04-09-2013 --- How can one design schools so that they are learning-friendly, what are the essential functions of the school of the future and what does ‘new learning’ in new premises require? The discussion about school buildings suitable for the future has been rekindled in political circles and general society by the results of the PISA (Programme for International Student Assessments) tests. In Hamburg alone, the city administration is investing two billion Euros in a programme of new construction, extension and refurbishment of schools, to be completed by 2019. But ‘building for education’ is a topic with relevance all over the world, which is why the Academy for Architectural Culture (aac) is focusing on it in an international context. During the new aac workshop in Hamburg from 5 to 27 September the scholarship students will work on possible scenarios: taking the rapidly growing German School in Shanghai as an example, the group – with students from different, European and Asian, cultures – is to design school buildings that are exemplary for learning in the 21st century.

With its approx. 1,300 children and pupils and about 150 teachers the German School in Shanghai is the world’s largest German school in a foreign country. The premises in the Pudong district are becoming increasingly cramped and pose an obstacle to the development of this very popular school. The briefing for this year’s aac workshop is based on the school’s actual development programme and covers all facilities required for classroom learning, sport, leisure and catering. The new building is to accommodate 1,300 German and international pupils and a generous day nursery for a further 150 children. The scholarship students are expected to generate solutions including an appropriate external appearance for a German school in the setting of an Asian metropolis. In addition, the workshop will focus on the interaction between the school as a place of learning and cultural identity, and its futuristic, pulsating urban environment.

During the three and a half weeks of the workshop, well-known speakers will be invited to the Rainvilleterrasse Campus in Hamburg to give lectures that are also open to the general public:

• 9 September 2013, 11:00 h – Henrike Rabe, Humboldt University of Berlin, Cluster of Excellence; Image Knowledge Design: “Fluid direction. New schools made in Japan”
• 10 September 2013, 11:00 h – Martin Tamke, Centre for Information Technology and Architecture (CITA), Copenhagen: “Formative systems – material and digital systems in the architectural research practice”
• 12 September 2013, 19:00 h – Michael Schumacher, schneider+schumacher, Frankfurt/Main: “Non scholae, sed… Schule und Architektur – School and architecture”
• 18 September 2013, 19:00 h – Christian Kühn, Technical University, Vienna: “Learning environments for the 21st century: From teacher’s house to space for teams”
• 19 September 2013, 19:00 h – Amandus Sattler, Allmann Sattler Wappner Architekten, Munich: “schoolness. new spaces for changing learning concepts”

The Academy for Architectural Culture (aac)

The aac was established by gmp’s founding partners Meinhard von Gerkan and Volkwin Marg more than five years ago and has been offering gifted architectural students and young architects from different countries valuable additional qualification in the form of workshops. This private, not-for-profit institution receives funding from the gmp Foundation with the aim of promoting further educational training. Prior to this year’s workshop on “schools fit for the future”, participants worked on architectural concepts for affordable housing in Hamburg and Shanghai (2012) and, using Berlin’s Tegel airport as an example, on strategies for a sustainable city, TXL+ (2009). The aac workshops reflect the gmp philosophy and provide experience and the implementation of architecture in a social context, offering insights into large international design commissions. In addition to Meinhard von Gerkan and his partners, the workshops are regularly tutored by well-known visiting professors. The teaching programme consists of practical work, critiques and lectures, and will be rounded off with an excursion and exhibition.

For detailed information and the public events programme, please visit:  www.aac-hamburg.de. 


Contact: 

Christian Füldner
Public Relations und Kommunikation
T: +49.40.88 151 102
F: +49.40.88 151 184
cfueldner@gmp-architekten.de
www.gmp-architekten.de