University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna Building, BOKU Austria Project Photos

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna

18 Nov 2020

Library and seminar centre BOKU Wien

Design: SWAP Architekten with DELTA

Library and seminar centre BOKU Vienna

Photos © Hertha Hurnaus

Digitized timber contsruction in Vienna by SWAP Architekten

Location: University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180 Wien, Austria

Digitized timber construction – library and seminar centre BOKU Vienna

Library and seminar centre BOKU Vienna

November 18th, 2020 – The campus of the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) in Vienna was extended by a timber construction with 3,000 m² of usable floor area. The new building offers space for a seminar centre, a library, offices for several departments and shared areas.

Library and seminar centre BOKU Vienna

The open entrance level and the public terrace create a communicative interface for students and faculty members from surrounding buildings. In addition to the atmospheric qualities of the wood surfaces, the high proportion of daylight contributes to a pleasant learning and working environment.

The appearance of the building is characterized by its timber skeleton construction. The façade grid of untreated wood is continued in the interior of the entrance level and the library as structural grid of the ceiling. The support structure becomes a design element.

Library and seminar centre BOKU Vienna

Full-height glazing creates a dialogue between the interior and the surroundings. During the warm season individual glass elements can be opened to the terrace, thereby creating a meeting place for students.

The four-story wooden structure was constructed from prefabricated cross-laminated timber elements. The base, which is partially underground, and the stairwell are made of reinforced concrete.

Library and seminar centre BOKU Vienna

Public and highly frequented rooms are situated on the lower levels. The two large seminar rooms on the entrance level can be joined and opened towards the foyer to provide a large space for events. The learning spaces in the library, as well as the seminar rooms below, are orientated to the park in the northeast with its dense vegetation. The departments, each of which comprises offices, a meeting room and a small kitchen, are on the top two levels.

Library and seminar centre BOKU Vienna

Modern digital technologies were used for planning and construction. After the design team had worked together to create a comprehensive BIM model, it was used to extract all relevant information to manufacture the individual CLT elements. Then ‘Stora Enso Wood Products’ fitted these elements with digital sensors to continuously capture the temperature and the humidity during transport and assembly. This information is used to ensure no environmental thresholds were crossed for any of the elements.

The building has been recognized for its sustainable design. It scored 965 out of 1000 possible points of the Austrian klimaaktiv building standard, and was thus award the gold certificate. In addition to the climate-neutral construction materials, the compactness of the building and its positive effect on energy efficiency was applauded.

Library and seminar centre BOKU Vienna

BOKU Vienna Library and seminar centre – Building Information

COMPETITION: 1st place, 2017
START OF CONSTRUCTION: April 2019
COMPLETION: July 2020
USABLE AREA: Around 3,000 m²

OWNER:
Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft m.b.H
Trabrennstraße 2c, 1020 Vienna

USER:
University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna
Georg-Mendel-Strasse 33, 1180 Vienna

ARCHITECT/ENGINEER:
SWAP Architekten
DELTA

Photographs © Hertha Hurnaus

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Library and seminar centre BOKU Vienna images / information from 181120

Location: University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180 Vienna, Austria, central Europe

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