Hotel Interim

What will be lost if the former Interhotel is demolished? Can waiting be an active state? How can the waking dream become a tangible encounter? Rising costs prevent both the hotel's demolition and the university’s long-anticipated studio expansion. This presents an opportunity: Instead of demolition, could repurposing offer a solution? Hotel Interim explores how adaptive reuse can mediate between conflicting interests, rethinking architecture’s role in uncertain times — perhaps even as a way to prevent the building’s disappearance.

This project examines a vacant hotel in Halle that has been awaiting demolition since 2022. It is structured into three parts: a film documentation, an analysis of the building’s material and immaterial value, and a design proposal for interim use. A key aspect of the work is the exchange with a building technician who has maintained the hotel for 47 years. His knowledge, documented through an interview, represents the hotel’s intangible heritage. Equally significant is its material heritage. To assess the environmental impact of demolition, the building’s embedded grey energy was calculated, revealing that preserving its structure is ecologically imperative. This analysis also provides insights into the building’s construction and furnishings, identifying opportunities for reactivation and reuse. The proposed interim use integrates functions that address both the needs of Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design and the surrounding community. It includes studio spaces for students, temporarily fulfilling the role of the long-awaited new studio building. Additionally, the hotel becomes a social hub, housing a materials exchange (Bauteilbörse) for reclaimed building components, a neighborhood center, and a nightclub. The upper floors accommodate an artist residency program, supporting the university’s efforts to expand its cultural network. By repurposing the hotel, the project transforms a space in limbo into a vibrant, multifunctional site — offering an alternative to demolition while fostering artistic and social exchange.