Each semester, the Liechtenstein School of Architecture organises an excursion week, scheduled within the first third of the semester. During this time, teaching shifts for one week from the studio to real landscapes, cities and cultural contexts. The selected locations are closely related to the design themes of the studios and accompany the subsequent project work.

In the current semester, 160 students worked in various European contexts. On site, they examined buildings, cities and landscapes, documented their observations and exchanged with local actors. In some studios, they also worked directly on construction sites and engaged practically with materials, construction and existing structures.

Foundation Studios (Bachelor, Semesters 1–4)
 

Built Heritage and Upcycling «Interaktionen» – SPAIN

The excursion took place in Barcelona, where students examined the city as a layered and continuously evolving urban fabric. On site, materials, construction methods and urban structures were analysed, revealing broader social and architectural developments. Particular attention was given to strategies of working within existing structures, including additions, densification and incremental adaptations.
 

Sustainable Design «Galicia by Foot» – SPAIN

The excursion led to Galicia, where architecture was studied in relation to space, landscape and use. A section of the Camino de Santiago was explored on foot to investigate questions of scale, rhythm and perception from the perspective of its users. The trip was complemented by visits to traditional building types as well as contemporary architecture in Santiago de Compostela.
 

Urban Design and Spatial Development «Stein, Struktur, Strasse» – BELGIUM

The journey followed road-based settlements in Belgium, with a focus on villages in Wallonia. On site, students analysed processes of unplanned densification and the phenomenon of «Brusselisation», where demolition, adaptation and new construction without overarching planning have produced a fragmented yet distinct urban fabric. Linear settlement patterns, transitions between private and public space, and forms of everyday appropriation were examined.
 

Craft and Structure «Gimme Shelter» – LIECHTENSTEIN

In parallel to the excursion week, a one-week workshop on housing precarity took place at the University of Liechtenstein. In collaboration with students and lecturers from the Bergen School of Architecture as well as local organisations, students designed and prototyped shelters for people in precarious living situations. The focus was on working with reused materials and on the intersection of architecture, social work and participatory approaches.

Advanced Studios (Bachelor Semesters 5–6, Master Semesters 1–4)
 

Urbanism, Architecture and Society «Leipzig Grünau» – GERMANY

Students travelled to Leipzig Grünau and worked directly on site within a specific project context. The focus was on engaging with the existing fabric of a large-scale prefabricated housing estate from the former GDR. In a vacant apartment, students developed and implemented spatial interventions, exploring new and flexible forms of living within existing structures.
 

Built Heritage and Upcycling «Emptiness: Different Practices of Perception» – SWITZERLAND

The seminar week took place in the canton of Glarus and combined conventional excursion formats with practices such as drawing, meditation and collective singing. The aim was to sharpen perception in relation to space. Visits to construction sites, architectural offices and traditional workshops provided insights into current building processes and decision-making.
 

Craft and Structure «From Oporto to Lisbon» – PORTUGAL

The excursion extended from Porto to Lisbon and further inland. Along this route, students examined the relationship between material, construction and landscape. The programme included visits to works by Álvaro Siza as well as other significant buildings demonstrating a range of architectural approaches and scales.
 

Sustainable Design «Netherlands & Germany» – NETHERLANDS AND GERMANY

The excursion focused on mobility systems and infrastructure. Students visited production facilities, transport systems and urban environments in Germany and the Netherlands. Through observation, measurement and drawing, technical and spatial aspects were studied in relation to one another. Examples such as the suspended railway in Wuppertal and cycling infrastructure in Utrecht were analysed in the context of future mobility concepts.
 

Urban Design and Spatial Development «Athens Everyday Modernity» – GREECE

In Athens, students examined processes of densification and the structure of everyday life within a rapidly developed metropolitan context. The focus was on the different layers of the city and their historical overlaps. Through site visits and analysis, the city was understood as a complex urban fabric.

The excursions demonstrate the breadth of the programme and make architecture tangible within its real context. The next excursion weeks will take place in October 2026.

More about the Liechtenstein School of Architecture: www.uni.li/architecture
Bachelor’s degree programme in Architecture
Master’s degree programme in Architecture