AQUALUX THERME FOHNSDORF BY ARCHITEKTEN TITUS WALTER PERNTHALER ZT GMBH

The history of Fohnsdorf as a coal mining town serves as the inspirational starting point for the design of the thermal bath. The building is situated as a monolithic block seemingly growing out of the existing topography by analogy with the characteristical form of a coal seam.

Several axes open up the block to the surrounding landmarks like “Schloss Gabelhofen” and the alpine scenery. These “fissures” serve as natural lighting during the day and as illumination during the night. The reduced but deliberate use of openings and vistas intensify the tension and communication between interior and exterior space.

The glazed axes also stage the circulation of the building and divide the block into six distinct areas of activity: athletic pool; children’s area; adventure pool; wellness area and sauna, restaurant, health center 

The areas of activity are organized according to their different noise levels from high activity zones to relaxing areas along the main horizontal circulation axis that forms an interior courtyard in the center of the building.

This central atrium introduces natural lighting and green space into the center of the building making the course of the sun and the sequence of seasons tangible in the interior of the thermal bath.

Along the glazed axes the dark cladding of the exterior walls continues into the internal space and reinforces the interconnection between interior and exterior space. In contrast to the dark ceramic tiling of the interior floors the water pools are tiled with light stones that reflect the light and allow a better illumination of the water with luminaries installed inside the pools and on the ceilings.

The third predominant interior material – the timber form work – creates another reference to the mining tradition and allows a seamless transition between walls and ceilings.

The joints of the timber form work improve the acoustics and serve as ventilation slots. The insertions of galleries enhance the differentiated spatial effects and create a multitude of visual relationships between the different levels of the thermal bath.

 

Location: Fohnsdorf, Austria 
Architects: Architekten Titus Walter Pernthaler ZT GmbH 
Lighting Design: Vedder Lichtmanagement 
Structural engineering: Spirk & Partner ZT GmbH 
HVAC engineering | water engineering: Die Haustechniker TB GmbH 
Building physics | acoustics: Dr. Pfeiler GmbH 
Landscape design: Monsberger Gartenarchitektur 
Area: 36.478 m2 
Construction area: 4.020 m2 
Gross floor area: 9.060 m2 
Net area: 7.710 m2 
Water areas: 885 m2 
Construction costs: 21,5 Million € 
Year: 2007 
Photography: Paul Ott

SUMMER HOUSE BY JUDITH BENZER ARCHITEKTUR

“The project Summer House in Southern Burgenland (Austria) describes a sharp-edged cubature which fits into its surroundings through its simplicity and homogeneous appearance. 

In being used as a summer house, and by virtue of the installation of a wine cellar with production surfaces at a later date, the building’s design is oriented by the cubature of the Kellerstöckel (wine house) typical of the Southern Burgenland region.

The cellar contains rooms for wine storage and production; the aboveground rooms are for residential use. The cellar has been executed in a ferroconcrete massive construction.

The ground floor and first floor were constructed as a pure wood construction. Here, the undisguised wooden cross layer elements were rendered effective not only in their structural-static functions but also as design elements.

As a counter weight, the wooden construction material employed on a large-scale stands vis-à-vis exposed concrete and steel materials. The materials were consciously employed in an untreated, undisguised state; in their combination, they form a homogeneous ambiance.

As the summer house is not inhabited during the winter months, a larch grid mantle was developed which can be shut completely. During the uninhabited winter months, the house is thus unobtrusively and sculpturally situated in the landscape.

In order to achieve this, folding and flap shutters were developed which, when shut, flush with the façade and, also coated with rhombus boarding, melt into the mantle. In the summer, the shutters work against aestival overheating: when opened – as canopies – and when shut.

The sharp edges of the cubature are formed by copper corner plates. The terrace area, also formulated as a larch grid, forms a sort of shadow of the building. The mantle is thus carried forward in design in the outside space.” Description of Architects.

 

Location: Oberbergen, Austria

Architects: Judith Benzer Architektur

Year: 2011

Photographs: Martin Weiß

KINDERGARTEN BY KIRSCH

Il concorso bandito nel 2009, dal Comune di Vienna, di architettura bioclimatica per la realizzazione di un asilo sulla Schukowitzgasse, nel 2012 mostra il suo “esito” con la realizzazione del progetto vincitore dello studio Kirsch.

La tempistica è degna di attenzione ed è articola in nomina del vincitore, progettazione esecutiva, assegnazione alla ditta appaltante, esecuzione del lavori che sono stati realizzati da Marzo a Settembre 2010 per la costruzione di un asilo, su due piani, di 1150 mq. utili per un costo finale di 3.050.000 euro.

I costi di realizzazione rientrano nella norma, ma quello che stupisce gli addetti ai lavori sono i tempi di realizzazione in soli 6 mesi che sono stati possibili adottando una soluzione costruttiva combinando strutture in calcestruzzo ed elementi prefabbricati in legno.

Come lo definisce lo stesso Clemens Kirsch, titolare dello studio viennese, un "Complesso semplice - semplice complessità" progettato come un sistema aperto con un nucleo centrale di metri 22X22 con attorno ad un filtro, una “zona veranda”, dove si trovano i servizi e le stanze relax, che protegge dall’irraggiamento solare e divide lo spazio interno per le attività e l’insegnamento dalle aree gioco esterne.

Un filtro concepito con spazio annesso che viene esplicitato nelle facciate dell’edificio con una articolazione di moduli aggettanti. La sua funzione è anche climatica consentendo all’asilo di minimizzare l’uso di impianti termici rispondendo alle richieste di realizzare una costruzione passiva.

L’interno è caldo ed armonioso dovuto all’impiego del legno nelle pareti e nel pavimento, con arredi flessibili per consentire la massima libertà e organizzazione, con ampie vetrate in corrispondenza delle scale esterne che consentono la luminosità delle aree didattiche.

Location: Wien, Austria

Architect: KirschZT GmbH

Project Team: Clemens Kirsch, Hannah Feigl, Werkraum Wien (Constructive advice), Fa. Bauklimatik, Rajek-Barosch (landescape)

photos: Hertha Hurnaus

immages: courtesy of KirschZT GmbH