WUE2025 Project

Hackathon description

The hackathon is an intensive, challenge-based learning programme addressing the revitalisation of industrial heritage buildings in Gliwice. Over five days, international student teams develop feasible adaptive reuse proposals that transform former industrial structures into socially oriented public-use facilities. Educational content combines heritage understanding (historic significance, authenticity, and value-based decision-making) with sustainable building and urban strategies aligned with low-emission targets and environmental responsibility. Key learning themes include: analysing the existing building and its urban context; defining an appropriate public/social function; proposing low-carbon retrofit measures (energy efficiency, envelope and systems upgrades, renewable integration); exploring green and nature-based solutions (greening, water management, microclimate); applying circularity principles (reuse of materials, lifecycle thinking); and ensuring accessibility, user comfort and community benefit.
Students work in multidisciplinary teams and receive continuous support through expert mentoring, feedback rounds and thematic clinics led by heritage specialists, architects, civil engineers and environmental engineers. The programme strengthens skills in collaboration, rapid prototyping, evidence-based design choices, and communication. Final outputs are presented as a short video pitch, explaining the concept, sustainability rationale and heritage-sensitive approach, and evaluated by a jury using criteria such as innovation, feasibility, environmental performance and contextual fit.