Faculty of Political Science and Institute of Psychology buildings, UMCS, Lublin

Phase: concept design, 2017

Design team: Ewelina Siestrzewitowska, Mateusz Gierszon, Antoni Surowiak

An urban analysis of Lublin's university district showed strong justification for treating the planned investment as a complement to the urban layout of the entire district and for enabling, in the future, the development of a new part of the campus along Głęboka Street.

The urban core of the layout, determining the design decisions, was taken to be the main axis of the university campus, beginning with the square by the Centre for the Meeting of Cultures and formed by Radziszewskiego Street and its extension towards Pagi Street.

A natural decision respecting the existing layout was therefore to extend this axis all the way to Kraśnicka Avenue and to create along it a further sequence of the campus public spaces. The building directions of the campus emphasise the importance of the main axis, so the proposal for the campus extension is to continue this principle.

The two buildings – the Faculty of Political Science and the Institute of Psychology – were designed based on a three-bay layout. On each floor except the ground floor, the outer bay contains educational rooms, the inner bay rooms for academic staff, and the central bay social facilities, toilets and utility rooms. Such a layout seems the most convenient in use, legible for users, and economical in terms of facade use. Circulation was limited to corridors, with local widenings where they connect. In the widened spaces we propose seating areas, or possibly additional workspaces for students.

Due to the decision to use the buildings’ space intensively, the corridors do not run straight through but are surrounded by rooms. We therefore propose lighting the corridors with small openings in the ceilings, running through all floors and topped with roof skylights. The dean’s offices and administrative rooms were located on the ground floor, with additional entrances from Głęboka Street. The ground floor also houses the faculty/institute council meeting rooms and the largest educational rooms. This allows students waiting for classes to use the hall when most rooms are in use simultaneously, avoiding crowding in the corridors.