Project Fall 2012

elope 5 - Learning Environments - Campus Cologne

elope, the platform for learning and teaching initiated by the Bern University of Applied Sciences‘ School of Architecture, has been engaged in complex tasks that can only successfully be tackled by multi-disciplinary teams. elope works with students and faculty from an international network of partner universities (elope alliance). The project themes always circle around the meta-topic of Architecture & Health. The elope 5 project „Learning Environments - Campus Cologne“ has its specific focus on innovative concepts for future sustainable learning and teaching environments.

Learning & Teaching Environments
The campus of the engineering sciences of the Cologne University of Applied Sciences (UAS) is located in the area „Deutz“ was built in the early 1970ies. Today, it does not fulfill modern requirements anymore.
After more than 2 years of political struggle and urban planning to find the right location, it has been agreed that the old location „Deutz“ shall also be the new one, but with a completely different face. The challenges are multi-facetted. Demolition and construction activities must take place while university life goes on. Existing buildings that are worthwhile to keep shall be integrated into a new concept and new open spaces are to be created. This is a demanding and complex task and an excellent field for real trans-disciplinary team-work.
In addition to accomodate the educational diversity the integration of community life is one of the stakeholders’ strong interests (City of Cologne). Minimized energy consumption, strong pollution prevention and waste recycling shall increase the “green” image and impetus that the UAS has started with the EMAS (Eco- Management and Audit Scheme) certification in 2008.


Innovation – Concepts of Innovation
Innovative concpets for future facilities of higher education
Creating an inspiring learning and teaching atmosphere
Sustainability and urban integration
Lifecycle scenarios


Collaboration
In internationally composed and multidisciplinary teams the students from architecture, building technologies, civil engineering, construction and process management, social work, urban planning shall co-operate in this trans-disciplinary project towards a sustainable solution for the Campus of the Cologne University of Applied Sciences in Germany by using modern information and collaboration technologies.

Topic

What will be the qualities of successful universities in the future? How do the new communication technologies influence the learning modes of students? What are the requirements on the spatial structures to allow for ubiquitous and individualized studies - but, at the same time, to provide offers for social interaction? What is lacking in existing buildings at universities to make them candidates for deconstruction?

These are a few questions that university leaders have to answer before new structures can be planned and built. It is unquestioned that the learning styles have changed considerably during the past years, partially due to new technologies, but also through project based study programs that are gaining acceptance and popularity. This paradigm shift calls for new spatial structures for learning which are characterized by terms like flexibility, learning landscapes, indoor/outdoor connectivity, etc. New university planning must consider the integration of the buildings in an urban structure to avoid an ivory tower bias. Furthermore, energy concepts have to be developed that can be extended for additional needs in the future and fulfilling the economic and ecologic criteria of today.

elope 5 claims that a trans-disciplinary and synchronous development and planning is a mandatory goal for the many components necessary for such an educational facility. Despite the fact that a competition for a urban masterplan is already in process with first results to be expected in late October 2012, elope5 considers this challenge as an optimal opportunity to discuss and publish the necessary criteria for the further development of this academic institution – namely in a prototypal way that can also be used for other similar projects. Since some of the jury members of the University of Applied Sciences Cologne are the faculty members who will be co-operating in elope5, the trans-disciplinary criteria developed can be crucial in the selection and realization of the future facilities.

The goal will be to elaborate out of analysis a Status Report of International Higher Education Facilities 2012 and to develop out of that a Design Guidebook and Facility Management Guidelines for the development of the Campus of the Cologne University of Applied Sciences 2012 - 2112. This will be tested, implemented and demonstrated in a conceptional urban masterplan and sample detail on the Campus site of Deutz Cologne.

elope alliance Partners

Bauhaus-University Weimar (BUW) GER, Bern University of Applied Sciences - Architecture Wood & Civil Engineering (BFH-AHB), Burgdorf CH, Cologne University of Applied Sciences (CUAS) GER, European Graduate School (EGS) Leuk CH, Haute Ecole du Paysage, d‘Ingénierie et d‘Architecture (HEPIA) Geneva CH, Polytec’ Marseille FR, Politecnico di Milano IT, Stanford University (CEE) Stanford USA, Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM), Campus Querétaro MEX

 

Brochure elope 5 - Learning Environments Campus Cologne

Application including CV & lettre of motivation