LECTURE: COMMUNITY LABORATORY, SELECTED PROJECTS · INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

COMMUNITY LABORATORY
VU Gebäudelehre 2024/25
SELECTED PROJECTS
MODERATED BY THOMAS AMANN, LEONHARD PANZENBÖCK
WED, 10.12.2025, 17:00 – Informatikhörsaal, TU Wien

Students presentations
Iman Achtaewa, Mariam Bekhit, Maria Bittner, Darina Dobrikova, Mira Füreder, Karoline Gilhofer, Ralitsa Haldarova, Dora Hegedus, Jonas Hehn, Ema Hocevar, Yana Ilieva, Linus Koch, Timon Paffrath, Mira Petric, Andrei Pinte, Paul Ritter, Barbara Simlinger, Hanna Szuros, Hannes Wedel, Leonie Weithase, Leo Widenmann

VU Gebäudelehre 2024/25 examined how architecture increasingly shapes urban public infrastructure in the context of the ongoing ecological crisis. The course focused on designing a Community Laboratory – a contemporary, resilient public typology that meets the needs of urban communities both now and in the future, on a specific site. Architectural typologies are rethought through the lens of resilience, focusing on designing specific spatial structures capable of accommodating a multiplicity of current and future programs. Emphasis is placed on notable typologies that can absorb radical programmatic shifts over time, extending buildings' life cycles and combating the demolition culture. Resilient Typologies are an ecological strategy where building structure plays an integral role.

Ecological Position
As architects operating within the climate crisis, we must confront our practice’s undeniable environmental impact and question the ethics of the construction sector. We must recognize the urgent demands of the ecological crisis in every design challenge. Our current GBL ecological position embraces the principles of anti-demolition, adaptive reuse, as well as material circularity, and experimenting with local resources and waste streams. This leads us to the pivotal question: Should we continue constructing new buildings? And if so, how should we approach the design and construction of these resilient typologies?

1. Resilience (Firmitas)
We aim to create distinctive, long-lasting structures capable of withstanding both programmatic change and the passage of time. The spatial organization of the Community Laboratory should ensure its relevance for future generations and various scenarios of use.

2. Performability (Utilitas)
Architecture must enable performative scenarios that encourage diverse uses and activities. Our design process will oscillate between generic and specific, allowing spaces to transform and support various programs—from workshops and performances to classes and community events. How can we design distinct spaces to serve both their intended and unknown purposes?

3. Aesthetics (Venustas)
Beauty is an essential aspect of resilience, not merely decoration. We will examine proportion and polyvalence to ensure that the space performs well and inspires and uplifts its users. This studio will challenge the notion that polyvalence means neutrality, aiming to imbue the space with character, identity, and meaning through design choices that also incorporate ancient exploration of proportion.

The aim is to design a space that embodies these principles, responding to the multi-layered urban context while standing out as a resilient, performative, beautiful, and ethically responsible solution to contemporary challenges. Let’s embark on this journey together to develop a community space that resonates with today and tomorrow's needs.

Grand Hall & Series of Rooms
The design studio will prioritize minimizing environmental harm through long-lasting, resilient architecture that ensures distinct qualities of spaces, allowing them to adapt to both present and future needs. The Community Laboratory is envisioned as a polyvalent space that becomes a catalyst for social interaction, knowledge exchange, cultural enrichment, and sustainable urban development. More than just a physical structure, it will serve as a dynamic hub where culture, sports, education, and production converge, fostering new ways for the community to engage and interact. At the core of the spatial organization is a grand hall, which will serve as the focal point for large-scale events and gatherings. This hall will be complemented by a versatile system of rooms for smaller, more intimate, or specialized uses. The layout should encourage movement and interaction while allowing for quiet reflection, study, and production. How can we create a new architecture that minimizes its environmental impact and actively supports community and planetary well-being?

APR 27, 2022

18:00

LECTURE: X=(T=E=N)

