Study Centre University of Leoben

Beautifully located on a bend in the River Mur, in terms of urban design and landscape the site is in the field of tension between the block grid of “Josefee”, a 19th century urban expansion area, versus the edge of the River Mur that breaks it. As is so often the case in late 19th century urban areas the site at the point of collision between different grids and edges remained undeveloped. The study centre itself is divided into two prismatic, free-standing buildings: the lecture hall centre and the cafeteria and restaurant building, which are delightfully situated near the water and which together define an open space axis in that direction.

The cafeteria is divided into two parts andconsists of a functionally laid out kitchen and services structurealong the “spine” and a dining area facing towards the river. Thelibrary, to which a second floor will be added in the next buildingphase, is equally clearly organised: the servant spaces are laid outalong this axis, but are penetrated by the connecting cascading lineof the staircase, while the open access area and the reading rooms ontwo levels face towards the area of the river.

In plan the building containing the cafeteria andthe library is an almost right-angled triangle, its hypotenuse formsthe long edge on the urban spine. It is calm, horizontal and opensthrough the restaurant terrace towards the river. The upper floors,to be added in a later building phase, are reserved for the librarywhich is accessed in a simple but spatially impressive way by acascading staircase. A roof terrace with a view of the Mur here alsoterminates the sequence of spaces.