Oliver Körber has been awarded a prize for his diploma thesis at the Department Civil Engineering at the Giessen -Friedberg University of Applied Sciences. The architect took third place in the competition "Built on IT - Construction Professions with a Future." The 33-year-old, a trained bricklayer, received the €2,000 prize at the "Bau 2009" exhibition in Munich, where he was presented with it by Hartmut Schauerte, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Technology.

Körber's topic was "3D laser scanning and further processing in an architectural design using Schiffenberg Monastery as an example." The work, which received the grade "very good," was supervised by Professors Nikolaus Zieske and Joaquin Diaz.

The basilica of the monastery complex on Giessen 's local hill, built in the 12th century, has lacked its southern aisle since the 15th century, so that the nave is accessed along its entire length via an arcade from the side. The task of Oliver Körber's diploma thesis was to develop a modern design for closing off the south side of the church. This was intended to improve the usability of the basilica and protect the old building fabric.

Körber's design is based on the form and volume of the former side aisle. The roof is a flat roof at the midpoint of the old pitched roof. It is accessible via a spiral staircase within the remains of the southern tower. The concrete facade is clad with gabions. These are wire structures filled with stones, which both emphasize the thickness of the historic masonry and, through the visual interplay of stone and metal, symbolize a modern natural stone wall. A 50-centimeter-wide glass joint serves as a visual separation between the new and existing structures and allows natural light to enter. The new side aisle is accessed through a double-leaf glass door framed by glass. It is illuminated by fixed glazing of varying sizes.

Before Oliver Körber, who collaborated with the city's heritage preservation office, could begin the architectural design, he had to scan the basilica using a laser. He then visualized the resulting point cloud as a three-dimensional model. This method provides a reliable planning basis for new construction in existing buildings that are to be expanded and for which, as with the almost 900-year-old Schiffenberg Basilica, no plans exist.

When asked about the chances of his work being realized, the architect reacted skeptically. While there had been a great deal of interest, he had been given the impression that his design was "perhaps a bit too modern for Giessen ".

Professionally, Oliver Körber, who comes from Greifenstein in the Westerwald region, has benefited from his excellent work. Immediately after graduating, Prof. Diaz offered him a position as a research assistant. He now works in the Building Informatics Laboratory at the University of Applied Sciences, where he is involved in projects such as the energy-efficient renovation of buildings.