Art & Architecture + Vienne (Austria)

Vienne, Austria: Tmw Technical Museum Entrance Foyer by Querkraft Architects
Querkraft Architects

New entrance foyer and shop during summer 2010 the technical museum together with Querkraft Architekten designed a new entrance foyer and museum shop.

Querkraft Architects

A modern museum service requires a correspondingly modern level of service – for this purpose space is a must. older museum buildings are challenged to expand and modernise whilst remaining attached to their existing historical structures.

Querkraft Architects

In the 90s the technical museum faced precisely this difficulty as it tried to gain more space for a larger entrance foyer, a new museum shop and café as well as sufficient amenities, cloakroom space and ticketing capacity.

Querkraft Architects

The architectural solution that was chosen in the 90s was a steel-glass box placed in front of the existing historical structure. This solution proved problematic on a few levels shortly after the opening in 1999.

Querkraft Architects

The foyer was dominated by large temperature fluctuations, poor acoustics and ventilation, as well as less than optimal visitor circulation. A competition followed in which querkraft architekten managed to convince the 6-person jury with their design.

Querkraft Architects

Basic principle of the new design: the creation of clear master plan and visitor circulation with an accompanying welcoming emotional atmosphere, which improves the building physics.

Querkraft Architects

At the middle of their design solution are multifunctional pieces of furniture made of glass-fibre reinforced plastic and fabric. These ‘trees’ provide seating, shade and acoustic absorption and at night they serve as an illuminate bodies which fill the room with white or blue glowing light.

Querkraft Architects

The objects, which resemble trees and can be perceived as a innuendo to the relationship between technology and nature, formally envelope the steel columns and allow a view through the glass ceiling and on to the historical façade.

Querkraft Architects

The shop, which has to do with little floor space, receives new, flexible moveable furnishings for the presentation of products – aligned to the overall design principle.

Querkraft Architects

The realised design from querkraft architekten reveals a definite architectural statement, which communicates with the existing structure and at the same time fulfils the functional requirements of a modern museum entrance.

Querkraft Architects
Querkraft Architects

Location: Vienna, Austria Architect: Querkraft Architects Project Manager: Dominique Dinies Project Team: Carmen Hottinger, Lola Rieger, Robert Haranza, Lisi Wieser, Mechthild Weber, Christoph Fraundorfer, Aleca Bunescu, Corinna Bach Site Supervision: Apo - Oliver Eichhorn Structural Engineering: Werkraum Wien Consutant Llight: Klaus Pokorny Area: 1300 m2 Year: 2010 Client: Technical Museum Vienna

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