In late 2019, two sculptural solitaires appeared on the grounds of Berlin’s University of the Arts (UdK), providing a creative solution to an acute lack of space. Designed by Berlin-based TRU Architekten, the minimalist structures serve as sound-insulated rehearsal pavilions for the university’s music department. Set along the Bundesallee, they stand in quiet dialogue with the imposing neoclassical façade of the original university building, yet offer a self-assured architectural counterpoint.
Address/Directions
Universität der Künste Pavillons
Bundesallee 1-12
10719 Berlin
Directions
“Since construction work had to be limited to semester breaks, we developed a design based on prefabricated room modules. The golden metal skin unites the individual elements and forges a subtle connection to the existing building.”
Each of the single-story cubes contains six small rehearsal rooms and one double room, accessible to UdK music students 24 hours a day. Acoustic performance—both internal and external—was a key design priority.
The outer façade of the pavilions is clad in perforated corrugated metal with a copper alloy that shimmers gold, giving the appearance of a delicate curtain drawn around the building. Behind this lies a secondary envelope made of dark, three-layer wood panels that functions as the weather skin. The color palette subtly references the adjacent university building, once home to the historic Joachimsthal Gymnasium, with its yellow brick exterior. Despite this contextual nod, the new pavilions assert themselves with a clear, contemporary identity.
Located in the two courtyards behind the symmetrically arranged main building, the pavilions were realized in under a year thanks to the use of prefabricated solid timber elements. Each room was fully constructed off-site as a module and then installed on a concrete slab foundation. Aligned in two rows of four, the rehearsal rooms are accessed via a central corridor clad in acoustic paneling. Bold red and blue signal colors give the volumes their distinctive visual rhythm, while the interiors are finished in natural exposed timber.
The acoustic design of the rooms accommodates the diverse needs of student musicians. Through user interviews, the architects discovered that some found a lively acoustic helpful, while others preferred a dampened environment. In response, they ensured the architectural envelope met all soundproofing requirements—while leaving the room acoustics adjustable by the users themselves. Heavy, floor-length Molton curtains can be drawn to absorb sound or left open to allow reflections. When closed across the windows, the curtains also provide visual privacy.
The architects sought to create a protected space—a place where students could rehearse not only musically, but also experiment with stage presence, facial expressions, and gestures, free from observation. To achieve sound insulation between rooms, the modules are structurally decoupled, with a ten-centimeter cavity filled with mineral wool between each unit. Visually, however, the buildings are unified by the continuous golden façade—its curtain-like character a fitting architectural metaphor for performance.
Architects Sandra Töpfer and Henning von Wedemeyer chose the FSB 1005 model by Johannes Potente for its ergonomic form and tactile refinement. Crafted in finely brushed stainless steel, the handle aligns with the pared-back elegance of the overall design: quietly beautiful, understated, and perfectly suited to the simplicity of the pavilions.
In 2020, the project was recognized with a Special Mention at the German Façade Prize.
