreted in a new way. The issue gained additional significance by the aspect of how to deal with existing buildings dating from the 1960s and 1970s, which gets more and more important in today’s architectural debate. It turned out that after an exemplary restoration, the premium building of a Bauhaus graduate could become an inspiring domicile of the faculty of architecture and design as well as a flagship for the university as a whole. With our exhibition, we are once again guests of the Seerhein-Center before it is being remodeled from July 1st on. The exhibition honors the best student projects of the past two semesters on an area of approximately 600 square meters. It shows appreciation for our students’ outstanding works. From a vast number of works, a commission consisting of Dipl.-Ing. Nicolas Schwager (Vice Chairman of BDA Lake Constance District Group), Dipl.-Ing. Christian Müller (Chairman of BDA Lake Constance District Group), Prof. Lydia Haack (Building construction and Design), Prof. Eberhard Schlag (Architecture and Design), Prof. Katrin Günther (Chart and Design), Herbert Rapp and Frederike Hein as a representative of the students, chose 74 projects convincing by the creative, functional and constructive aspects their solutions offered. We pay special tribute to Herbert Rapp for organizing and strongly supporting the procedure. 11
The faculty of architecture and design, together with the Lake Constance District Group of the Association of German Architects, honors excelling works in six categories with the “Seestern*” study prize. The independent external jury consisting of architect Fee Möhrle from Freiburg, architect Prof. Matthias Siegert from Stuttgart and architect Stephan Rauch from Munich examines the work and awards it at the beginning of the exhibition. The exhibition’s vernissage will take place on June 1st. We invite you to spend an interesting and inspiring evening with us, getting to know the varied projects of our students and entering into talk with the authors.
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2016 STUDENTS’ AWARDS »SEESTERNE*«
*Lake Stars A preselection of students’ works supported by the BDA – German Association of Architects – Lake Constance District Group was shown at the “Werkschau” annual exhibition in June 2016. The final decision for the students’ awards was made by a jury consisting of three self-employed architects. The jurors Fee Möhrle, Prof. Matthias Siegert and Stephan Rauch granted awards in the six given categories as well as one special prize. Here are their statements as well as the project descriptions. Illustrations can be found on the pages mentioned below:
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Bachelor basic studies
THE HOUSE OF MY DREAMS: NON-TRANSMISSION BREAK
p. 39: Building construction 2: Skeleton 2nd semester, summer term 2015 The task was to design a house with year-round use at an altitude of 25 meters, just below the treetops of the Fontainebleau forest. The tree house refers to the hectic daily life of modern people which is characterized by permanent sending and receiving. It’s the aim of this draft to create a space for exactly these persons, giving them the possibility to focus completely on themselves and their needs by taking a non-transmission break.Bachelor advanced studies »The work to be assessed belonged to the classical architectural disciplines. Since the “puppy protection” was over, the jury's assessment turned considerably more critical. The award-winning work convinced us with a clearly visible design approach. There was a coherent rigor in design and construction. The innovative formulation must be highlighted.« 16
→ The house of my dreams: non-transmission break
»The different undergraduate works were very diverse in the choice of topic and their concrete formulation, so they could not be compared directly. We were very pleased by the advanced level in various aspects. Many works showed deep thinking and a solid design teaching. Some of them captured and touched us directly. The prize-winning work protruded the high level significantly. Design and construction form a combination of their own which fits in perfectly with the environment. The relation between outside and inside can clearly be seen. The precision and depth of the elaboration complemented the work. «
ZURI p. 82: Bachelor’s project 4: Constructive Design »Form follows material_XYZ« 4th semester, summer term 2015
Zuri
To combine premium design bicycles with social commitment and lifestyle is the aim of the aspiring company “zuribikes”. The special design feature of the bikes is their frame made of bamboo. The frames are assembled in Zambia, creating jobs there. A new headquarter is to be built in Egern at lake Tegernsee. The purpose of the building is to give an understanding of zuribikes’ vision of lifestyle, sustainability and social commitment to its customers.
