Kassel Reloaded: Design-Build Workshop

Welcome to "Kassel Reloaded: Design-Build Workshop," an immersive and hands-on experience designed to empower architects, designers, and enthusiasts with the skills and knowledge to transform urban spaces. Set in the vibrant city of Kassel, known for its rich history and dynamic cultural scene, this workshop offers a unique opportunity to engage in the complete process of designe and build. The accepted candidates along with students from Kassel university will work on implementing a project in the Süster-Helleböhn district, on the former location of the Olof-Palme-Haus. The Olof-Palme-Haus acted as a community center for the residents of the district and since 2019, the building was closed due to constructional issues, and was later demolished in 2023. Since then, the dwellers did not have any replacement for the Olof-Palme-Haus. The aim of the workshop is to empower the residents and introduce an intermediate use for the unused land parcel, that would make the community happy again. Within this workshop, the participants will work in close collaboration with the community to implement the designed ideas.

Olof Palme Haus:

For decades, the Olof-Palme-Haus was a meeting place for many people in the district “Süsterfeld-Helleböhn”. In 2018, the year before it was unexpectedly closed due to the risk of collapse, around 70,000 people visited the community center. They took part in courses run by the Volkshochschule (VHS) or attended events organized by the 25 clubs represented there. This building was acquired by the city of Kassel in 1981 and used as a community center. For the people of Süsterfeld, the demolition of the building also stands for the hope that something new will be built on this site in the foreseeable future. After all, they have not been able to use their community center since March 2019.

Requirements:

All the following documents should be combined in one PDF-document titled (Summer School in Kassel_Last and First Names) and submitted via the online portal in the same order below*:

1. Motivation letter 300 words
2. Short Curriculum vitae (CV) - Maximum 3 Pages
3. Portfolio - Maximum 8 Pages
4. Certificates: (Bachelor and Master certificates if applicable)
5. Personal Portrait Photo - 1500*1500 Pixels
6. Copy of first page of valid passport

*In case any of the required documents is not submitted, the selection committee will directly ignore the submission.

Eligibility:

• Bachelor and Master students and doctoral candidates from Egypt, Iraq and Lebanon in one or more of the following fields: urban planning, urban design, landscape planning, and architecture are eligible to participate.
• Applicants must be able to communicate in written and spoken English at an advanced/professional level.

Financial Support:

The Summer School is fully funded. The fund includes flat rate travel allowance according to DAAD guidelines (for a round trip) and per diem.

Summer School Host Institute:

Summer School will take place at the Department of Urban Regeneration and Planning Theory – Kassel University – Germany

Application Timeline:

• Call for Applications: Friday, 17^th May 2024
• Application Deadline: Sunday, 26^th May 2024 (10:00 CET)
• For further questions and inquiries, please feel free to contact us: workshop@urbanacupuncture.de