Riegler/Riewe base almost all their projects on the openness of orthogonality with its inherent possibility of addition and ordering, through which drama and rhythm can be produced. They employ this basic stance in a most radical way in their design for the building on the Inffeldgründe. On the site at their disposal they define a closed building block - "an open campus building" - clearly separating themselves from their surroundings, and inscribe in it an orthogonal network, in which individual block-like buildings are arranged. These eight three-storey buildings form a small scale urban network with pathways, streets and individual squares which are each planted with different species of trees. The buildings consist of a two blocks with a void between. The offices are in the south-facing areas, the seminar rooms, libraries, etc. are in the north-facing half.

The individual units are connected by bridges linking the various institutes and professorships which are grouped according to level or building. The structural system is based on columns on the inside of the outer skin and a load-bearing wall between offices and accessareas allowing a high degree of flexibility. The concrete facade is non load-bearing. The ground floor is open so that, despite the strict grid pattern of the layout, the free flow of movement is unimpeded.

In contrast to most university institute buildings, in which the various institutions are separated within a building or placed without connection to each other, the basic urban idea here ensures that a campus develops which is tightly intermeshed on all levels and yet remains open and offers sufficient room for sensual experience and intellectual work.

Arno Ritter