Student Hostel in Ulm
- Burkhard Franke
Visible from afar as an ensemble of clear-cut concrete cubes in the north of Ulm, these two almost identical dwelling blocks complement the other buildings on the University West campus. Bearing the name “Upper West Side”, accommodation has been created here for some 300 students, and a third block is already being planned. The present development contains various dwelling forms. These are laid out about semi-public courtyards which can be used in different ways as common central areas. In the two western tracts, single rooms are lined up on both sides of a central corridor. In the narrower strips opposite these, accommodation is provided on every floor for four flat-sharing groups in four-room units. The cross-strips overlooking the courtyards contain one-room apartments with their own bathrooms. In the northern block, these dwellings are designed for disabled persons, which means that they require more space and therefore result in an asymmetrical layout of the courtyard. Incorporated in both blocks near the staircases are loggias that are open either on one side or to the sky.
