Dr Tamás Molnár

University of Pécs Pécs, Hungary

The Institute of Architecture of the University of Pécs Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology organized an Erasmus Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) in the autumn of 2022. The Erasmus BIP represents a new type of higher education cooperation between several institutions with the main aim of encouraging international cooperation both in person and online. Our international workshop experience dated back to 2010 when numerous universities participated in the Temporary City program under the framework of the European Capitals of Culture. We also participated in several Erasmus Intensive Programmes organized by the Fachochschule Joanneum in Graz.

This year was the first time that our Institute of Architecture organised an Erasmus BIP, and it involved the participation 8-8 3rd year students of architecture from the University of Pécs, University of Applied Sciences and Arts FH Dortmund from Germany and the Josip Juraj

Strossmayer University of Osijek from Croatia. The Erasmus programme supported the organization costs of the BIP as well as the travel and daily expenses of the international partners.

The task of the programme was dealing with an interesting site in the Pécs downtown. The historical Klimó Collection of the University Library is housed in a beautiful classicist building in Szepesy Street. There is a large garden belonging to the library that was the main design site for students. The name, Cultural Puzzle, was given to the programme during one of the first discussions with our international partners, after Prof. Dr. Helmut Hachul from Dortmund expressed that the downtown of Pécs represented generally and architecturally a cultural puzzle.

The programme started with a five day in person workshop between October 24-28, 2022, where students worked in international groups comprised of one student from each participating country. At the end of the workshop week, the final presentation of the eight student groups reflected the different characters of the students. The international jury which consisted of the participating professors, Prof. Dr. Gabriella Medvegy, the dean of our Faculty and Prof. Dr. Bálint Bachmann, the head of the Marcel Breuer Doctoral School, awarded prizes to the best groups. The BIP continued with online consultations and ended with an online presentation in December. The experience of continuing the design work online after the in-person workshop was a unique opportunity for the students to learn about efficient collaboration remotely, and the final presentations showed that some groups were able to work as effectively online as they had in person, while others found it more challenging.

International programs like this provide real-life experience for all participants, teaching them how to work effectively in teams with people they may not have known previously. The different national and social backgrounds of the students ensure different perspectives and ideas, which can be valuable for the professional development of the students. Additionally, these programs are great opportunities for students to form new connections and friendships with people from different countries.

It is hoped that the architectural projects developed during the Cultural Puzzle programme will have a positive influence on the University of Pécs’ future plans for the Historical Department of the University Library and the garden in Szepesy Street.

Prof Dr Helmut Hachul

University of Applied Sciences and Arts

Dortmund, Germany

University of Applied Sciences and Arts

Dortmund, Germany

Pécs! Finally!

Early 2020, students from Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts are on their way to hold a joint workshop with the University of Pécs in Hungary. Then Corona arrives...

End of 2022 - Pécs, attempt number 2: It works! Finally! As the horror and impact of the pandemic gradually fades, it is thanks to the initiative of the University of Pécs and the Erasmus programme BIP, that Dortmund University of Applied Sciences can travel to the former Capital of Culture with a group of eight selected students. The exact location in Europe will be revealed differently to the individual path of each individual traveller...

What is on offer on-site? A beautiful city with outstanding architectural heritage, a lively cultural landscape, and affordable excellent gastronomy. This week we are participants in the workshop, joined by an equally large group from the University of Osijek in Croatia. We give input, have discussions with the mixed groups, which is the target orientated concept for the project, “Secret Garden Pécs”. The various perspectives - seen through the eyes of architecture, civil engineering, the user and the guest, as well as the cultural glasses from Pécs, Osijek and Dortmund. The English language is no problem, what is challenging is the adjustment, the balancing of arguments within the groups.

Through a series of carefully chosen and expertly organised trips, we visit important points in the city, in the surrounding area, gain impressions.

At the end of the week, the concepts are finalised, presented and awarded. Back in Dortmund, digital video units with the groups complement the further development of the concepts to the final result.

At the end of the competition, there are three winning teams. For the project, however, all of us are winners. We exchanged our willingness to take risks for a bouquet of impressions, experiences and friendships. Pécs: Thank you! And: We will see each other again. Probably with Osijek, hopefully via Erasmus BIP...