From the 1960s to the 1980s, new university buildings were regarded as real showcase projects in
Germany. With their help, it was hoped to catch up with the international building scene again after
the severe destruction of the Second World War. However, deficiencies in the technical execution and
also in the subsequent building maintenance often led to the fact that in the course of the years
serious structural problems appeared more and more frequently in the former showcase projects,
which in some cases even led to the demolition of former demonstrative projects.
This Opus volume presents an aging university ensemble on the old campus of the RWTH
Aachen (Germany), which could not only be saved, but also embodies a renaissance of
high-quality urban development and sustainable architecture. This balancing act is thanks to
the architects and engineers of the renowned SSP AG from Bochum.
In times when terms such as sustainability or building ecology are being used in an almost
inflationary manner, the project presented here is a real model, because it not only speaks of
high standards, but has in fact implemented the highest standards - and because it has given the
concept of Re-use, i. e. the recycling of old, dilapidated building substance, a sensuously appealing
structural form and a long-term new utility.
