Community in the Making
Transforming a Vocational School Building in Bispebjerg into a Public Condenser
H.B.D. Bartstra (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
P.A.M. Kuitenbrouwer – Mentor (TU Delft - Public Building and Housing Design)
E. Karanastasi – Mentor (TU Delft - Teachers of Practice / AE+T)
S. Corbo – Mentor (TU Delft - Public Building and Housing Design)
S.M. Ruijsink – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Urban Development Management)
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Abstract
In
Bispebjerg, Copenhagen, the NEXT vocational school sits at the heart of a
district marked by strong traditions of craftsmanship, but also by
socio-economic challenges and a lack of structured opportunities for its youth.
As part of an ongoing urban renewal plan, efforts are being made to open up the
school’s closed campus to the surrounding community, a move that reflects a
broader shift in how educational institutions are expected to engage with
society.
Community in the Making responds to this
moment of transformation by reimagining an existing, introverted campus
building as a public condenser: a hybrid space where vocational knowledge is
made accessible to the wider community. The building provides a platform for students
and local craftspeople to host workshops, exhibitions, events, and informal
learning activities centred around craft.
The project addresses the wider challenges of declining vocational enrolment
and the evolving role of educational institutions, seeking to move beyond the
traditional model of schools as isolated gatekeepers of knowledge, and
envisions a future where learning is more accessible, communal, and integrated
into urban life.
Architecturally, the
design emphasizes flexibility, hybridity, and user agency, allowing the space
to shift between school-related activities during school hours and
community-facing programs after hours, on weekends, and during holidays. By
building a community around craft, the project promotes vocational pathways,
supports youth engagement, and contributes to the reconstruction of
Bispebjerg’s identity as a place of creativity and craft.