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Decision on Ars Electronica Futurepark
Results of the Competition to Select the Design of the Addition to be Built on to the AEC:
Recap of a press conference held by Klaus Luger (Linz city councilman in charge of planning), Johann Mayr (Linz city councilman in charge of construction), Erich Watzl (Linz deputy mayor and chairman of the AEC’s board of directors) and Roman Delugan (architect and competition jury foreman) on Thursday, March 23, 2006 in the AEC’s Sky Media Loft.
Also in attendance:
Gerfried Stocker, artistic director of the AEC
Andreas Exner, financial director of the AEC
Decision on the Design of the AEC Addition
The decision on the design of the addition to the AEC was reached on March 23, 2006. After evaluating the 38 entries submitted in this EU-wide architectural competition, the jury awarded top honors to the entry by Treusch architecture, Vienna (pending review of winner’s professional qualifications and certifications).
Project Criteria
The local architectural setting, the construction requirements including the necessary link-up with the existing structure, as well as urban planning framework conditions made this design task a very demanding and challenging one. Moreover, the submitted projects had to take vehicular traffic patterns and flood protection factors into consideration.
Entrants were called upon to design an expansion of the AEC’s premises from 2,500 m2 to 6,500 m2. This EU-wide competition was conducted by the City of Linz.
EU-Wide Architectural Competition
For this single-round, anonymous, open, EU-wide architectural competition, invitations to tender entries and the accompanying documentation were sent to 150 interested architects on November 10, 2005. The official registration deadline was January 31, 2006; the deadline for submitting entries was February 7, 2006.
The competition jury chaired by architect Roman Delugan convened March 22-23, 2006 to evaluate the 38 submissions. The jury selected three prizewinners and five honorable mention recipients.
Winning entry: Architekt DI Andreas Treusch, Richtergasse 7, 1070 Vienna, Austria
2nd Prize: Edelmüller-Kugler-Woschitz, ARGE Architekten und Ingenieure, Graf Starhemberggasse 39/21, 1040 Vienna
3rd Prize: Wendl ZT-GesmbH, Consulting Civil Engineers, Körösistraße 17, 8010 Graz, Austria
1. Honorable Mention: ARGE Bortolotti/Ramoni, Riccione Archhitekten, Mariahilferstr. 22/3/12, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
2. Honorable Mention: Architekturbüro Kampits & Gamerith, ZT-GmbH, Nibelungengasse 76, 8010 Graz
3. Honorable Mention: Caramel Architekten, Schottenfeldgasse 72/2/3, 1070 Vienna
4. Honorable Mention: fpa – frank und probst architekten mit Malojer Baumanagement GmbH & Co, Königsdorferstraße 13, 81371 Munich, Germany
5. Honorable Mention: ARGE Kobiella Gall Architekten, Henchion-Reuter Architekten, Baucon ZT GmbH., Torstraße 94, 10119 Berlin, Germany
All submissions will be on display April 18-21, 2006, 10 AM to 2 PM daily, in the former premises of the City of Linz’s Neue Galerie in Lentia 2000, Blütenstraße 15, 2nd floor.
Ars Electronica Future Park – The Prizewinning Project
The Museum of the Future is already bursting at the seams. Therefore, this facility must be provided with sufficient exhibition space and expanded into the Ars Electronica Future Park by 2009, the year in which Linz will serve as European Capital of Culture. The project submitted by Treusch architecture does the best job of fulfilling these requirements. Not least of all, it creates a striking landmark amidst the Linz cityscape through the way it blends the new structure with the existing one. As for the building’s users, this project’s outstanding solution to providing an efficient physical setting for the organization’s day-to-day affairs as well as an attractive venue for exhibitions and public gatherings garnered high praise.
The dominant theme of the planning concept is the addition of a piece of architectural sculpture to the existing structure. What makes it unique is the fact that it can be directly experienced as a walk-through work of art. The crystalline form of the glass-and-steel construction fits in well with its surroundings to create an attractive ensemble. The urban planning concept is based on the principle of dialog with its setting.
Here, the project in detail:
Multi-story Main Building and Infrastructure Elements – A glass cube featuring a double-shelled façade will be built adjoining the existing AEC facility. Some of the glass surfaces will be transparent; others will have a matte finish. Transitional zones can be backlit. Generally speaking, the cube can be optimally utilized as a projection surface—as a mediatizable casing, so to speak—which enables the structure to be transformed into a transparent light sculpture after dark. It will also be possible to apply LED and LCD screens to the exterior.
Exhibition Areas – These are located on the level below the plaza (Maindeck). They can be flexibly subdivided.
Future Lab with Upperdeck – The media art laboratory’s headquarters will feature studios, workshops, offices and common spaces. The Upperdeck arrayed above them will provide additional flexible space for exhibitions, events, etc. Multi-tier forum-type seating will be provided for visitors. The centerpiece of the new facility will be a spacious central plaza suitable for public events. This area blends in perfectly with its surroundings—the landscape on the banks of the Danube, the adjacent historical buildings and the existing Ars Electronica Center.
Construction is set to commence in late 2006; scheduled completion is in the 3rd quarter of 2008.
With queries, please contact:
Mag. Wolfgang Bednarzek, MAS
mailto:wolfgang.bednarzek@aec.at
mobil: 0043.664.8126156
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