Architecture Students Develop Concepts for High Rise Buildings in Dortmund

“Skyscrapers” offer efficient residential and office space in metropolitan areas — and influence the appearance of a city like hardly any other building, both in the immediate surroundings and from afar. “In planning, this impact must be considered with particular care, for example near historic churches or in interaction with other important urban elements. At the same time, high‑rise buildings can create a connection to the wider urban context, for instance by framing a square or marking a spatial boundary between neighbourhoods. To do justice to their special role, an overarching concept is needed,” explains adj. Prof. Michael Schwarz, describing the choice of this year’s topic, which he and adj. Prof. Olaf Schmidt coordinated with the City of Dortmund.

The two architects jointly launched the International Spring Academy in 2013. In a ten‑day workshop, students develop new ideas for real planning areas in cross‑university teams, accompanied by teaching staff from the participating European universities. This process creates international networks and relationships that accompany students into their professional lives: for example, Italian alumni of the program have joined German architecture firms after completing their studies.

Analysis of Central Districts

This time, the aspiring architects analyzed the Wallring and the B1 section between the Schnettker Bridge and the B236 in depth and developed high‑rise concepts based on the problems they identified. “The teams found that the Wallring, which largely follows the historic city walls, has over time been transformed into a pure traffic route and now acts almost like a barrier between the city center and the surrounding residential districts — both spatially and economically,” explains Michael Schwarz. “To strengthen the inner city, some student groups therefore designed a framing of the major traffic access points with high‑rise buildings, recalling the old city gates.”

The B1 also carries many people through Dortmund every day, but can only be crossed at a few points, meaning it separates urban areas rather than inviting people into them. The students therefore developed a wide range of proposals that share a common goal, says Michael Schwarz: “Because the federal highway also forms an important east‑west axis at the regional level and connects high‑traffic destinations such as the Westfalenhallen or the stadium, the teams incorporated the city boundaries architecturally to give travellers a strong first impression and a memorable final image of Dortmund through new visual accents. In addition, they integrate the B1 into the urban context by using individual high‑rise buildings to create targeted relationships with adjacent neighbourhoods, for example at the Westfalenpark.”

Exchange With the City

As part of the final critique on 11 March, the students publicly presented their designs at the Baukunstarchiv NRW. This year, the teams worked with true‑to‑scale 3D computer models due to the large dimensions involved; these had been prepared by TU students in a joint semester workshop. The final documentation is also made available to the city each year. Olaf Schmidt says: “The intensive exchange creates various advantages for both sides. The students benefit from practice‑oriented work on current urban‑development topics. Through the public presentation of the results, individual projects or relevant parts of them may flow into further considerations of the planning administration or at least provide inspiration.” Another International Spring Academy is planned for 2027.

About the International Spring Academy:

As the local counterpart to the Summer Academy in Venice, which has taken place for almost 40 years, the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering at TU Dortmund University has organised the International Spring Academy annually since 2013. Thematically, the format focuses on Dortmund’s inner city: in recent years, teams have addressed topics such as “The Station Forecourt,” “The Hellweg,” and “Urban Squares.” The International Spring Academy enables both students and teaching staff to exchange ideas with colleagues from different countries, work together, and establish long‑term international contacts.

Further information and documentation of results from previous years

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