With a boomerang-shape that contrasts with the Landhaus „ALT“ a new square is created, that we would like to give the name “Landhausplatz”. Together with the volume of the Landhaus the curved main facade gives the space a clear setting resulting in a constellation of squares. In correspondence with the Landhaus “ALT” the new building volume will also be articulated as a “wing typology” with an accentuated central element. In the new volume, too, the axis of symmetry inscribed in the Landhaus “ALT” will form the anchor for the complex. To the south of it there are two buildings on a triangular footprint which on the one hand as flanking buildings produce an accentuated facade to both street spaces and on the other hand create a kind of
Redesign Landhausviertel Eisenstadt
From CARPARK to PARK
Year
2021
Venue
Eisenstadt
State
Competition
Category
Work
Size
8.752 m²
Year |
Venue |
State |
Category |
Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 |
Eisenstadt |
Competition |
Work |
8.752 m² |
Year
2021
Venue
Eisenstadt
State
Competition
Category
Work
Size
8.752 m²
The political centre of the Austrian State of Burgenland with the Landhaus “ALT” (old Landhaus), the seat of the state parliament and the Burgenland state government, is at present fronted by an enormous carpark. While the name given to this space, which has shifted between Freiheitsplatz (Liberty Square) and Europaplatz (Europe Square), represents an attempt to suggest an appropriate significance, the vehicle-filled semantics of this important place as well as its urban character can only be described as “less than ideal”, to put it mildly. The considerations and ambitions to do justice to this place through a design that reflects its real importance can only be welcomed and supported. With the overriding term “Landhausviertel” (Landhaus district) a move is being made in the right direction, which also includes the option to create a Landhausplatz.
The present project takes up these aspects – urban design disposition, urban programming, and semantic allocation – and in pursuit of these aims develops a new morphology for the site.
The important elements of the new urban composition are – as the title above makes clear – a square and a park, which acquires its contours through the position, form, and volumes of the building masses. Special attention is paid to the justified concerns of the “Kurzwiese” gymnasium with its wish for a view of a green field.
counter swing that encircles a green space. Here we wish to preserve the existing trees, and indeed to develop these characteristics into a park. Thus, the view desired by the gymnasium results from the overall ductus of the project, as it were. In the concept for the underground garage a conscious decision was made to avoid construction work in the southern edge area with the aim of preserving the big trees and retaining the earth volumes. Here, for users of the adjoining buildings, a quality place to spend time in was created, while also establishing a link to the parts of the town to the west and east.
From "Landhausplatz" to "Landhauspark"
The “Landhausplatz” and the “Landhauspark“ represent a spatial sequence that relates to the topographical situation – the paved square is at a higher level, the planted square at a lower one. The two levels are connected by an arena-like outdoor staircase which we see being used as what we call a “DEMOCRACY FORUM”. As part of BUILDING PHASE 1 this complex can also function without the further buildings and gives the entire site an almost extravagant generosity.
Above this democracy forum, as a place of an OPEN CULTURE OF DEMOCRACY, is the centre of the winged building volume. At access level this centre is occupied by the visitor centre as a place where DEMOCRACY IS CONVEYED, the Landtagssaal (parliament chamber) is positioned above it as a PLACE OF INSTITUTIONALISED DEMOCRACY. Here we play with different forms of understanding democracy as superimposed levels of meaning.
The ground floor functions with a more public character are positioned to the side of this centre. On the first floor, the club rooms for the political parties with their internal meeting rooms and offices are located in the two side wings. On the second floor the offices for the parliament administration and for the Landtag executive committee are located, each to the side of the hall. The building volumes at the side are based on triangular footprints and are programmed as follows: the eastern volume contains the areas required for the KRAGES,
while the volume on the centre side houses the spaces required by the Burgenland tourism authority. This volume is a storey lower than the one on the east side. Here, from an urban perspective, we see potential for adding a further storey. In such a case we would conceive a retail zone on the ground floor with the rooms for the tourism authority from the first floor up. In the surroundings of the gymnasium and the Landhaus a retail area would certainly make sense and it would also be easy to rent out. In the illustration, however, the volume was restricted to the program required.
In this way step by step a realistic urban composition is proposed, which on the one hand not only preserves generous open and green spaces but also generates and defines them, and on the other hand represents a suitable pendant to the existing historical Landhaus, and an adequate further development of the institutional buildings of our democracy.
Architecture
Pichler & Traupmann Architekten
Design team
Bartosz Lewandowski (team leader)
Leonie Eitzenberger
Anna Gulinska
Jakub Kaczmarek
Elisa Mazagg
Client
LIB – Landesimmobilien Burgenland GmbH
Traffic planner
Werner Consult ZT GmbH, Vienna
Hard facts
Start of planning: 2021
Usable floor area: 8.674m² (stage 2 „Landtag-NEW“)
Groff floor area: 8.752 m² (stage 2 „Landtag-NEW“)
Function: Square and park
Scope: Invited urban planning competition
Model
Harald Schmidt, Vienna
Award
2nd Place