Teresa Pühringer

HAVN

Häfn [Mundart Österreich] = prison

haven [English] = place of refuge, oasis

The title of the project “Havn” is understood as an art term composed of the German-speaking/colloquial “Häfn” and the English-speaking “Haven” – a place of refuge and retreat for young people. As a counter-reaction to the dark past of the reformatory, the prison is now to be transformed into a youth centre. The idea is to create a place where young people can retreat, meet, exchange ideas, continue their education and develop. The aim is thus to activate and revitalise the existing building. In order to avoid new life developing only in an “annexe”, individual additions will be placed in a targeted manner so that a passageway is created within the entire building. As a sign of change, the bars are literally broken open and many barred windows are replaced by glass cubes. The individual rooms of the prison are basically left in their architectural structure and are used for various purposes. The new addition proves to be the antithesis of the dark, cramped prison of the past. Here, brightness, lightness, spaciousness and a view prevail.