ACCOMMODATION //

We are excited to announce that we will be staying in a 'pop up hostel' during our events stay in Coburg.

The hostel is being designed by the University of Coburg students prior to our arrival as part of their studies. The building is a disused office building, and the hostel will be occupying the entire fourth floor.

During the events period all the Manchester students will be staying here in Coburg. We are excited to see what the Coburg students come up with for the hostel design.

FUNDING GRANTED //

We are excited to announce that we have received funding from an innovative teaching fund at the University of Coburg.

The funding will allow us to provide all the materials needed to realise our design proposals of the installations.

The design proposals will be worked on during the events period where the Manchester students will collaborate with the Coburg students to come up with exciting proposals for the installation. The works will then be realised in May, which is when we use the materials which are funded for to build the winning design proposals to be displayed at the Creopolis design festival.

PRINCE ALBERT'S 200TH BIRTHDAY //

This year we are celebrating the 200th birthday of Prince Albert. Prince Albert was born on Prince 26 August 1819 in Coburg. He later moved to the United Kingdom where he married his first cousin Queen Victoria. He is connected to Manchester as the people of Manchester decided to build a statue in his remembrance as he was a proponent of public education in the arts.

This important birthday falls as we begin the collaboration of projects between Manchester and Coburg. We hope for this event to become a celebration point as we begin this project and having it as a marker point for future collaborations.

THE BASICS //

Before you choose to come and be a part of the Albert's Connection event we need to let you know about some key things..

1. A Passport

Make sure that it is in date and not about to run out during the dates we plan to be away.

2. A Visa

If you're an international student it may be likely that you need a visa to travel to Germany. Make sure you check that there is enough time to get the appropriate visa. This will also have to be funded by yourselves.

3. Full Availability

You need to make sure your calendar is clear for the dates March 24th - April 5th. Make sure your Granny's cousins sisters uncles big birthday bash isn't on the weekend that those dates cover. We also need your availability for the second week of May to fly back to Germany and build your proposal, so please pencil this into your calendars. (Don't worry, this does not coincide with your deadlines)

4. Toothbrush... come prepared you will be designing, so you will also need your full architecture school kit.

AGENDA //

Albert's connection is a project which aims to bring together students from the Manchester School of Architecture and the University of Coburg to collaborate on a design competition proposal for a prestigious design festival held in the city.

The site for the project is the former 'Schlachthof' (Slaughterhouse) where the design festival is held each year. Our students will work alongside the Coburg students to each propose an exciting and conceptual design proposal for the site.

Ideas will be driven by the connection between the two cities, Prince Albert, whose statue sits at the heart of both Manchester and Coburg. You will also be asked to observe the site of the Schlachthof in depth, to use and appropriate the space in an innovative way. Above are the plans and sections for the Schlachthof, showing the history and found state of the building.

The project will end by all cumulating at the Schlachthof for presentations in front of a design jury. The winning proposals will then be realised and built in Coburg for the design festival in May.