Institute

At the Institute for Design and Building Typology at Graz University of Technology, we understand architecture as a cultural practice and an open field of knowledge – one that is constantly being renegotiated.

Our teaching and research are grounded in a critical engagement with the concept of typology. As one of the main tasks of architectural practice today is to care for existing buildings, to make them accessible, and to transform them in ways that allow for changing requirements and needs – we are interested in examining buildings as generous, open structures, not tied to a single primary use: as abstractable typological patterns that transcend classical functional categories, and as designs whose morphological qualities can establish various connections within an open network of typological relationships. In this sense, we do not think of Gebäudelehre in terms of fixed categories, but rather as a dynamic order that is constantly evolving and remains incomplete.

In design education, we study, draw upon, reframe, and expand our network of references. Students learn to design as a form of associative thinking beyond prescribed paths. Acquired knowledge, direct references, and the testing of defined parameters, together with intuitive experimental arrangements and serendipitous discoveries, are interwoven in the design process.

In both teaching and research, we deal with the complex and contradictory issues facing architectural practice through discursive exchange. We are convinced that in-depth knowledge and unbiased perspectives on issues enrich one another. Drawing on their diverse skills and expertise, students, faculty, and external thinkers and designers collaborate on design projects and current research questions, fostering a professional understanding that embraces plurality and collective intelligence.