Topic for summer semester 2023:
Revitalization of Eng(e)lhof station near Gmunden
Engelhof station was built in 1834-35 as part of the Gmunden - Linz (Mauthausen) - Budweis horse-drawn railway connection. The Stern & Hafferl transport company still uses it today for the Gmunden – Vorchdorf connection, but has now built a new station building next door. Nevertheless, the building, which is protected as a monument, is currently probably the oldest station building still in operation on the European continent.
However, it will soon have to be refurbished in accordance with monument regulations, and the right time has come to think about a sensible subsequent use of the approximately 480 m2 usable area, which is no longer used as a station building in the narrower sense, in the course of designing the existing building. All current owners and users are interested in it and are cooperating with ICOMOS Austria and the research area of building history - building research.
There are already ideas and wishes for the future, meaningful use and a room program. It should be borne in mind that the existing property, as a station building that is still active and entered in the railway register, cannot be put to any subsequent use. These must be related to the railway and railway operations. Therefore, in addition to the necessary operating space for Stern & Hafferl, exhibition space to convey the history and function of the horse-drawn railway is being considered. There is already a supporting association that could and will take care of it. A "service apartment" will also be provided. In any case, an essential part of the design will have to be devoted to the design of the charming courtyard area and the open space design around the station buildings and tracks, including parking and pick-up options for cars and buses. In the course of designing, we will develop further good ideas for a sensible future use, as long as they remain within the bounds of what is legally possible.
The basis for the design will be the currently prepared survey plans for the existing building, which the Upper Austrian rail company will make available to us.
Of course, these conversions and new buildings have to be presented in the architectural language of the 21st century. However, special emphasis is placed on reacting sensitively to the historical structure of the ensemble and its neighborhood with the proposed restructuring and extensions of the existing rooms and the design of the new buildings and components.
Procedure and organization:
In principle, LVA takes place every Monday during the summer semester (except public holidays and vacation periods) from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in seminar room 251-1 at the TU Vienna. Of course there will be a jointly organized tour on site, but the students have to bear the travel expenses themselves. It is also planned to present the projects that have been developed on site after the end of the course in mid-June 2023. Further information will be available at the beginning of the LVA at the beginning of March.
Time schedule:
March 6, 2023, preliminary discussion, Sem. 251-1
March 13, 2023, introductory lectures, semester 251-1
March 20, 2023, site visit; together with the elective seminar on history of architecture (the trip is not organized by the institute); Meeting point: 1 p.m., Englhof train station (accessible by public transport from Vienna)
April 17, 2023 Concept presentation (mandatory in front of the LVA management and possibly guest jury); in presence at the TU Vienna
June 12, 2023 all-day final presentation in front of the jury (jury members: LVA management plus those responsible on site); in presence at the TU Vienna or in Gmunden
Then further work is to be done in the direction of displaying the results on site; The aim is to create exhibition posters and, if necessary, models
There is a more precise schedule for the jury day! For appointments such as preliminary discussion, on-site inspection, concept submission, introductory lecture on building in existing buildings, final jury, etc., there is a strict ATTENDANCE!
