Project	The competition task consists in a design for the “Wien Museum NEU"". The process of the restoration (building services and building envelope renovation), conversion and extension is to revitalize the spatial and functional qualities for the years to come. A place for the encounter of people is to be created, a special location in the heart of Vienna for the preservation, exhibition and interaction with the urban history, art and other societal issues. The building will integrate with the multifaceted institutions at the Karlsplatz, which participate in the discourse on art, culture and society in this inspiring environment. The future building ensemble should be an exemplary museum building in every way, on a par with current internationally valid technical and security standards and a space for the collections of the Wien Museum (paintings, sculptures, photography, graphic art, decorative arts) and its many exhibition activities. With appropriately designed rooms and an adequate system for the guidance of visitors, the museum should accommodate both the permanent and temporary exhibitions, some of which cover as much as 1,500 to 2,000 sqm and within 3 to 4 month attract crowds of 60,000 to 80,000. The aim is to increase the overall annual number of visitors from currently 150,000 to 200,000.
Site	The competition site is located on Karlsplatz in the 1st and 4th municipal districts of Vienna, Inner City or Wieden. The Karlsplatz, which can look back at a planning history of more than one and a half centuries, is one of the central public spaces in the city of Vienna. In addition, it is considered one of Vienna’s major inner-city traffic hubs. The competition site is located at the eastern fringe of this oblong square. With an overall size of approx. 14,000 sqm, the competition site is comprised of a realization part of approx. 11,000 sqm and two ideas parts, the first of which overlaps with the realization part. The realization part is comprised of the Wien Museum’s existing Haerdtl Building and a subarea of the Karlsplatz. The eastern border is defined by the Wien Museum, the western one is open. To the south the transition to the “Winterthur Building”defines the border. To the north the border is open, but limited for underground and surface constructions in respect to the subway tunnel. The 2,508 sqm large ideas part 1 is comprised of the “Winterthur Building”, a 4-story office building between the Wien Museum and the Karlskirche with approx. 8,350 sqm GFA. At present, the building is linked by two 3-story bridge structures to the Wien Museum and the Karlskirche; in addition to third-party offices, it also houses office spaces of the Museum. East of the Wien Museum and the "Winterthur Building", a part of the Maderstrasse, Mattiellistrasse and Kreuzherrengasse (including their intersections and junctions) is designated as the ideas part 2 with approx. 5.452 sqm.
Image gallery	The following subsections provide impressions of the project site and its surroundings: • Aerial photos • Outdoor shots • Indoor shots
Plans