St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences Extension

Project data

Year

Status

Awards / Phase

1.1st place

Type

Size


48.1938, 15.577

The Networked Campus
Forming coalitions - Education unites

1st Prize, tender procedure, 2017
St. Pölten UAS 2nd construction phase - general planning services

ARGE NMPB + FCP
NMPB Architekten ZT GmbH +
FCP Fritsch- Chiari & Partner ZT GmbH

Concept

The basic framework for this campus structure is formed by an ensemble of two compact and nuanced buildings above a common base. The democratic arrangement of the volumes and development offers great flexibility in the usage and possibilities for further expansion.

The new campus in the green field appears as one unit - education unites! On the outside as a generous public promenade; on the inside as a central educational axis between the two buildings.

Urban Development Concept

The conceptual approach considers the area in its entirety. The formulation of the accesses, the promenade, and public spaces define a unique campus building in the midst of high-quality green spaces and a multi-layered urban integration. It also takes an optimal and economical implementation into account.

The urban structure of the surrounding area is characterised by a heterogeneous development, with the existing UAS building setting the urban planning order.
The existing promenade - the UAS access axis - will be continued as a concise urbanistic symbol, and strengthened and expanded as a zone of development, encounter, communication and exchange.

The promenade connects the entire campus of the UAS. It leads towards the car park and along the Mühlbach stream towards the train station in the city centre.
The overlapping of development, green space, and assigned open spaces around the building structure create a complex urban identity-forming structure. With the transitions and uses of the campus building, the open space offers differentiated public and semi-public areas.

For example, a paved terraced landscape, in the quiet inner field, and a green forest, in the eastern part of the property, offer different qualities. A semi-public area, assigned by the UAS, is created with playable surfaces, meeting points, resting areas, stairs and meadows for sitting and lying down.

The Campus Building
The Connecting Base

A wide promenade, on the outer area, allows clear and short ways to all areas of the campus structure. This campus promenade is also repeated, as an educational axis, in the interior building. It creates a completely open, continuous base zone with an interplay between the interior and the exterior space.

The educational axis, in the interior, generously and directly connects the existing multi-storey auditorium with the new campus hall via an open canteen area. A clear zoning of this open base zone creates an overview:

In the existing building ... the ballrooms and lecture halls, for larger teaching and external events, are concentrated.
As a link ... it creates a strong connection with an open cafeteria to the outside space.
In the extension building ... the student contact point sCSC, with the library, learning lab and showroom, defines a productive and networked focal point.

The openness of the structure and the ability to connect rooms, with a wide range of uses, allow for a diverse, parallel and flexible use in the daily operations, while also relating to possible future developments.

The Compact Campus

Above the connecting base, with the public ground floor functions, the upper floors are used for closely networked research and teaching. The expanded UAS structure is grouped in clusters and formed accordingly to associated functions. The compact extension building ties in with the existing building on all levels, thus creating the necessary spatial networking for efficient operations. The existing and new structure together form a new unity.

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