ÖAMTC Support Point West

URBAN DESIGN CONCEPT

The site for the ÖAMTC Wien West support point is in Vienna’s 14th municipal district, Penzing, directly on Hadikgasse. The location is, naturally, strongly shaped by the traffic and transport arteries that flank it: the U4 metro line, the valley of the River Wien, the main west highway leading out of the city, and the west railway line. Between the highway and the train tracks is a zone that is occupied mostly by commercial buildings and functions. Along Hadikgasse there is also an impressive row of trees. The location is, in principle, easily reached and very prominent. For these reasons, it seemed an ideal site for the ÖAMTC mobility club’s largest support point.

 The principle articulation of the building volume is made parallel to the transportation arteries referred to above. An elongated volume along Hadikgasse contains sales and consultancy facilities for members and clients on the ground floor, with the administration offices on the upper floor. Between this volume and Hackinger Straße is the large single-storey inspection hall, whose roof serves as a car park for clients of the ÖAMTC support point. It is flanked by the necessary turning and circulation areas. Above this client parking deck there is a further parking level for the exclusive use of the staff with their company cars.

 To preserve the trees, the building is moved back from the site boundary along the west highway. In addition, the pavement is moved from the edge of the carriageway to the other side of the row of trees and will run attractively between the trees and display windows.

ARCHITECTURAL CONCEPT

What is called the “counter” of the ÖAMTC is prominently placed at the intersection of the approach road into Kefergasse and the access across Preindlsteg bridge. In this sense it forms the “head” of the entire complex. As a esponse to the counter staff’s wishes for internal communication and to allow the flow of members and clients that was called for a circular or elliptical form appeared ideal. At the same time this form, like in the ÖAMTC headquarters building in Erdberg, symbolises the club’s mobility and dynamism. The building has generous amounts of glazing at ground level and turns towards the street space and passers-by. In contrast the wall of the storey above is structured in bands of yellow and anthracite coloured façade elements (aluminium sidings in the company’s CI colours) and has only the necessary number of openings. A strikingly modelled outdoor staircase leads to the first car parking level, which is on the roof of the inspection hall. Above this parking level there is a further parking deck, reserved for the staff of the support point. The single-storey inspection and testing hall has glazed doors and glazed bays. The facade of this hall facing onto the yard uses a thermal insulation composite system in dark grey.  For the subordinate façade areas a dark grey thermal insulation system was also used.

The flat roofs are covered with gravel.

The aim was to emphasise the horizontality. To achieve this the columns are dark grey and retreat visually to the background, while the parapet bands are clad with yellow and anthracite facade elements.

Statics, building physics, project coordination: Fritsch, Chiari & Partner ZT GmbH, Vienna

MEP: Das Leitwerk, Ingenieurbüro & PM, Kapelln

Structural fire protection: Norbert Rabl ZT GmbH, Graz

Traffic planning: Traffix Verkehrsplanung  GmbH, Vienna

Projektteam Pichler & Traupmann Architects:

Wolfgang Windt (project leader)
Markus Schrefl
Barbara Jarmaczki
Joachim Kess
Milan Suchánek
David Guisado T.

Competition:
Bartosz Lewandowski (team leader)
Anna Gulinska
Peter Grandits
Jan Niklas Schöpf
Patrik Drechsler

Gross floor area: 17.081 m²
Usable floor area: 6.534 m²