MCI Campus

Pxt MCI Perspektive aussen web3
Pxt MCI Hofgartenerweiterung Terrassenlandschaft

A dynamic educational facility as an autonomous urban volume with a relationship to the landscape.

Year

2021

Venue

Innsbruck

State

Competition

Category

Education

Size

38.475 m²

Year

Venue

State

Category

Size

2021

Innsbruck

Competition

Education

38.475 m²

Year

2021

Venue

Innsbruck

State

Competition

Category

Education

Size

38.475 m²

Urban design aspects

The new MCI is still developed out of the geometry of the site, i.e., from the corners of the proposed building area – but now more in a metaphoric sense. The project is now designed more as an individual volume, which is clearly moved away from the site boundaries and is ascribed a more autonomous character in the urban morphology. The form of the volume is, nevertheless, derived from contextual relationships, some closer, others more distant, but it is articulated more clearly and makes references to its surroundings. The criticism that, in part, the building‘s appearance is somewhat hostile to the sides was addressed by making several changes.

Pxt MCI EG Lageplan web
Pxt MCI Ansicht Nord web
Pxt MCI Ansicht Sued web
Pxt MCI Ansicht Ost web
Pxt MCI Ansicht West web

First of all, the monotonous planar north facade was broken up and replaced by a composition of various volumes that are staggered in different heights and depths. Essentially, the south facade with its concave gesture that creates a public square is retained, but is, equally clearly, reshaped. Here, too, certain areas (mostly lecture halls and seminar rooms) are combined in programme boxes that project externally. These projections give the facade a certain liveliness in the form of shelving used for similar functions. The earlier similarities to a horizontally dominated, layered “office façade” are neutralised by the building’s new physiognomy towards the forecourt, instead, using

the image of three-dimensional stage wall, the interaction between outdoor and indoor space is even more clearly strengthened . On the east and west the volume remains incised, creating significant “view funnels” and in this way it interacts with its immediate surroundings. The forecourt to Kaiser-Jäger-Straße, in particular, is enhanced, as, apart from the deliveries area, the original ancillary functions were eliminated. Instead, a street space that is flanked by a trellis expands on the site like a kind of green bay, creating an attractive additional entrance or an approach drive for taxis or similar.

The courtyard space and the entire situation towards the Hofgarten is extensively reinterpreted. Not only is the building moved away from the garden wall, directly past the Audi Max it is undercut in order to provide good access by foot and car to the pavilion in the Hofgarten, or to the Hofgarten itself. In return we create a further access situation from the Hofgarten into the foyer. In the western wing lecture theatres, which can be opened to the outdoors, were placed at ground floor level.

Pxt MCI EG Lageplan web2

However, the strongest impact resulted from a suggestion that emerged from dialogue procedure: creating in the incision a stepped terrace landscape in the direction of the Hofgarten. In pursuing the potential offered by this suggestion in the interior, too, a generously sized atrium was made, which develops upwards in steps – with a unique indoors/outdoors relationship. Not only does this allow numerous outdoor work and relaxation areas to be made that face towards the Hofgarten and have a view of Innsbruck’s magnificent mountain backdrop, the view from inside on all storeys is also certainly most impressive.

Pxt MCI Platzöffnung Durchlässigkeit von Innen und Aussenraum

Landscape space and light from outside as well as the view from the centre of the building of the impressive surroundings, the landscapes that characterise the city of Innsbruck, are the quintessential features of the project.

Pxt MCI Perspektive aussen web

In addition, thanks to the new concept, this relationship can be practically experienced from the many terraces, loggias and other outdoor spaces that are found at different depths around the building. Towards the forecourt, too, we find loggias incised between the lecture halls, which can be used as outdoor classrooms. Time spent outdoors can take a variety of forms, from teaching to seminar-like group work, or can offer individual opportunities for withdrawal.