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The premises can be reached either by bike on one of the existing mountain bike trails, or by car on the B307. The exceptionally dynamic form of the production hall, reminding of a sports stadium, attracts visitors from afar. The topic “sports stadium” continues inside as most of the area accessible for visitors is placed on a vast platform. On this ramp designed with floor level differences, the bamboo bikes can be tested. The ramp is suspended from the exterior construction. Therefore, the layout of the ramp as well as of the rooms can be designed freely. The exterior construction of space frame consists of 70 pillars, arranged and connected in an oval form. They serve as a thrust collar and are attached to a ring pull made of steel cables. In accordance with the bamboo bikes, the main material used is construction bamboo. A membrane functions as thermal shell. The delicate steel skeleton construction of the entrance and the interior spaces is completely separate from the main construction and leads the visitors into the new center. 17
Bachelor thesis »The five works were assessed under the aspect of individual work. Scale and complexity differed widely which made the assessment even more difficult. The selected work impresses by the particular esthetic level in the form of presentation and elaboration. The draft itself is exceptional due to its clear structure and traditional choice of material, which, in the context of the presentation in image and model, proves to be extraordinary holistic works.« HOUSE OF THE ILLUSTRATOR
In contemporary architecture, the spectator often conceives buildings relying on a certain symbolism or imitation. They beguile into an enhanced subjective assessment of the object since symbols are linked differently for each individual and can therefore be read in various ways. The draft for the house of the illustrator turns away from this “type” of architecture. Evidently, the symmetrical axis is at the center of the draft. Since symmetries are subject to a certain mathematical logic, they can be accessed and classified by anyone in the same way with no possibility of an individual “readability”. This again promotes an objective approach. The deliberate identification of the assembly and structure of the building becomes an integral part of the draft and is reflected in the ground plan. However, the structuralism is not only visible in the ground plan but also in the materiality of the facade consisting of clinker masonry. Here as well, the arrangement of the bricks is based on certain mathematics, which is made perfectly clear to the outside. Ceilings are marked by vertical bricks, contrary to the walls which become apparent due to their 18
→ House of the illustrator
p. 112: Bachelor Thesis »Divergent Living« 6th semester, winter term 2015/16
classical medium stretcher course. This guarantees a simpler localization. The clear two-story quality of the interior is interrupted by intermitting air space, allowing for direct sight to develop. The axis is emphasized by the recurrence of the outside clinker materiality in using paving bricks. Only the perpendicular common room breaks the axis. Due to its tall gallery windows, it shows a special quality, allowing for a differentiation of the rooms.
A lot of color and very big
Master elective subject
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»It was quite a challenge to compare the work ranging from artistic to urban development and constructive design projects. There was a set of extraordinary works which clearly showed the strong motivation of the students. Transfer of knowledge and superimposition of the content as the topic was interpreted in a playful way in the award-winning work. The medium “scientific book” gains spatial depth and complexity due to the contemporary illustrations which spread an enormous charm.« A LOT OF COLOR AND VERY BIG
p. 130: Elective subject 2: chart and design summer term 2015 At a first glance, the topics of atomic physics and art don’t seem to be compatible. Nonetheless, their combination leads to an exciting approach, the outcome of which enables new deep insights. An old specialist physics book from 1962 entitled “Atomic Physics. The electron shell of an atom and the atomic nucleus” gone yellow gave the impetus for presenting the content in an “unusual” way and interpret it differently. All pages can be brought to life by overlaying them experimentally with various media and contents. The scientific content recedes into the 19
background, serving as the base for the further development of an artistic point of view. Each page with its specific scientific subject gains a certain ease, allowing the observer to develop an access of his own to the ambitious matter of nuclear physics. By trying to create associations between the two display levels, the observer is inspired to deal with the issue in a playful way. Master project
LIVING ON A WALL (English Version in Catalogue)
