Fritz Höger Prize 2017: Winner Silver in the category "Newcomer"
'Seminar building for pastoral care' by TS VIZ
The Vogelsang site has gone through major changes over the past century.
From being an untouched and idyllic Eifel mountain ridge to usage as a Nazi training facility „Ordensburg Vogelsang“ and finally using it as an international military training area.
In order to process the complex history of this place the region is being transformed into an educational exchange center „Vogelsang ip | Internationaler Platz“, while the surrounding area is declared a national park.
The draft of the seminar building for pastoral care is based on the idea of Vogelsang as a place for education, as a hospitable place of tolerance and openness towards people of all cultures.
Special attention was given to have the architecture reflect the circumstances of the region, while remaining distinctive and independent.
The planning was based on four conceptual building blocks:
„Pastoral work“ includes the room of silence and the seminar rooms.
„Development“ consists of the central staircase, which expands into corridors and offers space for encounters.
The „service core“ will house the necessary secondary areas and sanitary facilities.
In the „social gathering“ block we find the large dining room with a fireplace, as well as the shared dormitories.
The room of silence and the national park surrounding it give the opportunity to reflect on questions of one’s life orientation and the relationships to one’s fellowmen. Both issues pose the question of the dignity of man and creation and enable access to their own spirituality. Created by the rotation of the building block "pastoral work“, the tower symbolizes strength and presence through its monolithic appearance.
The building is inspired by the typical local construction of a longhouse, which is characterized by its steep gabled roof, the window reveals and standing window formats.
