Architectural firm bkp announces university competition: Looking for forward-looking learning spaces for the Essen campus

What kind of spaces will tomorrow's learning require? This question is the focus of a new university competition organised by the Düsseldorf-based architecture, interior design and consulting firm bkp in collaboration with the North Rhine-Westphalia Building and Real Estate Management Agency (BLB NRW). The competition brings together students and young planning teams from the fields of architecture, interior design and sociology, combining design practice with scientific research. The aim is to develop concrete and transferable concepts for sustainable learning spaces. The two-stage competition started in the summer semester of 2025 and will run until the end of the winter semester of 2025/2026.

The importance of learning in the 21st century

Learning in the 21st century no longer takes place exclusively in traditional classrooms – nor is it confined to fixed times and rigid rules. Education today means more than that: it promotes attitude, self-organisation and social skills – and places new demands on the spaces in which it takes place.

This is where the competition comes in:

• Interdisciplinary approach: Architecture, interior design and sociology work together to rethink education and design new models of learning.
• Research meets design: Scientific findings from sociology flow directly into the design work and create practical, theoretically sound concepts.
• Social relevance: The designs developed provide concrete impetus for a sustainable educational landscape – in North Rhine-Westphalia and beyond.

The vision: spaces that are not only functionally impressive, but also connect people, enable change and make social responsibility visible. Because it's not just about architecture – it's about attitude.

Building R12 as a blueprint for university renovation

The competition focuses on the existing R12 building on the Essen campus of the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE) – a so-called ZPL building from the 1970s. ZPL stands for Central Planning Office for the Rationalisation of State Buildings, which at the time developed modular building concepts for educational institutions as a solution to the increasing demand for space in the higher education landscape. The structures created at that time are characterised by their flexibility and reusability and now offer the opportunity to sustainably transform ageing university buildings throughout North Rhine-Westphalia.

‘With this competition, we are creating a space for creative ideas for the future and bringing together research, architecture and social responsibility,’ says Heiner Kolde, Managing Director of bkp. "The competition has long been a tradition at bkp – because it is important to us to offer young people a platform where they can develop visionary approaches. Many learning environments today are outdated. New concepts are needed – and spaces that enable and actively promote this change."

Competition as a bridge between theory and design

A key element of the competition is the scientific support provided by Bielefeld University: sociological research in the summer semester of 2025 will provide sound insights into the requirements for tomorrow's learning spaces with regard to pedagogy, organisational development, digitalisation and spatial perception. These perspectives will be directly incorporated into the design work of the architecture and interior design students, ensuring that the concepts are not only convincing in terms of design, but also practical and theoretically sound.

"We are very excited about the results of this competition. It is also important to the UDE to anticipate and enable modern learning in existing buildings. We are also delighted that our R12 building can serve as a blueprint for the transformation of similar ZPL buildings throughout North Rhine-Westphalia," says Sabine Hampel, Head of Building Management at the University of Duisburg-Essen.

‘University construction faces major challenges – not only in terms of functionality, but also in terms of energy efficiency,’ says Till Neschen, Duisburg branch manager of Bau- und Liegenschaftsbetrieb NRW (BLB NRW). "One of the goals of the Duisburg branch of BLB NRW is to transform existing properties. We hope that the university competition will provide fresh impetus for how we can create forward-looking, attractive office and learning spaces at the University of Duisburg-Essen. The students' perspective is particularly valuable in this regard. In this way, we are combining the creation of sustainable educational venues with the economic implementation of projects and the ecological goals of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia."

Conditions of participation and procedure

Students of architecture and interior design from the 4th semester onwards and young planning offices in their first two years of professional practice are eligible to participate. Registration takes place via the competition platform, which has been active since 1 June 2025. The deadline for all entries is 1 March 2026.
An interdisciplinary jury consisting of representatives from bkp, the University of Duisburg-Essen, BLB NRW and bdia (Association of German Interior Architects) will evaluate the submissions. The award ceremony is planned for May 2026. A total of 3,000 euros in prize money will be awarded.

Heiner Kolde (CEO & Founder, bkp) and Marie Seliger (Head of New Work, bkp) are available for interview requests.