j. mayer h. completes FOM university's academic building in düsseldorf

j. mayer h. has completed a new classroom and auditorium building in düsseldorf, germany. after the scheme was first unveiled in 2012, construction began in december 2013 for the 6,000 square meter space, which includes a network of auditoriums, lecture halls, and seminar rooms. the building was designed for the FOM university of applied sciences for economics and management — germany’s largest private university — whose student body has gradually increased in size over the years. the new structure provides much needed, additional learning spaces.

j. mayer h. has now completed the university building, which began construction in 2013
all images by david franck

built on the plot of a former freight station, the new building is centrally located in the city’s derendorf neighborhood — an entirely new site for the growing university. the j. mayer h.-designed building is set to accommodate the needs of over 1,500 FOM students with both secluded spaces for learning and open community areas.

the building contains auditoriums, lecture halls, and classrooms

curved balconies provides some exterior spaces, but the building is also surrounded by a 8,000 square meter park that sits above a 360-space parking garage. on the first level, a projecting platform creates a link between the two urban levels. the large open, interior staircase mimics the curves on the building’s exterior and is the main form of circulation — leading students and staff to the offices and information centers on the top floor.

the growing university was in need of additional academic spaces

the design links two urban levels

the site used to be home to a former freight station

the new university building is the first on this site in the derendorf neighborhood

the façade contains outdoor balcony spaces for students and staff

some exterior balconies are connected to outdoor stairs increasing fire escape routes

separate from the academic floors, offices and the student info center are located on the top floor

the interior embodies the design of the façade

the building can accommodate around 1,500 students

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project info:

name: FOM university – new building for the FOM hochschule in duesseldorf, germany
function: university with auditoriums, lecture and seminar rooms
location: toulouser allee 53, duesseldorf, germany
site area: approx. 8,000 sqm
total floor area: 6,000 sqm
start of construction: december 2013
completion: march 2017

j. mayer h. und partner, architekten, MbB
partner in charge: hans schneider
project team: ana i. alonso de la varga, mehrdad mashaie, wilko hoffmann
client: bildungscentrum der wirtschaft gemeinnuetzige GmbH (education center for trade and industry), essen
user: FOM hochschule duesseldorf
architect on site: starmans architekturbuero, aachen
structural engineer: thomas & boekamp ingeniuergesellschaft mbh, muenster
building service engineer: brockof ingenieure, krefeld
building physics: GFO gesellschaft für bauphsysikalische objektberatung, krefeld
electrical engineer: sineplan, hamburg
fire security consultant: IDN brandschutz duisburg
landscape architect: luetzow 7, berlin