Urban District Center

Lübeck

University Quarter

competition 2002


As one of the first projects in the new university quarter, the urban district center has assumed from the start an important function as an identifying locality and meeting point for future residents. Lying along the axis from the campus to the market place, the building-complex of school, kindergarten, gym, youth-center, multi-purpose hall and non-denominational assembly-room arbitrates between landscaped recreational facilities and functions of a more urban nature.

Unexciting, archaic buildings are arranged in such a way that the entire lot is contoured and occupied. To enforce this effect, all external facades are of a uniform material: the dark red brick typical of the region. In the interior squares, the buildings appear in bright plaster. The entire lot rises in two staged levels from the regular terrain.

In terms of quality, an ensemble of exciting in- and external complexity is created. Narrow aisles, squares and niches on different levels offer in the minimum space available a variety of passages, areas and vistas that allow diverse ways of utilizing the location.