Architecture

Model and photo by Pasquale William Sforza, Riccardo Nasuti and Vincenzo Damiano Stapane, architecture students at the University Gabriele d’Annunzio of Pescara. Guided by professor Federico Biló. Permission was given by Pasquale.

It is the design studio from Aarhus AART Architects, who has designed the college. The construction was completed in 2006 and was from the beginning a sensational building, especially due to the patterned facade and the signature color orange. But the dormitory is not just a flashy monument - both the external as well as internal form follow a cunning principle, which provides great spatial variation and opportunities.

The main shape of the dormitory is designed on the basis of an overall concept, which has been further processed down in scale to the functional level. This method is strongly inspired by trends from the Dutch architectural scene in the 90s, which in Denmark was introduced by the design studio Plot in the early 00s.
The interesting main feature is the spiral-like movement around an inner courtyard. Two rows of rooms form a large L that rotates 90 degrees for each floor. This creates new potential for each floor, which the architects have exploited for various facilities that are included in the dormitory's program.

In addition, AART Arcitects has eliminated the classic dormitory corridor and instead created a space where access to the rooms is linked to cooking and common areas. In other words: When you step outside your room door, you are standing in the middle of a social meeting place. At the same time, these common areas have visual contact with each other through the light courtyard, which connects the college's social life across the different floors.

Are you interested in looking at the architecture from the inside? Then you can get a guided tour in the dorm.