A nine-day workshop for architecture students about unused space in Munster, Germany, i.a.w. Thomas Balke architect in Munster. Due to fixed building regulations and housing shortage, most inhabitants in metro poles are forced to look at unused spaces in their cities. The underground space of Zentrum Niederlande Studien (ZNS) will give us a framework for the CASE ‘MUNSTER UNUSED’.Crossing the border, where we will experience a bi-national work experience, and perform in a foreign work environment. ZNS, Zentrum Niederlande Studien in Munster, is looking for a new concept of underground space, unused. The idea is to install new functions, attract visitors, people from the neighbourhood around, and promote the work of ZNS in a new environment.
In his book The Poetics of Space, Gaston Bachelard connects the cellar with the ideas of Freud and Jung. In his book, he describes a house from attic to cellar to show how our perception of spaces shapes our thoughts, memories, and dreams. The attic, for example, offers shelter from rain, sun, and fears. In the attic, thoughts are clear. The cellar, on the other hand, is the dark, irrational space of our house. It symbolises the hidden painful experiences in our lives. Only through dreams or association can these experiences be consciously lived and processed.
ZNS has no specific ideas about the unused space, so we will generate six ideas about this unused space. It will be a very challenging assignment because of the spatial geometry, structure, access situation, daylight and indoor climate. The unused space in Munster address is a unique chance to develop fresh ideas and concepts during the workshop. We do not make plans; we make proposals and develop scenarios, ideas that the client can bring further.
w/ thomas balke, jesse van lienen