Markus Scherer

Description

The area before the baroque monastery of the Augustinian Canons, lined with historical buildings and formerly used for parking, was to be transformed into a public square to make a more fitting approach to the monastery. The concept envisages a clear organisation into three main areas: 1. Arrival area (deceleration), 2. Square (lingering), and 3. Path to the monastery. The level of the square was lowered by about 1.5 metres to the historical level in the form of an impluvium, or rainwater basin. This gives back the buildings their correct architectural dimension, lending the square a distinct frame. An essential part of the project was to design the square with the simplest possible means and using a uniform material that relates to the setting (Brixen Granite). The Judge’s House, Engelsburg and monastery winery bound the space in three directions. The green areas along the »Turkish Wall« have been left in place and reorganised in such a way that the square can now be used flexibly for events without permanent installations that would spoil the coherent historical ensemble.