Ernst Giselbrecht + Partner

Description

Redensification is one of the topics in architecture that will increasingly occupy us in the near future. This applies not only to residential and commercial buildings in the countryside but also to the inner-city grounds of Graz University of Technology. The existing «Inffeldgasse 25» building complex is located on the university campus, in the Inffeldgründe area, and was built at the end of the 1970s. It houses the mechanical engineering institutes and is divided into several buildings and zones. The aim was therefore to counteract the «urban sprawl» of the complex through small-scale additions and extensions. This project is intended to ensure that future space requirements can be met in the long term. By increasing the height of all office towers to the same height of four upper storeys, the necessary expansion areas for the institute’s operations will be created. The extensions will be made using lightweight timber construction. The precisely executed aluminium façade is intended to draw attention to the content and function of these buildings, the mechanical engineering institutes. A special feature of the façade is a projecting aluminium panel construction in trapezoidal form above the window strip, which interlocks with the opposing panels running below the windowsill. This interlocking becomes a design element that emphasises the significance and sophistication of the façade and ensures a distinctive appearance.