JU students build on campus during architecture week

Jönköping University (JU) is part of the architecture week in Jönköping. On 7-9 September, Construction Engineering students at the School of Engineering (JTH) compete in building something for the public in “Hälsoparken” on JU’s campus.

“It will be great fun to build something and show off what we can do to the Jönköping residents,” says Elin Johansson, one of the competing students.

It is the first time that Jönköping municipality is organizing the architecture week, which runs 4-10 September. The program consists of, among other things, city walks and lectures with the aim of promoting the municipality's architectural culture. Jönköping University's contribution to the week is that students studying the second or third year of one of the two Construction Engineering programmes at JTH will build something that can be a shelter or a place for a break, play or framing. It could be a park bench, wind protection, or something else for a park environment.

For public viewing

The constructions will remain in Hälsoparken for public viewing for a few weeks and will then be moved to “Tändsticksområdet” in Jönköping, where they will be included in the light event September Lights on 30 September.

Construction engineering students Elin Johansson and Alice Ekholm are looking forward to leaving their computers and drawing programs behind to build something in real life.

“It is not often that we get to do something like this. It's great fun with a creative construction task where we are asked to think freely,” says Alice Ekholm.

"Good opportunity to meet companies"

The 16 students are divided into four groups and compete against each other. They receive recycled building materials from Sweco Architects and borrow tools from Rental in Jönköping. The public can vote on which construction they like best and a jury with representatives from Sweco as well as Bengt Erlandsson and Geza Fischl, both Senior Lecturer Architecture at JTH, selects the winning team.

Alice and Elin point out that the competition is also a good opportunity to meet companies and expand their contact networks. They are planning to build something fairly simple in order to finish on time, but they also want it to be stylish and architectural.

“We will finish on time, but we also have some lectures we need to attend during the competition so it will be a long week,” says Alice Ekholm and laughs.

"Can have a ripple effect"

Bengt Erlandsson, Programme Manager for Architectural Engineering at JTH, describes the building task as a "hands-on" project that gives the students experience and attention from both the public and the construction industry.

“It can have a ripple effect and, in the best case, lead to a future job. It's the first time we've done this type of project and if it goes well we would gladly do it again at next year's architecture week", he says.