Winners of Vienna University Campus Competition Selected

Following the presentation of the Master Plan for the new Campus of the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU) in May 2008, the WU and Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft (BIG), together with Austria’s Federal Minister of Science and Research Johannes Hahn and City Councillor Rudolf Schicker (Department for Urban Development and Traffic), recently announced the winning projects of the pertaining Architectural Competition.

The international, two-stage competition for the provision of architectural services for the new Campus of the Vienna University of Economics and Business was undertaken concurrently for several complexes of buildings.

The Jury decided upon the selection of the following projects:

Zaha Hadid Architects – Zaha Hadid, Germany Library & Learning Center (LLC) - previously on Bustler
Hitoshi Abe Studio – Hitoshi Abe; Japan Department Building (O2)
Estudio Carme Pinos – Carme Pinos, Spain Department Building (W1)
NO.MAD Arquitectos – Eduardo Arroyo, Spain Executive Academy (W1-EA)
CRABstudio Architects – Peter Cook, England Department Building (W2)

The Master Plan by BUSarchitektur (previously on Bustler) laid down the infrastructure and free space design of the new University Campus and divides the project into several plots. The subject of the Architectural Competition was the design of five building complexes on the basis of the Master Plan. Together with the Lecture Room Center and Department Building (O1) designed by BUSarchitektur, the 90,000 m2 site will be characterized by a great diversity of architecture and provide the University with 102,000 m2 of floor area.

“The construction of the new WU Campus is an incentive for business for two reasons: first, it will result in the structural modernization of teaching and research in economics, something which has been eagerly anticipated for some time; and secondly, the construction constitutes an important part of the package of cyclical measures adopted by Austria’s Federal Government. The new WU engenders not only knowledge; an investment of some 250 million euros will above all create employment and generate growth,” affirmed Federal Minister Johannes Hahn.

Vienna City Councillor Rudolf Schicker emphasized that “the new Campus will further enhance conditions for students at this most eminent Austrian university. The Campus is situated in a highly dynamic area of the city, characterized by high-quality architecture, and will undoubtedly establish further exciting accents. The location is advantageous because of its proximity to the U2 metro line and the Prater park. Here, research, education, recreation and leisure time can be optimally intertwined within a relatively small area.”

Living and Learning at the Campus
In conjunction with Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft the Vienna University of Economics and Business shall create the new Campus for teaching and research.
The concept of a modern, service-oriented university necessitates a qualitative and quantitative improvement for students and researchers. As to visions and requirements, University Rector Christoph Badelt commented that “the new urban campus is characterized by the needs of those studying and shall, accordingly, facilitate life and learning“. With its new Campus, which will be both accessible and attractive to the public, the Vienna University of Economics and Business will be actively participating in the urban life of Vienna.

The next steps in accomplishing the project will be the negotiation of contracts with the individual architectural offices involved. “We hope to come to a swift agreement in order to realise the ambitious goal of commencing construction work in early 2010. Our schedule prescribes initiation of the design stage in January 2009, so that the resulting application can be submitted to the authorities by autumn 2009,” explained Christoph Stadlhuber, Manager of BIG.

Projektgesellschaft Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien Neu GmbH, jointly founded by WU and BIG, shall act as the principal in this project. Work on the site, which is situated between the Messe Wien (Vienna Fair) and the Prater, is scheduled to start in 2009. The new Campus of the Vienna University of Economics and Business is anticipated to come into operation in the 2012-2013 academic year.

Images: BOA/WU, Heiland / Zaha Hadid Architects, Hitoshi Abe, Carme Pinós, CRABstudio, NO.MAD Arquitectos