Our proposition for the Bauhaus campus 21 competition, THE OKULUS, gets its name from the large circular exhibition space located underneath the building’s courtyard. This subterranean gallery draws in daylight from the distinctive 20 meter wide round opening in the center, around which the exhibition revolves. On the ceiling of the space is a set of railings, along which mobile wall elements can be moved. These elements are stored in a separate garage and can be moved to split the open space into desired segments and to act as a background for works in exhibition. This modularity enables endless amounts of spatial variations for the exhibition.
The auditorium of the campus is located right next to the main lobby, and it extends underground to provide an inclined stand for event participants. The lower part of the auditorium has access to the gallery, enabling a smooth transition from lectures to the exhibition below.
We have divided the workshop and class spaces by function. Halls for working wood and metal are right next to each other, and both have access to respective machinery rooms. Additionally, the campus has classes and equipment for ceramics, textile working, and 3D-printing. In general, the workshops are located on the ground floor with the classes right above. Movement between the working and exhibition areas is effortless with elevators in the key locations.
Finally, the campus has two types of accommodation. Dorm apartments for a total of 48 students living on the campus area, and 12 more private studio suites for conference visitors. The student housing implements a model, in which each student has their own bedroom of approximately 10 m^2, but shares a kitchen, bathroom, and a toilet with two other students. Student flats are located in two apartment buildings on the southern side of the property, whereas visitor studios have their separate row houses.
