Competition launched for new dormitory

Lively residential quarter for students in Aachen's city center

• Studierendenwerk Aachen wants to convert vacant institute building into a modern dormitory
  
• Ideal location: planning area adjoins existing Studierendenwerk property at Seilgraben
• Project development as part of a closed state competition
• Initial results expected by the end of the year

There is still a shortage of affordable student accommodation in Aachen: over 6,000 applicants are on the Studierendenwerk waiting list for most of the year, hoping for a place in one of the 21 dormitories.

When RWTH Aachen University ceased operating its teaching and study rooms at Rochusstraße 2 two years ago, Studierendenwerk immediately expressed interest in the ageing building in order to build a new dormitory there. In spring 2024, the municipal planning committee finally approved the launch of an architectural competition. Sebastian Böstel, Managing Director of Studierendenwerk, is delighted to have the opportunity to expand the housing on offer at this location: "The building is particularly interesting for us, as the courtyard area to the rear is directly adjacent to the terrace garden of our dormitory Seilgraben. The conditions are therefore ideal for creating a lively, high-quality inner-city residential area for students."

The building project is subject to publicly subsidized student housing and is located in the city centre in the immediate vicinity of many RWTH Aachen University facilities. The planning basis is an attractive redensification through conversion, new construction or extension on the site between the Rochusstraße building and the existing dormitory at Seilgraben. With the help of a state competition, Studierendenwerk, the city, the Chamber of Architects and the state of NRW are hoping to come up with particularly innovative solutions.

Designs for 5,700 square meters of planned area
The Rochusstraße property comprises a plot of around 1,386 square meters in total, which is being made available to Studierendenwerk by the City of Aachen on a leasehold basis. Together with the Seilgraben dormitory plot, the planning area amounts to 5,700 square meters. There are plans to add 120 new student accommodations, which will be offered as single rooms and shared flats.

The design drafts to be submitted should fulfill the criteria of "simple construction". These not only relate to the economic operation of the building, but also include important aspects such as sustainability and the choice of construction form, materials and technical equipment. Goals include minimizing building technology and using renewable energy. "Some of these requirements are important components of the AACHEN*2030 master plan," says Sebastian Böstel. "Otherwise, the list of requirements is deliberately very open in order to offer as much scope as possible for different solutions."

Prize money in the amount of 96,000 euros
The main organizer of the competition is the Ministry of Homeland, Municipal Affairs, Building and Digitization of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia. The project is intended to make a contribution to planning and building culture in North Rhine-Westphalia and provide impetus for sustainable forms of housing in subsidized housing construction. The tendering and organization was carried out by the Dortmund-based office for architecture and urban development compar. In addition to renowned architects, the panel of experts and judges also includes students and representatives of the city and Studierendenwerk. A total of 25 architectural firms are involved. The prize money for the top three winners amounts to around 85,000 euros; two recognition prizes are also on offer.

The deadline for submitting entries is the beginning of November, with the jury meeting towards the end of the year. In the meantime, the project has picked up speed: A site visit for the participating offices took place in August, followed by an intensive colloquium with the jury to answer questions. Sebastian Böstel: "We are very excited about the designs!"