On this page, you will find more detailed information about the courses offered by the Chair

AD810 - Main Design, AD911 - Advanced Design
Gateways - Architectural Identity Between the Public Realm and High Tech

Architecture is often the first point of contact between a company and the public. It conveys values, provides orientation, and shapes identity.

In the design studio, we are developing an architectural language for the new ESMC campus in Dresden—ranging from the hybrid entrance building, which serves as a mobility hub, welcome center, exhibition space, and factory gate, to a family of architectural elements that extends across the entire campus.

The focus is on questions of identity, lightweight construction, structural design, and sustainability, as well as the role of architecture as an interface between the public sphere, mobility, and high-tech production.

Register via SELMA and find more information on OPAL
 

AD935 - Architecture and Structural Systems
Crtl + G - Controlling Geometry

In the upcoming semester, the “Architecture and Structures” course will explore foundational and advanced 3D modeling and parametric design.

Through sequential modules, students will iteratively develop and refine models using real-world architectural case studies. Workshops and consultations will provide essential skills for modeling complex geometry, with a focus on Rhino, Grasshopper, and specialized plugins. Brief tutorials on visualization and systematic file organization will supplement these sessions.

Registration via SELMA

AD610 - Academic Writing
Craft Connections! - Timber Structures and Their Connections

Materials form components. Connections form structural systems.

In the “Scientific Papers” course, students explore historical and contemporary timber structures.

The focus is on joints and the interplay between material, connection, structure, and the structural system. Based on selected reference projects, students research and analyze designs through drawings and ultimately build and test them on a 1:1 scale in the department’s laboratory and woodshop.

Seminar advisors: Selva Dietzfelbinger, Tanja Scheffler

Registration via SELMA and further information on OPAL

AD510 - Structural Design
Wood Construction Campus Niesky – Living & Learning at the Eichenhof

The design assignment for the winter semester 2026/2027 involves planning a timber construction education center as a place to live and learn about contemporary timber construction in Niesky—a city that was once one of Europe’s most important centers for timber construction.

Students are supervised by faculty members from the Chair of Architectural Design and Construction I and the Chair of Structural Design.

The goal is to develop a holistic, integrated design concept that combines the aspects of both disciplines into a coherent solution. Our focus is on innovative structural solutions that harmonize the architectural vision with structural requirements.

Registration via SELMA and further information on OPAL

AD692 - Architecture Study Tour
Study Trip to Japan – Structural Spaces

This study tour explores structural spaces—from traditional timber construction to contemporary Japanese architecture. The focus is on the interplay between material, construction, and space.

The itinerary takes participants from Tokyo through Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Okayama, Naoshima, and Teshima, where they will visit buildings designed by Shigeru Ban, Kengo Kuma, Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa (SANAA), Toyo Ito, Terunobu Fujimori, and others. The excursion is supplemented by visits to sawmills and timber construction companies of various sizes.

Preparation for the excursion includes compiling a reader and analyzing selected buildings. The main and advanced design projects in the summer semester of 2027 will build on the insights gained during the study trip; these projects are planned as design-build projects in cooperation with the Museum of Decorative Arts of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (Dresden State Art Collections) (Japanese Palace).

Supervisor: Selva Dietzfelbinger

Image: Katsura Imperial Villa (Photo by Yasuhiro Ishimito)

Registration via SELMA