SPACE SHORTAGE IN THE TONI DISTRICT

A major challenge for individual practice and pursuing projects during studies is the space shortage in the Toni District and at Gessnerallee. In particular, students without their own studios or workplaces depend on being able to work in the empty classrooms during off-peak hours. This particularly affects the Master's program in Cultural Critique from the DKV.

The rooms on the 5th and 6th floors are important practice rooms for music students, as they provide infrastructure that is only sparsely available in the rooms on the 1st floor. However, these rooms are occupied by classes during the day. Similarly, the concert halls can only be used in the evenings and at night for any sound and video recordings due to regular occupancy.

Due to the high occupancy of the university's facilities, it becomes impossible for students, with or without their own workspaces, to pursue projects during the day that require space, undisturbed focus, and quiet. The option to move to the night is therefore central for such projects with specific requirements. Additionally, students with concentration difficulties may rely on the facilities at less frequented times.



CREATIVITY

Creative thinking and action do not only take place during office hours. The students of ZHdK have different times of day when they can engage and work creatively in a fruitful manner. For some, this period is at night or early in the morning. Closing the facilities to university members overnight would significantly hinder these students in their independent artistic and design practices.

COMPATIBILITY OF STUDIES, PAID AND CARE WORK

ZHdK still does not officially offer part-time studies. Combining studies with paid and care work is already a major challenge for many students in the current situation. A closure of ZHdK at night would make the difficulties of reconciling other commitments with studies even greater, as self-study phases could be less flexibly arranged and must be aligned with access to infrastructure. We hope that the university continues to develop in the interest of accessibility for all students and considers aspects of equal opportunity in this decision.

ZHdK CREATES SPACES

An important component of an art study is also what happens outside of class hours. It includes formats that take place in the evening, must be dismantled late, and have no clear ending. These are panels and concerts, openings and performances, shows and screenings, and interdisciplinary projects. But also events for networking students within a program or department and across departmental boundaries. By making their facilities available to students around the clock, ZHdK provides students the opportunity to create their own spaces for exchange, engagement, negotiation, networking, deepening, and expansion.