Making Heimat. Germany, Arrival Country. Foto: Felix Torkar © Deutsches Architekturmuseum
The current political development in Europe and the uprising of national populist movements and parties require the critical positioning of each and every one of us. Politics – politiká: greek for common affairs – is not like weather conditions that come and go, but is defined each day by all of us. Architecture in this sense does not play an apolitical role, but bars responsibility for the conception of the political climate.
But which political role – namely beyond party politics – do architects really play? Which are the fields of action where architecture is not only a question of design, but also of political position? The issue of migration has faced Europe with a task not yet tackled. Here the human-rights obligation and economic necessity of integrating migrants, there the uprising of populists that abuse the complexity of the issue to their own success. Regarding our increasingly divided society, integration, it seems, is hardly possible. Yet, there are places of integration, in particular where the bluster of populists does not reach to. And it turns out that integration is not a one-way street, but concerns local residents just the same as new arrivals. Both are looking for possibilities to feel at home in a socially and economically changing world.
Referring to "Making Heimat. Germany, Arrival Country", theme of German Pavilion at the Venice Biennale of Architecture 2016, "Vienna, Arrival City" transfers the search for strategies for integration to the context of Vienna. What may architecture actively contribute to encourage integration in Vienna? In which locations, by which programmes, and in particular by which architectonic typologies may architecture foster communities of people with and without migrant background?
"Vienna, Arrival City" aims at a comprehensive understanding of architecture, which ranges from a fundamental discussion of possible sociopolitical aspects in architecture and urban planning to a concrete architectural project. The objectives of the design studio encompass the critical reflection of the architectural profession in the context of current political developments, the research on the topic "Arrival City", the independent definition of the design task (building site, program, typology) and the design of a concrete architectural project in Vienna.
Kick-off:
Fri., 04.10.2019, 09:00-13:00, Projektraum 14
Excursion to the Arrival Cities Frankfurt a.M. and Offenbach / 252.593 / 2 ECTS:
14.-15.10.2019
Travel & accommodation to be organised individually
Meeting point: Mon., 14.10.2019, 09:00 a.m., Hochschule für Gestaltung Offenbach, room 306a. Address: Schloßstraße 31, 63065 Offenbach a.M. Take entrance Schloßstrasse 31 (NOT Schlossplatz), take the stairs up to the last third floor, room 306a is immediately to the right (opposite of library). Connections: S1/S2/S8/S9, stop Offenbach Marktplatz.
Exkursion to the Arrival City of Vienna:
05.11.2019
Workshop in Vienna:
25.-27.11.2019
Guest lecture Kai Vöckler (guest critic final presentation):
30.01.2020, 19:00
Final presentation with external critics:
31.01.2020
In the process of independently developing the architectural project, students are supported by numerous formats such as weekly feedback meetings, workshops, guest lectures and presentations with guest critics. Furthermore, different forms of research such as text study, excursions and reference research are implemented.
In addition, "Vienna, Arrival City" is connected with numerous actors in order to embed the design exercise in current discourses and develop concrete requirements for specific architectural projects in Vienna. One of the networking partners is the German Architecture Museum (DAM) in Frankfurt am Main, whose exhibition and publication "Making Heimat. Germany, Arrival Country" is the theoretical base of the design studio. Furthermore, "Vienna, Arrival City" involves players and institutions from the field of integration in Vienna, who accompany the students as feedback partners during the semester and participate as guest critics in the final presentation.
The Design Studio requires teamwork of two students each, the results will be presented and discussed with external guest critics on 31.01.2020, a publication of the results is in preparation.
