Following the failed competition for an architecture archive in the Sint-Hubertus church, this year’s graduation studio of Interiors Buildings Cities focused on developing a proposal for its integration within the DeSingel Art Campus in the south of Antwerp.

'Drawn to the Corner' positions the DeSingel Art Campus not as a singular building, but as a city-like constellation of institution-specific 'corner figures.' Each figure anchors both the identity of its respective institution and its relationship to the collective campus. By understanding DeSingel as an accumulation of such figures, the proposal introduces 'the next' — an architecture archive housing the CVAa and the VAi — as a new institutional presence within this sequence.

This new corner figure is located at a threshold where the campus meets the urban fabric of its surroundings. Here, the building’s orientation shifts, enabling it to act as both a defining edge for the campus and a civic landmark. This dual role provides the architecture archive with a singular public identity while simultaneously strengthening the identity of the DeSingel Art Campus within the city.

Complementing the corner figure, the project proposes targeted rearrangements within the campus. A currently underutilized corridor is transformed into a new central foyer, creating a shared meeting ground for all institutions. This intervention recentralizes the collective courtyard — the field around which the campus physically revolves — and reinforces the value of existing shared facilities.

The architecture archive is both its own and part of the DeSingel Art Campus. Its expression — distinct from, yet in dialogue with, the other corner figures — reflects the ever-evolving spirit of contemporary architecture. Together, these figures form a living exhibition of architectural identities, individually specific yet forming a composite presence deeply rooted in the history of Flemish culture and architecture. ... Read more

The VAi wants to rehome thier current archiving depot storages, moving all the functions within deSingel. deSingel is an architectural monument within Antwerp, designed by Leon Stynen in 1968 with additions added by Stephane Beel in 2000 and 2010. My design proposal for the new VAi within deSingel is an extension on the West side of the building, creating a landscape that grounds the Beel extension of deSingel, and that creates a connection between the park and deSingel. ... Read more

This graduation project is situated within the deSingel complex in Antwerp, originally designed by Léon Stynen in 1965 and progressively expanded over the decades, most notably with an addition by Stéphane Beel in 2010. Among its diverse cultural functions, deSingel accommodates the Flemish Architecture Institute (VAi), whose archival depot, however, is currently located elsewhere in the city. The central aim of the Interiors, Buildings, Cities graduation studio was to reimagine the integration of the VAi’s full program, including its archive, within the existing structure of deSingel.

A primary design challenge was to address the tension between introducing the depot function and remaining sensitive to the architectural principles established by both Stynen and Beel. While Stynen’s original complex was characterized by clarity of circulation and spatial hierarchy, Beel’s intervention introduced a fragmented and less coherent layout in relation to the original building. This proposal strategically activates the vacant plot to the west of the site, currently used for parking and logistical services, which directly connects to the VAi offices. By positioning the new intervention between these two architecturally disparate wings, the project attempts to reconcile the spatial and conceptual disjunctions inherent in the current condition.

The project is rooted in both theoretical and design-based research. At the outset of the academic year, communal seminars explored the architectural archive not merely as a repository, but as a spatial construct shaped by cultural, institutional, and narrative forces.

A central theme emerging from these discussions was the interdependence between archive and exhibition—how archiving stems from a fundamental human desire to leave a trace, and how exhibition practices inevitably shape what is remembered and what is omitted. This raised critical questions around curatorship, authorship, and institutional responsibility: What is selected for display, and by whom? What remains invisible, and why?
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A matter of: Fact & Figure is a graduation project which has been developed within the Interiors Buildings Cities Studio. In short, this project tries to ask how contexts and compositions of facts – in this case specifically, artefacts – could be left behind in order for them to be interpreted as meaningful figures.
The project revolves around artefacts in particular, since its subject is The Flemish Architecture Institute in Antwerp, Belgium. This institute manages architectural artefacts within their archive in the centre of Antwerp, which the sensitize to the public within their institute in DE SINGEL, an International Arts Centre which is located along the fringe of Antwerp’s centre.
In 2021, an intention to bring the institute and its archive together under one roof was expressed through a competition for a new building for the institute. Such a project, however, has never been realized. This graduation project attempts to revive this intention and proposes a new architecture institute in Antwerp.
Before presenting the proposal, an understanding of knowledge will be will be provided, which formed as a basis from which problems regarding the institute could be defined. These problems and a failed attempt to solve them are then explained, after which an alternative design proposal will be presented. ... Read more

