Excursion: Ecology in the Urban Fabric

Universities can — and should — make relevant statements with their new buildings. An excursion to two new institute buildings shows how the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, which celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2022, uses just such an opportunity. An Az W contribution to Architecture Days 2021/22 under the banner of educational buildings.

The guiding principles for TÜWI and Ilse Wallentin Haus are ecology and sustainability. Features shared by the buildings are: the placing of parts of the required space into the ground and the use of wood. Whereas the TÜWI (Baumschlager Hutter Partners) uses cladding with wooden slats for a reinforced concrete structure, the Ilse Wallentin Haus (SWAP Architektur in collaboration with Delta Projektconsult) goes the whole way as a wooden construction. This also produces a striking range of spatial effects. The TÜWI is a street corner building and replaces the Gründerzeit Türkenwirt house with its legendary student club; the Ilse Wallentin Haus is located in green space, and strives for permeability between inside and outside.

With: Gerhard Müller, Baumschlager Hutter Partners; Roman Smutny, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna; Gert Widu, BIG (Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft); Christoph Falkner, SWAP Architektur

Moderated by Maria Welzig, Az W

Meeting point: Ecke Dänenstraße / Peter-Jordan-Straße