Construction is both an instrument for producing spaces and objects and a means of artistic expression - a sort of language. The course imparts basic knowledge of the syntax and vocabulary of this language and deals with key construction principles applicable to physical objects of various sizes (articles of daily use, furniture, and especially architecture).

We deal with the following questions, among others: Which load-bearing systems are there and for which materials can they be used? Which structures, spatial effects and surfaces can be created with them? How can construction be used as a design tool? Which physical and geometric laws have to be observed? 

These principles are presented and discussed in the weekly lecture and applied and tested in two full-day workshops. On the first workshop day at the beginning of the semester  you will design a small building, on the second day in the second half of the semester you will elaborate and draw it. We will discuss the workshop dates and the design topic in the first course unit.

(The project also serves as a basis for the course "Plandarstellung für Industrial Designer", which is organisationally linked to the course "Raum und Konstruktion").

Active participation in the course. Full day workshops on 30 November 2022 and 11 January 2023: Design and constructive elaboration of a small architectural object – "A space that celebrates (one of) your senses". The conceptual quality of the design and the acquired constructive understanding will be assessed.

The small architectural object which you design for "Raum und Konstruktion” will serve as a basis for the drawing of plans in the course "Plandarstellung für Industrial Designer". Therefore, we strongly recommend combining  the courses "Raum und Konstruktion" and "Plandarstellung" (Wednesday 11:00 - 12:30,  Anja Jonkhans)

The course is also recommended for architecture students who want to brush up their knowledge of building construction.

For the first lesson please send a photo of an architectural space that you like to karin.raith@uni-ak.ac.at (it can be anything: a café, a modern indoor swimming pool, a gothic church, a theatre, a bus shelter...). We will discuss some of these examples and try to find out what architectural means give it this particular atmosphere.