Project I: Atelier Esch

Architecture is considered to be the art of spatial interrelation. But it is at least as much the art of temporal interrelation. Because both aspects come together in the reuse of existing buildings, we are particularly touched by their ‘complexity and contradiction’. The urgency to develop sustainable strategies for building reminds us further to think back to the conversion, reuse and reinterpretation of what has already been built.

For centuries, rebuilding existing houses or putting together new buildings from old parts was at least as normal as building anew. Students will therefore engage with an existing conglomerate of buildings which they will first study, analyse and document. Particular emphasis is put on the verbalisation of architecture through reading theoretical texts, discussing them through reading circles, building a common vocabulary through the use of “keywords” and finally writing our own short pamphlets. 
On this foundation of theoretical knowledge on one hand and concrete interaction with “place” on the other, students will then devise architectural projects. 
Zooming out instead of zooming in: When designing in an existing context, the design process is the reverse of new construction, namely from a close-up view of the concrete, current building as we find it, gradually moving to a bird's eye view, to the abstract, future target image.

• Sustainable cities and communities
• Responsible consumption and production
• Climate action

In presence

Weekly table critiques, reading circle, lectures, study trip, intermediate and final reviews

Intermediate and final critiques