"Green courtyard“ instead of industrial wasteland
At Graz’s Western access road, where remains of the former “Euroshopping” currently stand, a “green courtyard“ with about 400 flats and appropriate infrastructure is to be erected. Out of 82 admitted projects the architectural firm Zechner & Zechner won the two-stage competition. The typology of an enclosed block which offers a generous sheltered inner courtyard presents the central aspect. The clear structure and the differentiated development of the heights are combined with the scale of the neighbouring houses – lower towards Grillweg and higher towards the high-rise buildings along KärntnerStraße.
Essential criteria for the jury’s decision were the high urbanistic quality of the project, the integration of the existing neighbouring buildings into the concept, the consideration of local aspects like noise as well as the urbanistic contribution in terms of an improvement of the local infrastructure – after all, the project involves a common plaza with shops to cover the daily needs, several gastronomic facilities and a potential medical centre.Furthermore, “the architectural quality of the main body and the outdoor space – which were designed by the landscape architects “3zu0” – were complimented.
Ing. Martin Kurschel, CEO and owner of the Immovate group is pleased about the result of the competition which was held off together with the city of Graz: “The result is convincing and captivating since the winning project doesn’t only work on it’s own but also interacts with the neighbourhood.”
DI Mag. Bertram Werle, director of town planning,is delighted to hear about the appreciation within the neighbourhood of the project which was already taken into account for the current planning: „Due to a high concentration we can achieve an urban situation again– with lots of green and public spaces as well as an urbanisticallycalm island in the courtyard.”
Architect Martin Zechner of the competition’s winning office additionally explains: “The outwardly sharply cut form becomes porous towards the middle and the top and forms a huge “Garden house” via terraces, balconies, loggias and roof gardens. The name “green courtyard” is not only to be seen as a simple keyword – it represents a built programme!”
