Academy for Architectural Culture (aac)

The aac Academy for Architectural Culture is a private, non-profit institution founded by the architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp). With research studies and intensive courses held throughout the year, the aac is dedicated to finding solutions to relevant architectural issues and the further education of young architects from different cultures. The aac offers additional qualification for highly qualified architectural students, graduates and young architects.

A place at an aac teaching session allows participants to tap directly into more than 50 years of experience collected by von Gerkan, Marg and Partners Architects (gmp). The teaching sessions reflect the gmp philosophy, experience and detailing of architecture relevant to its social context. Insights are given on how to reach completion of projects on an international stage. 

Over the course of three-and-a-half weeks (24 days), participants work intensively in four international groups of four students each (16 participants in total) to develop a contribution to a future-relevant architectural topic (04 designs in total). Supported by their own tutors and guided by a gmp partner, the participants are able to develop their designs in discussion with prestigious architects.

The programme was launched in 2008 with a course in Hamburg, at which participants focused on the East Asia region under the motto “Architecture as a cultural export – concepts for a globalised world”. This was followed up by the “TXL+” workshop in 2009 that focused on the future use of the Berlin-Tegel airport and, in 2010, on the design for a German House in Ho Chi Minh City during the first aac workshop abroad, in Hanoi, Vietnam. In 2012, an aac workshop was held on its own premises for the first time, at the Campus Rainvilleterrasse in Hamburg. Addressing the theme of sustainable, affordable housing, the participants developed designs for two sites, Hamburg’s HafenCity and the new Chinese port of Lingang New City respectively.