Design Studio WS 22/23

Design Studio WS 22/23: RIECKHOF RE-INVENTED: Pulkau am Puls der Zeit

The municipality of Pulkau in the northern Weinviertel (Lower Austria) has a striking topographical location. The centre of the town (approx. 1500 inhabitants) is located in the “Kessellage”. In the past, people often stopped here on their way from Vienna to Prague, which resulted in a large number of inns. Due to changes in mobility, this demand has changed and led to increased vacancies. In the context of this design programme, one of these affected properties, the former “Rieck Gasthof”, will be the focus of consideration. It is a property with a surface area of approx. 3,500 m2; in the rear area there are also several monumental chestnut trees. With the various existing buildings, the protection of historical monuments plays a not insignificant role. Nevertheless, the preservation of the substance will have to be considered in individual cases. Furthermore, the town hall, which is not too far away, will be included in the design activities at the beginning of the exercise. Within the framework of the design exercise, it is therefore important to combine utilisation concepts with architectural measures. This is to be done taking into account the range of functions already comprehensively covered. The main objective is to develop a realisable overall concept as well as a concrete usable design solution.

Task

The municipality of Pulkau in the northern Weinviertel (Lower Austria) has a striking topographical position. In “Kessellage” is the center (about 1,500 inhabitants). In the past, people often stopped here when passing through on their way from Vienna to Prague, so a large number of inns were built. Due to changes in mobility, this need has changed and this has led to increased vacancies. Within the framework of this design program, one of these affected properties, the former “Rieck Gasthof”, will be the focus of consideration. It is a property with an area of about 3,500 m2; moreover, in the rear area there are several monumental chestnut trees. In the case of the various existing buildings, the protection of historical monuments plays a not insignificant role. Nevertheless, the preservation of the substance will have to be considered in each individual case. Furthermore, at the beginning of the exercise, the town hall, which is not too far away, will be included in the design activities. Within the scope of the design exercise, it is therefore necessary to combine utilization concepts with architectural measures. This in consideration of the already comprehensively covered range of functions. The main objective is to develop a realizable overall concept as well as a concrete usable design solution.

Resume

If one takes a first look at the designs around the Rieckhof, the range of proposed transformations is striking. A multitude of possibilities for reinterpreting the aging ensemble of buildings allows the fragments that have become mute to awaken to new life. Be it as a place of summer retreat, as a bath, as a dwelling or, as in many cases, as a mixture of the most diverse uses with the ostensible goal of bringing together a multitude of the most diverse people under a common roofscape. However, in order to actually bring about the revitalization imagined in this way, more or less elaborate interventions are required. How much of the historical building fabric is removed in the process was left to the students on their own responsibility, without, however, completely neglecting the not clearly defined protection of historical monuments. This decision naturally includes the question of the respective use, which sometimes leads to more radical or more restrained approaches. Nevertheless, the premise was that at the end of the design process, the site in question should be understood as a historical place. The premise was nevertheless to be able to comprehend and understand the site as a historical place. In this way, the Rieckhof is transformed into a quarter that remembers its roots and yet is transformed into a place of lively exchange. The historic façade facing the street thus becomes a face that is preserved, supplemented or partially reinterpreted from time to time, but in any case remains recognizable.

Selected projects