Out Of Time - Slowing down HIL’s efficiency into an architecture for all bodies and all perceptions of time

The study of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and the concept of Crip Time reveals the hidden effort required to navigate the HIL building.

Small architectural barriers, such as the staircase near the courtyard at HIL 52.1, force wheelchair users into long detours, while everyday functions are dispersed throughout the building, turning simple tasks into time-consuming journeys.

HIL’s architecture reflects a logic of efficiency and productivity. Long corridors prioritize movement over pause, encounter, or care, while social spaces remain hidden behind private office doors.

The project responds by redistributing circulation through new connections between rooms, inspired by Renaissance enfilade sequences. Framed openings, balconies, and diagonal views create alternative paths and spaces for staying, studying, resting, or meeting.

Corridors are transformed from spaces of transit into thresholds between public and private life. Wired glass and movable elements such as sliding doors and partitions introduce light, permeability, and flexibility, dissolving the rigid corridor into a porous network of interconnected rooms.

At HIL 52.1, a larger intervention creates a double-height “care core” by partially removing the concrete slab. A broad ramp and platform lift connect the levels and encourage slower, shared movement. Positioned at the center of the building, this space becomes a social and spatial heart that foregrounds accessibility and care.

Master Thesis Spring 2026

Project by: Claudio Hollenstein Teaching Team: Anna Puigjaner, Pol Esteve Castelló, He Shen 何珅, Ethel Baraona Pohl, Lisa Maillard, Paule Perron, Valentina Noce. In Collaboration with Guillaume Habert and He Yufei (BUK).

Images 2, 9: Luís Úrculo