About the cooperation

About

Since 1995 the two schools of architecture of L’vivska Polytechnic and Vienna University of Technology are cooperating in applying different methods in teaching and research. The key aspects of the cooperation relate primarily to current questions in city development and urban design, the dealing with historic urban structures, aspects of communication in architecture as well as the application of modern timber construction technologies. 

The focus points in the content of the cooperation have been derived from the general framework conditions of the cooperation: from the joint interests of both schools of architecture, from the specific characteristics of the cities of Vienna and Lviv as well as from the skills and primary areas of work of the persons involved.

The importance of the cooperation moreover is to set an innovative course for the Austrian-Ukrainian collaboration in the field of university cooperations beyond the above-mentioned key aspects. Finally the cooperation is an expression of the wish for an increased linkage of academic teaching and research activities between the Ukraine and the European Union.

Aims

As overall aims of the cooperation the following aspects can be named according to their relevance for teaching and research:

• Exchange and development of knowledge, skills and didactics in the field of architectural education on the level of student and lecturer (teaching and research)

• Application of the content of teaching and examination of its suitability for practical life by means of joint project work (applied teaching and research)

• Research of contemporary phenomena in architecture and urban development in a bilateral or an multilateral collaboration (research)

• Preparation of the students for current and future occupational fields in architecture and urban planning, especially in the Central and Eastern European context (teaching)

• Integration of the Faculty of Architecture of L’vivska Polytechnic into the network of the European schools of architecture (teaching)

• Another objective of the cooperation is the intensification of the dialogue between Eastern and Central Europe and by that, to overcome the new EU borders that have shifted eastwards since 2004.

Methods

For research, teaching and academic mobility a certain number of methods are applied. 

As a methodological approach, the cooperation prioritizes on joint project work, the so-called “Design Project”. The focus is pointed on the elaboration of urban development scenarios for Ukrainian cities and towns. Other joint project works are focussing the preservation of historic monuments in the historic centre of Lviv and the survey of historically important cultural monuments in Western Ukraine.

In the framework of Reciprocal Excursions the work practice of architecture and Urban Design is examined and discussed in various ways. In this respect we especially want to point out the annual excursion of students and lecturers of L'vivska Polytechnic of Lviv to Vienna.

Next to joint research projects it is the guest research stays of Ukrainian scientists in Vienna that set a particular course in the cooperation. Lecturers of L'vivska Polytechnic are given the opportunity to work on specific research projects that are associated with their immediate field of teaching or research. In most cases, this is linked to an academic goal such as a habilitation or dissertation.