Building
Students on the terrace of the HfG Ulm building, 1955
Photo: Sisi von Schweinitz
The campus determined the daily routine, the way students and lecturers worked and lived together; it was a space for living, socializing, working, and teaching.
As the complex of buildings was not situated in the middle of a city, it had to provide exceptional service for its inhabitants. Bill emphasized the analogy with a village; the refectory and self-service counter are placed in the central village square. The self-service bar, the only curved element in the whole HfG facility, provided a fast service, and was a welcoming place for many groups of people. The main lecture hall, used for events, concerts or performances, was separated from the refectory by adjustable walls.
House of a professor: interior design, 1955
Photo: Ernst Hahn
Refectory in the HfG building
Photo: Ulrich Burandt
All the interior design and furniture were developed for flexible use. One example of this is the «Ulm stool,» an item used in the early days of the school by all students and lecturers. It could serve as a seat, tray, or table, was used as needed and taken wherever necessary. The stool found a use in the classrooms, the refectory, the student accommodation, or even on the terrace.