The Vienna University of Economics and Business university (or Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien) has just welcomed a new addition to its star-studded campus, which already features buildings by Zaha Hadid, Hitoshi Abe and Carme Pinos, and a masterplan by BUS Architektur. The latest pair of buildings were designed by London's CRAB Studio, headed by renowned Archigram founder Sir Peter Cook and established architect Gavin Robotham.
Located in its southwest part, the buildings house the university's Law Faculty and central administration. The structures span 200 meters, snaking west to east, and are set to bring a welcome dash of colour to the Austrian capital's grey winter skies. The colourful facades curve, jut out and fold into roof decks, courtyards, sitting areas and balconies. A layer of natural Siberian Larch timber louvers covers part of the façade and has a dual role; it provides shade but also links the new structures to the surrounding Prater woodland.
Cook and Robotham - both seasoned academics - led this dynamic design. Responding to the needs of the students, the pair have created university buildings that include generous and engaging spaces that are able to support vibrant university life, even outside seminar hours. Special 'capsules of quiet' in the library and 'sound clouds' in the seminar rooms offer pockets for independent meetings and study. Meanwhile, the buildings' overall undulating, playful form matches the firm's vision for a dynamic and attractive environment for learning.
The Vienna University project is not the firm's only new offering in the education sector; next up is the Architecture Faculty building at Bond University in Queensland, Australia, which is swiftly gearing up towards completion this February.
The new campus section, located on the university's southwest side, comprises a pair of buildings that house the university's Law Faculty and central administration.
CRAB is headed by renowned Archigram founder Sir Peter Cook and established architect Gavin Robotham, who won the competition to design the new buildings in 2008.
The structures span 200 meters, snaking west to east.
The facades curve, jut out and fold into roof decks, courtyards, sitting areas and balconies.
A layer of natural Siberian Larch timber louvers covers part of the façade and has a dual role; it provides shade...
...but also links the new structures to the surrounding Prater woodland.
The buildings' overall undulating, playful form matches the firm's vision for a vibrant and attractive environment for learning.
Cook and Robotham are both seasoned and respected academics and have throughout their years of experience, developed strong ideas about how a university building should be.
Responding to the students' needs, the pair have created university buildings that include generous and engaging spaces and are able to support vibrant university life.
The university was designed to encourage students to use its spaces even outside seminar hours.
The building's interior is punctuated with colourful accents to match is vivid exterior.
Special 'capsules of quiet' in the library and 'sound clouds' in the seminar rooms offer pockets for independent meetings and study.
Sir Peter Cook's beautiful drawings helped develop the design concept.
-
This picky customer finds ‘perfection’ at Nipotina, Mayfair’s new pizza and pasta jointWallpaper* contributing editor Nick Vinson reviews Nipotina, a new Italian restaurant in London offering a carefully edited menu of traditional dishes
-
Giant cats, Madonna wigs, pints of Guinness: seven objects that tell the story of fashion in 2024These objects tell an unconventional story of style in 2024, a year when the ephemera that populated designers’ universes was as intriguing as the collections themselves
-
How 2024 brought beauty and fashion closer than ever before2024 was a year when beauty and fashion got closer than ever before, with runway moments, collaborations and key launches setting the scene for 2025 and beyond
-
AI in architecture: Zaha Hadid Architects on its pioneering use and collaborating with NVIDIAWe talk to ZHA about AI in architecture, its computational design advances, and its collaboration with NVIDIA on design, data and the future of AI and creativity
-
Omniyat launches The Alba, new Zaha Hadid Architects-designed residences in DubaiDeveloper Omniyat announces The Alba, ultra-luxury residences managed by Dorchester Collection and designed by Zaha Hadid Architects to blend ‘nature and cutting-edge design’
-
Load into this reimagined Fortnite cityscape, courtesy of Zaha Hadid ArchitectsA collaboration between Epic Games and ZHA, Re:Imagine London brings the architects’ modular forms into one of the world’s most popular multiplayer games
-
The Henderson by ZHA in Hong Kong makes everyone sit up and pay attentionThe Henderson, ZHA's new high-rise in Hong Kong, stands out in its coveted address through its unusual, fluted façade of glass columns
-
A guide to Zaha Hadid: from architecture to making 'a big hole' in Wallpaper*Dame Zaha Hadid was a global, Pritzker Prize-winning architect and a force of nature; in this ultimate guide to her work, we celebrate her life, career and legacy
-
Roca celebrates Zaha Hadid Design in LondonNew exhibition celebrates Roca London Gallery's tenth anniversary and the work of Zaha Hadid Design (ZHD)
-
Snøhetta goes underground at the Ordrupgaard Art MuseumSnøhetta unveils new subterranean extension at the Ordrupgaard Art Museum in Denmark
-
The buildings adding a new dimension to Miami’s skylineAs the Florida city’s architecture boom continues apace, here’s what’s next
