From barracks to Leonardo Campus

The University of Fine Arts Münster has since 2001 been situated on the 10-hectare Leonardo Campus near Münster’s old town. A cavalry barracks was built on the site in 1898 and used by the military until the end of World WarII, which it survived almost unscathed. After 1945, the British Army of the Rhine took possession of the barracks. Its use as a military property ended with the fall of the Iron Curtain. In 1994, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia took over the quarters and Münster’s universities were given the unique opportunity to create new spaces for science and research here. In the process, a large part of the facilities was preserved and converted in accordance with the requirements of heritage conservation. The University of Fine Arts Münster was the first to relocate to what was now called the Leonardo Campus. Today, the premises are home to the architecture and design departments of the Münster University of Applied Sciences and to various institutes and facilities of the University of Münster.

The buildings of the University of Fine Arts Münster

The main building of the University of Fine Arts Münster, erected according to the plans of the Austrian architect Günther Domenig, stands on the site of the former riding arenas. The open and modern architecture with its spacious, light-filled studios and exhibition areas was designed specifically for the needs of an art academy. The new building is surrounded by a building block that is protected as a historic monument and that formerly housed stables and other facilities of the barracks. Today, it houses class studios and various workshops of the University of Fine Arts Münster. The library shared by the University and the design and architecture departments of the Münster University of Applied Sciences is also located here. In 2009, the library received a modern glass extension designed jointly by architects and a student planning group. It was awarded 1st place in the “European SteelDesign Awards for Students” (2009) and 2nd place in the German University Building Prize (2012), among other prizes. Most recently, two new class ateliers with an impressive and extraordinary architecture were built in the attic of the old building.

The campus – a place for learning and living

With its approximately 360 students and more than 70 teachers and staff, the University of Fine Arts Münster forms a manageable and familiar “university community”. An atmosphere of togetherness is lived and cultivated here and is intensified by studying in classes that span semesters and degree courses. This is reinforced by the typical characteristics of a campus university. For most students, the campus becomes not only a place for learning and working, but also a place for meeting friends every day and for social and creative exchange. On campus, venues such as the University’s own “Casino”, a café run by students of Münster University of Applied Sciences or the campus canteen offer opportunities for this. The green areas surrounding the University and a green inner courtyard serve creative use and recreation. Trees bearing fruit from apricots to cherries, which have been planted here since 2014, add charm to the area.