APR 29, 2022

10:00

Symposium: 300 Years EntwurfF

OCT 4, 2022

18:00

EXHIBITION: REVIEW ‘22

NOV 7, 2022

21:00

LECTURE: Kjetil Trædal Thorsen, Snøhetta

FEB 16, 2023

11:00

EXHIBITION & SUPERCRIT: UMBAU IN DER LEHRE

MAR 9, 2023

18:30

LECTURE: GABU HEINDL

MAR 21, 2023

18:00

HOUSING TALKS: PIPPO CIORRA, MAXXI

MAR 22, 2023

18:30

LECTURE: JÖRG HEISER

APR 18, 2023

18:00

LECTURE: CARLES ENRICH

APR 19, 2023

18:30

LECTURE: HEIKE MAIER-RIEPER

APR 26, 2023

18:30

LECTURE: BERNHARD LEITNER

MAY 3, 2023

18:30

LECTURE: LUISA ZIAJA

MAY 11, 2023

18:00

SYMPOSIUM: MATERIAL REUSE STRATEGIES

MAY 16, 2023

18:00

HOUSING TALKS: SANDI HILAL

MAY 23, 2023

18:00

HOUSING TALKS: FLORENCIA ANDREOLA, AZZURA MUZZONIGRO

MAY 24, 2023

18:30

LECTURE: KIM TROGAL & ANNA WAKEFORD HOLDER

MAY 25, 2023

18:00

LECTURE: AVENIER CORNEJO ARCHITECTS

MAY 31, 2023

18:30

LECTURE: HEIMO ZOBERNIG

JUN 6, 2023

18:00

HOUSING TALKS: JOCHEN BECKER, METROZONES

JUN 20, 2023

18:00

HOUSING TALKS: SASHA PIRKER

JUN 26, 2023

18:00

LECTURE: JOSEP RICART, HARQUITECTES

JUN 28, 2023

16:30

EXHIBITION: VIENNESE CAFÉS: PUBLIC INTERIOR, URBAN SALON

JUN 28, 2023

18:30

LECTURE: GREGOR EICHINGER

SEP 27, 2023

18:00

EXHIBITION: Bioregionale Strategien der Wieder- verwendung

OCT 11, 2023

18:00

PRESENTATION & DISCUSSION: WEBSITE LAUNCH & TALK ON PUBLICATIONS

OCT 12, 2023

18:00

EXHIBITION: RESHAPING STRUCTURES

NOV 7, 2023

18:00

LECTURE:
X=(T=E=N)

Symposium:
300 Years EntwurfF

EXHIBITION:
REVIEW ‘22

LECTURE:
Kjetil Trædal Thorsen, Snøhetta

EXHIBITION & SUPERCRIT:
UMBAU IN DER LEHRE

LECTURE:
GABU HEINDL

HOUSING TALKS:
PIPPO CIORRA, MAXXI

LECTURE:
JÖRG HEISER

LECTURE:
CARLES ENRICH

LECTURE:
HEIKE MAIER-RIEPER

LECTURE:
BERNHARD LEITNER

LECTURE:
LUISA ZIAJA

SYMPOSIUM:
MATERIAL REUSE STRATEGIES

HOUSING TALKS:
SANDI HILAL

HOUSING TALKS:
FLORENCIA ANDREOLA, AZZURA MUZZONIGRO

LECTURE:
KIM TROGAL & ANNA WAKEFORD HOLDER

LECTURE:
AVENIER CORNEJO ARCHITECTS

LECTURE:
HEIMO ZOBERNIG

HOUSING TALKS:
JOCHEN BECKER, METROZONES

HOUSING TALKS:
SASHA PIRKER

LECTURE:
JOSEP RICART, HARQUITECTES

EXHIBITION:
VIENNESE CAFÉS: PUBLIC INTERIOR, URBAN SALON

LECTURE:
GREGOR EICHINGER

EXHIBITION:
Bioregionale Strategien der Wieder- verwendung

PRESENTATION & DISCUSSION:
WEBSITE LAUNCH & TALK ON PUBLICATIONS

EXHIBITION:
RESHAPING STRUCTURES

HOUSING TALKS:
ARCHITEKTUR-
KOLLEKTIV AKT

EXHIBITION:
PFANN-OHMANN-PREIS 2023

HOUSING TALKS:
IZABELA MOREN, PIETRO AIROLDI

EXHIBITION:
MODERNITY SOUTH SOUTH

LECTURE:
STUDIO MUOTO

LECTURE:
einszueins architektur, PPAG architects

LECTURE:
MARIA SHÉHÉRAZADE GUIDICI

SYMPOSIUM:
RADIKALE SYMBIOSEN

BOOK LAUNCH:
EINE SKIZZENFIBEL

LECTURE:
JULIANE GREB

HOUSING TALKS:
DANIELE KARASZ

LECTURE:
GABRIELA DENK

LECTURES:
DANIEL BELL, CHARLY BLÖDEL, ESTELLE JULLIAN

HOUSING TALKS:
MARINA OTERO VERZIER

LECTURES:
OPEN DESIGN ACADEMY – LEARNING FROM YOUR PEERS

LECTURE:
Marc Barani

LECTURE:
PIETERJAN GINCKELS, KU LEUVEN

LECTURE:
AXEL FICKERT, KNAPKIEWICZ & FICKERT

BOOK LAUNCH:
ENTWURFF EINER HISTORISCHEN ARCHITEKTUR

HOUSING TALKS:
ANGELIKA HINTER-
BRANDNER

LECTURE:
Myrto Vitart

HOUSING TALKS:
EDIT [ALBERTE LAURIDSEN]

LECTURE:
Eva Branscome

EXHIBITION:
DISPLAY & EXHIBIT CASE STUDY HELMUT LANG