why-how-what mixes a music school with a concert hall in vienna

why-how-what mixes a music school with a concert hall in vienna
all images courtesy of why-how-what

taking note of greek theaters from ancient history, why-how-what has designed vienna’s ‘wiener musikhaus.’ the reference comes from the fact that the structures were created to be easily accessible, public arenas with visual connections to the city. in the same way that they were erecting forums as efficient places for congregations to discuss politics and other civil matters, the greeks built theaters that were based on the premise that they would bring people together. this has led to the development of the international architecture studio’s project as a series of approaches that need to be implemented.

view from the tramway

the first strategy is to combine the act of learning about music with the ability to perform it on a grand stage. as a result, the building houses both a school and a concert hall, meaning that teachers and their pupils will share it with professional musicians. secondly, while the typology is typically seen as an iconic structure, the work also acts as a form that constantly operates in relation to the city. citizens have the option to occupy the entrance court and intermediate plaza with views of the park, or they can enjoy drinks in the cafe and terrace. finally, to reconnect the balcony seats with the metropolis, the main hall will have views to to the park while spectators and students will meet in main common spaces.

common area in the music school

the music house appears as a shoe box-shaped auditorium that efficiently provides acoustics for each of its 900 seats. in order to break the monotony of this kind of form, the program is rotated at a 45 degree angle, creating varying corners that are to be used as patios, dining halls, lounges, indoor multipurpose rooms, and outdoor performance areas.

foyer of the chamber music auditorium

the project is designed to follow the process of a musician’s career. in accordance with this idea, the lower floor is dedicated to the entrance and technical rooms. on the next level, students of the music school will learn musical theory and receive individual lessons. once they have progressed to a satisfactory level, they will move to the upper floor of the school where larger classrooms will encourage them to play as a group. it is not until after this process has been completed that they may have the opportunity to perform in one of the three auditoriums.

rendering of the main auditorium with views to the park on the left and the old city to the right

concept model

model picture showing the entrance plaza

model picture showing circulation from the lobby to the auditorium foyer

diagonal section

circulation principle

organizational diagram

structural principle

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.