The Flemish Architecture Institute (VAi) has outgrown its current spaces within de Singel, Antwerp's modernist arts complex. Simultaneously, de Singel itself suffers from poor accessibility, fragmented circulation, and severed landscape connections due to Ring Road infrastructure. This graduation project proposes an integrated solution operating at different scales. A landscape bridge reconnects fragmented green spaces across the highway, creating ecological corridors and establishing a walking network that extends the archive into the city's modernist landmarks. A new VAi building with a transparent ground floor transforms de Singel's into a welcoming public threshold. The design embraces permeability and connectivity as a core principle. By transforming the highway barrier from urban wound into landscape infrastructure, the project gives the VAi a contemporary public identity while completing Leon Stynen's interrupted vision of de Singel as a building embedded in nature. It demonstrates how cultural institutions can actively contribute to urban healing and ecological restoration. ... Read more

The Stockholm Library, opened in 1928, was designed by the notable Swedish architect Erik Gunnar Asplund. From its beginning, the library was an important element of the city's architecture as well as its social infrastructure. Nowadays the library asks for a change, following the new society and its challenges.
The project proposes an extension, respecting the monumentality of the existing structure, complimenting it and reinforcing its relation with the surrounding. The new structure should address the lack of scale and program diversity, offering a unique infrastructure where contemporary society would provide their needs and strengthen their relationships.
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The project “Other Traditions” explores diverse knowledge systems, emphasizing oral traditions and ecological knowledge exchanges. Set in Stockholm, Sweden, the project focuses on the Stockholm City Library, a significant architectural landmark, and its surrounding areas, including Observatory Hill. The initiative addresses three key issues: optimizing library spaces for informal meetings, creating inclusive spaces for minority groups, particularly refugees, and enhancing biodiversity.
The project proposes connecting the library with a nearby annex using small workrooms, creating an urban forest as a living laboratory, and incorporating culturally resonant spaces like the Qa’a for storytelling and language learning. The urban forest expansion aligns with Stockholm’s environmental goals, enhancing air quality and providing leisure space. The design integrates with the local landscape, ensuring accessibility and monumentality, while also respecting the historical significance of the site. ... Read more

The Stockholm City Library project involves refurbishing and extending the building, incorporating nearby Annex buildings, Observatory Hill and the city itself. Inspired by Gunnar Asplund’s design principles—spatial harmony, material quality, and poetic expression—the project honors the library’s role as a cultural landmark and storytelling space that resonates across cultures. Drawing on Sweden’s values of political neutrality, hospitality, and cultural inclusivity, it aims to create spaces that welcome minority communities, immigrants, and diverse narratives.

The intervention is organised into four key components: the enhancement and extension of a bazaar area, including the creation of two new courtyard gardens; the refurbishment of the existing library with new, light-filled covered spaces; new functions to the Annex building, connected to the library via an underground passage; and the addition of a dedicated storytelling room with a cloister, creating a unified space that bridges both buildings with an outdoor garden. The design reflects the evolving role of modern libraries as community hubs where people feel a sense of belonging and connection, addressing social isolation by fostering communal interactions. Drawing inspiration from traditional living rooms—where art and decor often narrate cultural stories—the project establishes a platform for storytelling and knowledge exchange.

Ultimately, this project seeks to restore the library’s historic character while introducing new architectural elements that harmonise the Library, Annexes, Hill, and the surrounding cityscape, enhancing infrastructure and creating welcoming spaces that celebrate community narratives. ... Read more

This project is a proposal for an extension to the Stockholm City Library, designed by Erik Gunnar Asplund in 1928. It raises the question of how should a modern democratic library look like. Given its proximity to the historical library, the project also examines how to respond to and honour Asplund’s legacy. The project offers a new volume which allows the Stockholm City Library an additional 4000 sqm. It takes a position in the landscape, that allows the historical building to maintain its monumentality. Architecturally, the extension continues the dialogue with the existing library through a typological rearrangement, while also establishing its own distinct expression. The project aims to meet the needs of a modern democratic society by creating spaces that support various atmospheres and interactions, both formal and informal. ... Read more

This project addresses the spatial challenges faced by the historic Stockholm City Library, designed by Erik Gunnar Asplund and opened in 1928. Renowned as a catalyst for library innovation, the library now struggles to accommodate the evolving needs of a modern library, with limited space for diverse study areas, group and private rooms, and community functions. The historical and architectural significance of the original structure constrains internal modifications, making an alternative solution essential.

A new addition is proposed south of the library, positioned between the pond and hill to integrate harmoniously with the natural landscape while respecting Asplund's original vision. This extension connects to the existing building at the ground and basement levels and features flexible, open spaces on the main floors, allowing for a variety of study areas. The upper level houses administrative offices, freeing space in the original library for its intended functions.

