Altenburg

Austria
Competition
2003

Abbey of Altenburg, Extension of the Monastery - The Return of the Repressed

The monastery wall of the Benedictine abbey of Altenburg was cracked in the area of the gallery. A structural physics exam showed that the wall along the gallery could no longer withstand the pressure of the earth masses and therefore had to be exposed. By exposing the wall, parts of the medieval monastery were also rediscovered and exposed.

The project assignment was then formulated in very simple terms: structural rehabilitation of the wall and a canopy over the uncovered medieval structures.

In fact, what is called for is an extremely complex construction in which a contemporary building is to activate medieval spaces within baroque structures. Comparable to the projects BVA and Bolzano, a shapeless building emerges here as well, or rather the building loses its shape and posture as a building. The terrain (the building site) is reached and constructed by means of lateral struts. The space allocation plan is woven into a field of tension structures. Construction equals terrain (building site).


Collaborators

Mitarbeiter | Collaborator

Consultants
Metallbau | Tensile structures
Glastechnik | Glass technologies
Peter Bauer
Tragwerksplanung | Structural Engineering
Werner Silbermayr
Kostenberechung | Cost calculation
Site 22/2
Altenburg Bauplatz altenburg_0a
The monastery wall of the Benedictine abbey of Altenburg was cracked in the area of the gallery. A structural physics exam in late 1990 showed that the wall along the gallery could no longer withstand the pressure of the earth masses and therefore had to be exposed.  
Die Klostermauer des Benediktinerstiftes Altenburg war im Bereich der Altane brüchig. Eine statische Untersuchung Ende 1990 ergab, dass die Mauer entlang der Altane dem Druck des Erdreiches nicht mehr standhält und daher freizulegen sei.  
Altenburg Bauplatz altenburg_site0b
Exposing the monastery wall led to the surprising discovery of medieval structures. It was decided to preserve and protect these structures and make them accessible.  
Die Freilegung der Klostermauer förderte überraschende mittelalterliche Baufunde. Es wurde beschlossen diese Funde zu erhalten, baulich zu schützen und zugänglich zu machen.  
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Altenburg Bauplatz altenburg_0
Abbey of Altenburg, general view  
Benediktinerabtei Altenburg, Übersicht  
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Models 73/7
Altenburg Modelle altenburg_6b
Model study  
Modellstudie  
Altenburg Modelle altenburg_6d0
Model study  
Modellstudie  
Altenburg Modelle altenburg_6c1
Model study  
Modellstudie  
Altenburg Modelle altenburg_6a
Model study  
Modellstudie  
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Altenburg Modelle altenburg_30
Detail 2: contemporary fittings between excavated medieval spaces and the baroque abbey  
Detail 2: Passstücke der Gegenwart zwischen mittelalterlichen Räumen und der barocken Abtei  
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Altenburg Modelle 00a_altenburg_1
Functional capsules are woven into a field of tensile structures. The field of tensile structures replaces the building site - it is the building site.  
Funktionskapseln werden in das Feld einer Zugkonstruktion geflochten. Das Feld der Zugkonstruktionen ersetzt das Baugelände. Das Feld der Zugkonstruktionen ist das Baugelände.  
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Altenburg Modelle altenburg_2
Detail 1: bodies suspended from tensile structures  
Detail 1: in Zugkonstruktionen gehängte Körper  
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Altenburg Modelle altenburg_3a
Bodies suspended from tensile structures  
In Zugkonstruktionen gehängte Körper  
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Altenburg Modelle altenburg_3b
Skins: tensile structures and capsules  
Häute: Zugkonstruktionen und Kapseln  
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Altenburg Modelle altenburg_3c
Mirrored underground spaces  
Gespiegelte unterirdische Räume  
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Sections 33/3
Altenburg Schnitte altenburg_4
View of the Abbey of Altenburg  
Ansicht der Abtei Altenburg  
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Altenburg Schnitte altenburg_5
Cross section  
Querschnitt  
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Altenburg Schnitte altenburg_7
Longitudinal section  
Längsschnitt  
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