Introductory Design Studio 1 + 2 – „IMAGINED REALITIES: Vertical Aggregated Towers 2026“
In this design studio, we focus on developing fundamental design skills, as well as analyzing and identifying various architectural criteria, and building physical models. The course aims to equip students with the ability to develop, present, and refine simple designs and concepts under guidance.
Students will learn and apply various techniques in the design process, including sketching, model making, drafting, and digital modeling. These techniques are intended to support the design process and enable precise communication of ideas.
A key component of the course is the development and investigation of a self-created analogue basic element or system. Through the repeated application and spatial arrangement of this element, different connection and aggregation logics are explored. Students learn to understand the relationship between individual parts and the resulting whole (part-to-whole relationships) and to deliberately apply these relationships in the development of their designs. The analogue model studies form the basis for the further development and refinement of the spatial, aesthetic, and structural qualities of the design.
Following the analysis and investigation of the analogue models, the developed elements and connection logics are translated into digital models. The combination of analogue and digital tools serves to investigate, communicate, and further develop different aspects of the design process. Model making remains a central component of the design process and supports an understanding of materiality, construction, and design.
Throughout the semester, fundamental aspects of the design process in the areas of construction, design, and architectural methods are addressed. Another key component of the course is the development and communication of a clear design concept. We will also explore the interrelation between design intent and structural idea. Students learn to define their design idea and clearly communicate the underlying spatial, aesthetic, and structural principles. The course explores how a concept can be communicated through drawings, diagrams, plans, models, and a deliberate graphic presentation on a poster. The aim is to creatively integrate these criteria into the designs and develop innovative, functional solutions.
The knowledge and skills imparted in this course will enable students to precisely present their designs and make informed decisions in the design process. The course places special emphasis on the interplay between digital tools and analog model making, as well as the evaluation and critical observation of design qualities, to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the architectural design process.
From imaginary formations to performative aggregations 2026
Formation is a way of organising individual parts spatially. Aggregation is a fundamental method of construction. In his essay ‘From Material to Architecture,’ Moholy-Nagy uses the term ‘accumulation’ or “heap” as the fourth category of ‘material structure’ alongside structure, texture and facture. [1] In the context of short-term design, we will combine these two principles into a design method for constructing vertical structures (construction space of approximately 1x1x2 metres). To do this, we will use a simple basic element with specific material properties, which develops aesthetic, architectural and structural properties when aggregated in spatial arrangements. We will use model building studies to understand why these properties emerge based on arrangement principles, in order to apply, improve and refine them in iterative design steps to construct surprising and innovative spatial installations. The ‘part-to-whole relationships’ will be developed at different scale levels and in relation to aesthetic, spatial and structural criteria. Accompanying the physical material studies and models, digital methods are taught, from prompting (Stable Diffusion) as a digital method of sketching initial ideas, to 3D modelling and the graphical presentation of the results in diagrams and plans. The submission consists of the installation object presented in a review and a brochure containing the design and construction ideas, the design process with all its intermediate steps, and photographic documentation of the model studies and the final installation.
[1] https://www.bauhaus-bookshelf.org/bauhausbuecher-14-moholy-nagy-von-material-zu-architektur-pdf-1929.html