p. 226: Expatriate semester in Arnhem winter term 2015/16 Master thesis »To prove the requisite know-how for the time after university education was the goal here. In this case, what is more suitable than a nice big draft? From our point of view, all works met the requirements of a Master Thesis. Nevertheless, there are slight differences in quality and elaboration. Our favorite solved this in a positively stunning way. Not only was the quality of the 20
→ Living on a Wall
»Consistent with the level of studies, the works showed well-formulated architectural craft. Due to the broad range of design, urban construction and renovation projects, the decision was not an easy one, especially, since all projects present a nice, comprehensive formulation up to a constructive solution. These qualities are demonstrated to a special extent in the prize-winning work. It is complete from urban development to the constructive facade cross-section, positively radical and courageously across all aspects. The particularly fresh approach with almost atmospheric qualities was very convincing.«
crafting skills above average, the insertion into the existing historic city as regards urban development, the draft of the building itself. But with its poetic form of presentation, it manages to whisk away the spectator, to raise a longing for built realization.« ARA – THE STREET AS A STAGE: HOUSE OF CULTURES, ISTANBUL
ARA – The Street as a Stage: House of Cultures, Istanbul
p. 262: Master Thesis winter term 2015/16
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Life on the streets and in the open air is typical for Turkish culture and the city of Istanbul. Turks consider their city a stage. Life on the streets resembles a drama. The main axis for pedestrians is the famous Istiklal street leading from Taksim to Galata square, offering space for this way of life and the overlapping of different daily usages. Galata square with its tower is one of the city’s landmarks. Adjacent to this square, there is a big plain wasteland, surrounded by buildings and serving as a parking area. The vibrancy of the city, the openness of the people and the spectacle of the streets come to a sudden end. I would like to seize the opportunity to counteract here. The streets, the culture and everyday life shall enter here, overlap and develop further. The city is rapidly and continuously changing, and here is where I want to continue building it. A place for encounter will arise, a platform for learning and presenting the culture. A place to connect people, to continue life and satisfy the residents’ needs as to public space. Special prize »One free artistic work attracted our attention with its humor, great abstract idea as well as its enthusiastic realization. That’s why we decided to grant a special award to it. Thus in the 21
commencing summer, who cannot imagine a living room on a lake, the water surface as mirror image of living and the sky. It’s a wonderful idea, captured at the exactly right moment, therefore an extremely effective presentation.« FLOATING FURNITURE
p. 164: Elective subject: Summer School Arnhem summer term 2015
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→ Floating Furniture
The most exciting aspect of our draft is the new point of view. Neither directly on the surface of the water, like when you are swimming, nor far above the surface like on a boat, but you are standing right on the surface and you get the feeling that there’s nothing limiting you while walking on the water. That is why the floating platform is slightly submerged: it looks as if the whole water surface was a space that could be walked upon. All the three elements lamp, table and sofa are placed on separate platforms, which are loosely connected. This is how we support the impression of an undefined, free space. You also get this impression when looking at the pavilion from the river banks: the space or limit of space cannot be captured. In addition, the border between the familiar and the unfamiliar becomes blurred as no one understands a floating “grandparents’ living room” with no ground floor when he sees I t... it is definitely not what you would expect on the water surface under the open sky! The construction is made of recycled material. The biggest platform underneath the sofa is made of a euro-pallet filled with exactly that much of styrofoam that the sofa plus one person can float. The lamp and the table are put on a wooden sub-construction as a float, also filled with styrofoam. In order to get the sub-construction submerged and to stabilize the object, a pouch full of stones was fixed in the middle of the construction for weighting it down.
IMPRESS PUBLISHER
Hochschule Konstanz Technik, Wirtschaft und Gestaltung Brauneggerstr. 55 78462 Konstanz FAKULTÄT
Architektur und Gestaltung Department of Architecture and Design ORGANIZATION
Martina Nock Herbert Rapp Prof. Katrin Günther Prof. Lydia Haack Prof. Eberhard Schlag DESIGN
Simon Neßler
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HOCH SCHULE KON STANZ