Nach positiver Absolvierung der Lehrveranstaltung sind Studierende in der Lage...
After successful completion of the course, students are able to work with existing buildings and structures of different scale and type, located in different contextes. Students will gain experience in analasing and "reading" existing structures, evaluating their potential and challanges and development of comprehencive design proposal.
The students will acquire extensive knowledge of current European legislation in the field of transformation and buildings preservation as well as will be trained to develop design narrative and architectural proposal of adaptive reuse.
In collaboration with the studio bplus.xyz (Arno Brandlhuber, Olaf Grawert, Jonas Janke, Roberta Jurcic, Jolene Lee) in Innsbruck University, Chair of Architectural Theory, students will formulate a strategy, comprising a design proposal and a narrative grounded in legislation, on how to adapt and repurpose the existing building.
This studio will be taught in colloboration with bplus.xyz (Arno Brandlhuber, Olaf Grawert, Jonas Janke, Roberta Jurcic, Jolene Lee), Innsbruck University, Chair of Architectural Theory.
ALL BUILDINGS (SHOULD) GROW: ABILITY TO TRANSFORM IS A KEY PARAMETER OF SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE
To grow and change are essential qualities of architecture. Buildings, as one of the key elements of urban infrastructure, develop and transform simultaneously with the society according to new needs and requirements of users and context. The longer building could be actively used the more ecological it is. “The greenest building is the one which already built.” (Carl Elefante). Precise prediction of the future is hardly possible and ability of buildings to adapt to new conditions is one of the crucial qualities of sustainable urban development. At the time of environmental crises smart and responsible use of existing built resources is indispensable. “The living environment can persist through change and adaptation”. (N. J. Habraken). Transformation is a key parameter of endurance of architecture.
THE SPECULATION DRAMA: CURRENTLY BUILDING SECTOR PROFITS FROM LARGE SCALE DEMOLITION OF SANE BUILDINGS, WHILE STIMULATES SHORTAGE OF PLACES TO LIVE AND WORK
Current organization of construction industry makes it one of the most ecologically harmful industries in the world, accountable for about 40% of global CO2 emission. Despite dramatic environmental conditions, demolition is still a common practice to develop and create urban infrastructure. It is still easier to buy new than repair existing. Speculation on the real estate market is one of the main motivations to demolish sane, structurally strong buildings. This paradox brings us to understanding of necessity of new construction legislation the same as well-developed methodology and tools to work existing buildings and adapt them to new requirements.
THE PRESERVATION ISSUE: HOW TO USE EXISTING BUILDING STOCK TO SATISFY CONTEMPORARY URBAN NEEDS
What are the main characteristics we want to preserve, and how do we value them? In times of climate change, can we still afford to preserve buildings exclusively based on their cultural value - their aesthetic, their style, their relevance? How physical characteristics of a structure and embodied carbon can define new architectural approach? How overlooked elements of built environment, often defined as ugly and worthless, could be used for development of contemporary urban infrastructure in environmentally responsible way? How ordinary can be transformed in extraordinary?
PRESERVE: TO DEVELOP INSTEAD OF PROTECT
To “preserve” (German: “erhalten”) means to maintain an existing structure. Fundamentally, preservation (“Erhalt”) emphasizes the adaptability of buildings, in contrast to protection (“Schutz”), which aims to retain a building’s original state. This perspective on preservation introduces concepts like adaptive reuse, where aging structures are repurposed while preserving their core characteristics.How to preserve and efficiently use existing building stock, but keep it open for the future development and transformation - is the focus of this studio
“HARDWARE / SOFTWARE in architecture”: IS AN ATTEMPT TO IMAGINE ALTERNATIVE APPROACH TO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS
“Hardware/Software in architecture” is an attempt to imagine alternative approach to design and construction of buildings. Admitting inevitability of buildings to undergo unforeseeable changes the concept proposes to develop from the beginning architecture-to-change. The building consists of two main parts: 1) everlasting structure (Hardware) and 2) flexible functional infill (Software). The Software of the building could be easily adjusted to host a new function, while the Hardware would remain untouched, addressing urban, architectural and aesthetical challenges. Exactly like in IT: to update an application there is no need to by a new computer.
THEORY AND PRAXIS: COLLOBORATION OF GBL, TU WIEN AND DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURAL THEORY
In collaboration students of TU Wien and TU Innsbruck will approach contemporary adaptive reuse challenges from different fields: theoretical and practical. TU Wien student will develop architectural solutions, while students of TU Innsbruck support them by expertise of legislation and narrative design. Proposals of students’ teams will offer architectural vision and strong speculative narrative. We will work with typologically similar buildings in Vienna and in Innsbruck, revealing potential of transformation of sibling project sites. Together, students will formulate a strategy for each typology/pair, comprising a design proposal and a narrative grounded in legislation, on how to adapt and repurpose the existing building.
UGLY AND WORTHLESS: ALTERNATIVE TO DEMOLITION
We will work with existing structures doomed for demolition. Buildings which do not have any historical or cultural value. We will look at the built structures first of all as at resource for the future development. Our goal is to show what could be an alternative to demolition. How can we work with existing structures, so the new construction requires less material, new buildings will not reduce comfort for the users, construction process will go faster and in much more ecological way, and cities become more beautiful and exciting places to live.
RETHINKING STANDARDS: REUSE, REDUCE OR NOT TO USE AT ALL
Global challenges require from us not only optimization of the processes but to rethink and reorganize many aspects of our life. Many of current norms and standards (official and unofficial) simply do not allow to react with required responsibility to crucial challenges of today and tomorrow. At the moment it is responsibility of architect to find possibility of enhancement of the entire industry rise questions and propose alternatives. We should speak not only about reuse and reduce, but look for possibilities not to use at all new resources. Radical change of the industry because of scarcity of resources is what will happen anyway, do we want it or not. Our goal is to prepare smooth and save transition to these new conditions.
MAXIMUM EFFECT WITH MINIMUM MEANS: STRUCTURE; PROGRAM AND MATERIALS
Rethink of standards will require comprehensive approach to all aspects of construction industry: we have to rethink the way we design, construct, maintain, alter and deconstruct buildings. We will have to look for possibilities in optimization of structure and see which system would be the most efficient and allow growth of a building in time. What kind of circulation is optimal for different typologies? How can we optimize the program? Can we imagine sharing in time of one space by different function? Which material will allow building to endure different users, programs and urban conditions and help the structure to survive in time? All of these we have to achieve with minimal interventions, following the formula “maximum effect with minimum means”.
