The building is oriented towards the reference streets and points of Dortmund’s city centre. The Dormunder U as a landmark, the main railway station and the East-West shopping arcade are important components in this ensemble.
Through the city centre´s passages you are guided to the Wallring and shortly afterwards to the forecourt or courtyard of the renovated administration building and the newly built House of Education and Art.

You enter the foyer through an indented glass entrance with the café directly adjacent on the right. You can either go down to the basement to do research or gather information in the library or to exchange ideas and further educate yourself in seminar rooms on a specific topic – in the reading room, as well as more private meeting rooms.
On the first floor, with a good view of the Dortmunder U, is the exhibition area, which offers generous space and room for young and old. On the 2nd floor are the studios of the university students, who can work separately but also interact together. On the top floor is the most private zone in the entire building: student living. Minimalist but everything you need to live: bedroom, kitchenette, bathroom, desk. The old building is connected to the new building on the first floor by a bridge to create a link between the organisational and the active building parts.