Architecture Designs at TH-OWL: A New Perspective on Bielefeld's Old Town
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What could Bielefeld's old town look like tomorrow?
The opening Architecture Designs at TH-OWL invites you to the foyer of the Technical Town Hall on October 28, 2026. Architecture students from the Detmold School of Design present their designs for a redevelopment of the plot at Güsenstraße corner Ritterstraße – opposite the Süsterkirche in the Bielefeld old town.
Urban history as a basis for design
The area, now used as a parking lot, was developed in a small-scale manner until World War II. The exhibition makes visible how differently this historically significant site can be interpreted. In the examination of works, urban analysis, architectural drawing, and the question of how a new urban element can respectfully connect to its surroundings come together.
Architecture between memory and present
The student projects engage intensively with the history of the site, the defining buildings of the neighborhood, and the current situation around Süsterplatz and Süsterkirche. Different concepts for a contemporary corner building are on display, seamlessly integrating into the historical environment while not denying its present.
New uses for an underestimated place
On the ground floor, the designs explore retail and gastronomy spaces to enliven the urban area. For the upper floors, apartments, offices, and alternative hotel uses were developed. The required parking spaces are included in the concepts in an underground garage. This makes architecture tangible as a connection of spatial impact, use, and urban development.
Curation and cultural education
The project was created in the summer semester of 2026 in the Bachelor's program in Architecture at the Detmold School of Design at TH OWL. The students were supervised by Prof. Jasper Jochimsen. In close cooperation with architect Andreas Hollstein and Ascan von Neumann-Cosel, former head of the Lower Monument Authority, a methodology for shaping the neighborhood as a design tool was tested.
The exhibition thus offers more than a presentation of architectural drawings: it provides access to urban curation, building culture, and cultural education. The aesthetic experience emerges from the comparison of models, floor plans, and perspectives that formulate different responses to the same urban challenge.
Conclusion: Architecture as an invitation to think along
The opening promises an inspiring art experience for all who are interested in architecture, urban history, and the future of Bielefeld's old town. Those who want to experience how new spaces arise from analysis, imagination, and constructive thinking should visit the exhibition live at the Technical Town Hall.
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- Website: https://www.th-owl.de/g/studium/fachgebiete/entwerfen/
