Nature guides new campus design in Germany
Architecture and landscape architecture firm Henning Larsen has won a design competition for a new mobility hub at the University of Konstanz in Germany which combines nature with campus life.
Featuring a new bicycle garage, wood-sheltered bus stop and central plaza, the designs “deprioritise cars and instead let people move through light, greenery, and open space, the campus comes alive,” says Hendrik Porst, head of department, idea and concept.
The design features canopy-like roof openings that bring daylight and natural ventilation to the lower level, while creating space for trees to grow through the structure itself and social areas for university students.
Guided by nature, the design transform the dark, grey underground garage as an open and integrated environment constructed from recycled concrete.
The slightly concave roof will channel rainwater to retention boxes for irrigation and evaporation, whilst drought-tolerant and biodiversity-supporting plants reduce the need for additional watering.
The 7,000m2 hub project, located nearby the shores of Lake Constance in Germany bordering Switzerland, is expected to be completed in 2031.