Externally, the addition is designed to reflect the library's dual role as a community hub and study space, with materials like stained wood and stone cladding that blend into the surrounding context. This expansion not only addresses spatial limitations but also enhances the library's connection to the city and natural surroundings, ensuring the preservation of Swedish heritage and maintaining the library’s role as a vibrant community resource. ... Read more

The protagonist of this year’s graduation studio is the Stockholm City Library. It was deesigned by famous Scandinavian architect Erik Gunnar Asplund (1885-1940) and opened in the spring of 1928. It is a modernist building located in Vasastaden, a very diverse neighbourhood on the Northern Island of Sweden’s capital Stockholm.

The graduation studio, organised by the group Interiors Buildings Cities, started on the premise of two failed competitions that were written out for the Stockholm City library. The project aims to reintegrate the Library into the urban fabric and the city life of Stockholm. It does this by bringing the Bazaar into the building, creating a public, inviting route on the level of Svaevägen Street, and connecting this central city axis to a lowered square that finishes the route throughout the building. While following this public route, the visitor can go up to more focused areas within the library and discover its beautifully kept reading room and Rotunda centrepiece.

The aim is to create a library that not only allows for the individual consumption of knowledge but also facilitates the exchange of knowledge between the inhabitants and visitors of Stockholm. ... Read more

Stockholm Public Library, as a library from the 1920s, pioneered the use of architectural elements such as the Rotunda and open bookshelves, which softened the oppressive nature of traditional library architecture at that time. It embraced a humanistic approach, fostering a sense of active participation and community vitality among its visitors. However, after a century, the original library's space and knowledge dissemination methods are no longer sufficient to meet the diverse needs of society. This project, based on a failed competition held in 2006 for the expansion and renovation of the library and the advisory brief proposed in 2014 based on the 2006 competition, explores the new social functional positioning and service direction of the library in the face of a multicultural audience and is rooted in the unique political and cultural context of Stockholm. Considering the real conditions of the site and the developmental needs, the project aims to construct a new library to make a supplement of the existing library. It will encompass diverse functional spaces such as an Immersive E-media room, a multilingual reading room, and an urban activity lounge to cater to a variety of audiences. The design also involves the transformation and activation of the overground plaza and underground spaces, facilitating communication and connection between the new and old libraries. The goal is to create an interactive entity that radiates into the urban space. ... Read more

As a complex public institution that accommodates life and architecture at different scales, the Stockholm Public Library was the focal point for the studio this year. Around the turn of the century, libraries were confronted with increased digitalisation, privatisation of public space and questions about their role in society. The institution has gradually transformed - from a place dedicated to lending books to a complex public space that promotes inclusivity and diversity.

The starting point of the studio is the architectural competition launched in 2006, which sought the expansion of the Library and the possibility of a renewed urban strategy. The challenge then became addressing the identity of the monumental building and the integration of a wide range of programmes, as well as discussing and embracing issues of equality and multiculturalism.

The graduation project aims to extend Asplundhuset, by enhancing existing qualities and connecting the detached, the library and its closest annex. To facilitate a connection between the buildings, a delicate intervention is added, a screen that is able to negotiate the differences between the two buildings, as well as act as a filter between the street and Observatory Hill.

Internally, the intervention aims to relieve unbalanced spaces that are housing several functions that are colliding with each other, allowing for continuity and accessibility. Embracing the challenging aspects of all the different activities that can take place in the library, the proposal is looking at carefully introducing a generous range of social spaces as well as individual ones, contributing to the overall complexity of the institution - a complexity that can rarely be found in the more dispersed and fragmented spaces in the city. Overall, the addition would be valuable in establishing a compelling and logical portrayal of the Public Library as a uniquely inclusive space.
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The Observatory Hill forms a cohesive ensemble with the City Library and its three Annex volumes. The new extension aims to unify the ensemble formed by the Stockholm City Library, the Annexes, and the Stockholm School of Economics into a collective campus. This integration strengthens the educational significance of the site and enhances the monumentality of the library within its urban context.

The project acknowledges the Library’s existing structure and its recent additions, introducing a contemporary layer that complements the original design. By reinforcing the established architectural elements, the extension bridges the site’s constraints through the introduction of a continuous roof assembly, a decentralised reading hall and a methodical colonnade, creating a harmonious link between the different volumes.

These features are designed to expand the library's current offerings, creating a more dynamic and versatile environment. The sectional organization of the space introduces a linear pathway that extends from the Rotunda of the existing library into the mezzanine of the new addition, effectively bridging the library’s existing functions with the newly integrated spaces.
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