Lennard Floerke

The Centre for Education and Administration, in short "BVZ", in Bochum is set to be demolished in the upcoming years. Built in the late 1970s, it serves as an extension of the historic town hall and houses public administration offices, the municipal library and an adult education centre. Having grown up in Bochum, this thesis represents my search for an answer to the question whether and how I can contribute to initiating a realpolitik debate on the building's preservation. 
Apart from tracing the BVZ's history and that of other typologically related buildings, the work ultimately focuses on the approach of formulating a feasible design for the conversion of the existing structure in order to provide a tangible contribution to the discussion as well as to awaken imaginations in connection with the mostly unloved building. 
As all existing institutions will definitely be relocated, a new program is a prerequisite for the continued existence of the BVZ. In response to the deficient housing supply, the resource-related necessity of converting existing structures and the building's borderline location between the business and residential quarters, the thesis examines a conversion of the BVZ into a residential building. In addition to a wide range of apartment types, many of which meet the requirements of social housing, the design provides space for social services such as a daycare centre with a publicly accessible indoor playground and an elementary school with a canteen, serving also the administrative staff working in the town hall. 
Although the programmatic interventions are substantial, an attempt is made both in terms of content and graphic presentation to honour the character of the building and its time of creation as well as to show that it is capable of managing a functional transformation through relatively simple interventions. 

SCHUNCK cannot guarantee the correctness of content and expression. The participants themselves are responsible for their entries. The copyright of the projects underlies to the authors, any reproduction or use of the shown material is strictly forbidden.