Pxt MCI Hofgartenerweiterung Terrassenlandschaft

A building wing typology derived from the basic approach – and which is contextually referenced in the morphology of the urban volume – is transformed to such an extent that a significant and easily recognisable building is created that contributes to the institution being perceived as a special element in the urban system. The MCI acquires a value as a further important player in the condensed matrix of educational facilities in this part of the city.

Pxt MCI Verteilung der Funktionen

The MCI is a dynamic building and therefore reflects its contents outwards. The conical geometry of the wings, which widens towards the central core, as well as many other elements strengthen this aspect. The newly created atrium space in particular will be an unequalled experience. At the centre of the building the action levels converge around an open atrium. Here views and connections through the building enable interaction across different functional areas to be perceived and experienced.

Pxt MCI Atrium Auschrichtung Funktionsweise
Pxt MCI Perspektive innen web

Out of the levels of the atrium areas for communication and for spending time in are generated, which outside the lecture halls and seminar rooms become circulation areas.

These are not corridors but staggered zones where it is agreeable to spend time and which, thanks to their location on the facades, are flooded with light and offer a friendly atmosphere. From here there are views of the surrounding landscape. The new arrangement of the lecture halls and seminar rooms also creates numerous small-scale niches and areas intended as quiet places, where one can prepare oneself, study, exchange ideas and similar.

Pxt MCI Axo OG1
Pxt MCI Axo OG2
Pxt MCI Axo OG5

The positioning of the functional areas also contributes to clear orientation. Most of the lecture halls and seminar rooms are accommodated in the southern wing and face towards the forecourt. Through the way they project out of the facade plane the program boxes deliberately position their contents in public space. In this way the densely used internal areas interact virtually with public outdoor space in such a way that from the square one experiences the south facade as an extended, vertically self-generating, densely occupied “plane of the square“. The square itself, too, is designed to allow large gatherings or events to be held place there. Just imagine how the opened facades of the Audimax (Aula Maxima), which is directly on the level of the square, prolong the space of the square

into the interior of the building and simply eliminate the boundaries between inside and outside! With the cafeteria things are similar, with its glass fronts open and the threshold space of the canopy room it is made de facto into a general public area. The foyer becomes the central middle and a link between all the areas in the interior. A landscape of seating steps made here develops upwards in a vertical dramaturgy with the circulation systems that lead further. By opening the Audimax into this middle, and with the two lecture halls on the west side, which can be opened, at ground floor level an extensive zone develops which be used entirely, can also be seen into from outside, and corresponds with the MCI’s activities in public space.

Pxt MCI EG web
Pxt MCI OG1 web
Pxt MCI OG2 web
Pxt MCI OG5

Most of the small-scale areas, such as laboratories and administrative units, are placed in the north wing. By means of the appropriate access regulations the different wings and zones can be allotted and organised from the central circulation zone. Similarly, fire compartments could be created by means of fire doors or fire curtains. The core areas in these wings are laid out in such a way that fluid movement through them is possible, even with loads. Deliveries to these areas are made at ground floor level from the courtyard, which has vehicular access on the east side. Bike parking spaces for staff members are also located here.

Pxt MCI Schnitt Nord Sued
Pxt MCI Schnitt West Ost

The MCI – it relates to its surroundings and meshes with them through the zoning of the outdoor space. It presents itself self-confidently with its formal idiom and expresses its identity as a dynamic factor in this district.

Modellbild2 03

Architecture

Pichler & Traupmann Architects

Design team

Bartosz Lewandowski (team leader)
Anna Gulinska
Elisa Mazagg
Anna Salakhova-Chakhal

Client

Arge MCI Campus (PORR Bau GmbH, Ortner Ges.m.b.H.)

Structural fire protection

IBS - Institut für Brandschutztechnik und Sicherheitsforschung GmbH

Hard facts

Start of planning: 2021
Usable floor area: 32.638 m²
Gross floor area: 38.475 m²
Location: Innsbruck
Function: Management Center (private university)
Scope: Architecture competition with previous application

Renderings

Patricia Bagienski, Vienna

Model

Harald Schmidt, Vienna