soma* won the second prize in the competition for the redesign of the Karlsplatz-Passage, Vienna. It is the busiest public transport hub in Austria, counting over 200.000 passengers a day. The result of the competition is published in the current edition of Architektur Aktuell (The Art of Competition, Springer-Verlag, March 2009).
a complex twist in ceiling and wall geometry enables an opening to above ground
line geometry of the twist* soma was founded by Günther Weber, Kristina Schinegger, Stefan Rutzinger and Martin Oberascher. Competition team was completed by Christoph Brandstätter (structural engineer), Jan-Ruben Fischer (visualisation) and Marcello Bernardi.
.The Karlsplatz-Passage is currently cutt-off from its aboveground surrounding. The proposal wants to reconnect it to its context and enforce it as an urban street space..
The Karlsplatz links some of Vienna’s main cultural institutions like the Künstlerhaus, the Kunsthalle or the Musikverein. Through various options for displays and installations the underpass can be converted into a subterranean gallery: The storefronts function as a visual display, the existing columns are wrapped in matte glass to enable light installations. Informations, schedules or art videos shown on the continuous information screen accompany passer-bys through the passage.
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the ceiling deforms according to the programming of adjacant elements
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cultural and commercial programming on both sides of the passage
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The curved geometry combined with functions on both sides break the linearity and perspectivity of the passage and create a diversified spatial experience of walking through. The spatial monotony of the passage is further disrupted by the insertion of the “ear”, a visual contact to aboveground that lets sunlight enter the passage. The ear is equipped with loudspeakers to broadcast live-concerts or install sound installations.
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Jury statement: „A proposal with an overall very independent approach, which distinguishes itself from the other projects’ clearly in its expressivity (…) Appreciated is especially the expressive light opening to aboveground with the mulitmedia-based cultural programming.”