How a Shared Space Is Created for a University with Multiple Campuses
Warm colors, natural materials, a cozier atmosphere: Since fall 2023, the Berlin-based architecture firm Kinzo and Mainz University of Applied Sciences have been collaborating to design the publicly accessible areas in both the old and new buildings on the campus at Lucy-Hillebrand-Straße in a way that allows students, faculty, and staff to all feel a strong sense of connection to the space. A task fraught with challenges.
Text: Neli Mihaylova
The move to the new building on Lucy-Hillebrand-Straße will mark a new era in the history of Mainz University of Applied Sciences. For the first time in decades, nearly all academic disciplines will be brought together at a single location. However, this move, scheduled for 2026, will bring significant changes: On the one hand, the campus will require many more student workspaces, exhibition areas, and quiet zones; on the other hand, the two buildings are intended to become a place of interaction.
In the fall of 2023, the university therefore commissioned the Berlin-based architectural firm Kinzo to design the publicly accessible spaces in the first and second construction phases in a way that further strengthens a shared identity. Maren Englisch took over the project in March 2024. A central component is the circulation axis between the old and new buildings, which is intended for interdisciplinary use. In addition, the firm is working on the furnishings for the centrally furnished areas, including office spaces, seminar rooms, and student workspaces.
“The concept development began with workshops in which faculty, students, staff, and the staff council were involved from the very beginning to identify their wishes and needs,” explains project manager Maren Englisch. To supplement this, online interviews were conducted. This scientific approach not only facilitated the planning of the spaces; it is also intended to ensure that the design and functions of the new spaces are better understood and accepted by users later on.
Based on the results from the workshops and surveys, Kinzo developed a concept that divides the public spaces into zones and meets various requirements through a furniture layout plan. “One of the biggest challenges was bringing the new building to life, since parts of the university are being relocated from the city center to the outskirts, which understandably raises concerns among students and faculty—cafés, shops, and the Rhine are no longer in the immediate vicinity,” explains Maren Englisch.
Relaxation Zones and Social Spaces
The design of the Magistrale was therefore intended to serve as a “third place” that offers workspaces, relaxation zones, and social spaces and reflects the city’s character. “In the implementation, we’re drawing on Mainz’s cityscape in our color scheme and using warm materials to counteract the gray building and lend the simple architecture a cozier feel,” she continues.
Another challenge was involving the numerous stakeholders. This was because the interests of all academic departments—which had previously worked and studied in different locations—needed to be taken into account. “It’s important to us that everyone can identify with the new spaces and see their needs reflected in the design,” emphasizes Maren Englisch. And these needs vary widely: Some degree programs want spacious exhibition areas, while others need as many workspaces as possible in the public areas.
For this reason, Kinzo is planning temporary workspaces, flexible exhibition and event spaces, and numerous gathering places with amenities for the zones along the Magistrale. “The individual uses of certain spaces and the varying qualities of the workspaces are intended to meet diverse needs, offer design possibilities for students, and foster interaction,” says the project manager.
The architectural firm Kinzo has already developed various communal spaces within corporate environments based on a campus concept, such as at the Zalando headquarters in Berlin or at the headquarters of the cosmetics company Amore Pacific in Seoul. It is also planning central communal spaces for the German Heart Center at Charité in Berlin and the student cafeteria at the Bonn Student Services Organization in collaboration with students and the local administration.
