Siegen Architecture School
2023
Assemble were shortlisted in the competition to design a new architecture school for the Universität Siegen in Siegen, Germany.
Our proposal was founded on the following core ideas:
The Neue Architekturschule will be an exemplar in sustainable and circular design, teaching and construction at the heart of a regional network of fabricators, suppliers, growers and makers.
The Neue Architekturschule will enrich the city as a new destination, cultural venue, and urban environment.
The Neue Architekturschule will enable a rich network of connections to be made, and to be a place where staff, students and external collaborators are able to make things, and make things happen.
Our proposal took retention of existing buildings on the site as its starting point in order to reduce the embodied carbon footprint of the project, minimise waste, and to respect and celebrate the existing buildings. Where possible, materials from the existing buildings that are no longer required in situ, were to be relocated to new locations, ensuring circularity within the scheme. Our approach to material specification for new fabric was to opt for bio-based, regional, low carbon, or circular materials.
Our design was composed of a series of large flexible spaces devoted to enabling students, staff and their extended networks to initiate projects, work cooperatively and learn mutually. These included a public square, making hall and a polyvalent space at the base of each lightwell as well as a lecture space, bench space and bar. Each of these spaces allow different kinds of self-directed learning from organising and the making of new relationships, through to physical craft and building. These core spaces are surrounded by generous and flexible spaces that can be used as studios and offices, where possible blurring the distinction between them.
The competition was undertaken by the University, in part, as a summer school where we developed our ideas together with a group of students on site, in the building. This process, working in close collaboration with our competitors meant that whilst our scheme did not win the competition we have been invited to join the winning team led by Gustav Düsing and FAKT.