Recognition

​Schoener und Panzer Architekten BDA GmbH

Leipzig

Overview of submitted design briefs

• Design brief: "Architectural Concept and Open Space Design"
• Design brief: "Arrival Building"
• Design brief: "Roll Call Square" 
• Design brief: "Room of Silence"
• Design brief: "Semantic Link Gusen – St. Georgen"
• Explanatory texts

Competition project team:

• Fabian Panzer
• Michael Schoener
• Malte Zimmermann
• Johanna Bunte
• Till Pulst

Participating consultants:

• Rudolph Langner – Station C23 – Architekten und Landschaftsarchitekten PartG mbB
• FCP Fritsch, Chiari & Partner ZT GmbH
• tgaplan ing. schartmüller gmbh
• S & P climadesign GmbH
• S & P energydesign e.U.

Jury evaluation

For the most part, the concept has not addressed the revisions recommended in the first stage of the competition.

Architectural and artistic solution

The overall concept is still based on a pergola that encloses the entire site, focusing visitors’ gaze inwards. The dominant architecture competes with the historical site and overshadows the remaining ruins of the former concentration camp.

The jury's suggestions for revisions from the first stage of the competition have not been addressed, although the pergola remains an interesting design idea. The two-storey arrival building does not blend convincingly into the natural topography. The visitor route around the edge of the roll call square could inadvertently encourage visitors to adopt a perpetrator’s perspective.

Laying 26,000 stones on the roll call square to symbolise the inmates and proposing that visitors walk over them, with the aim of putting themselves in the position of an inmate, does not accord with the core concept for the memorial site.

The proposal to locate the ‘Room of Silence’ within the stone crusher was the subject of heated debate. In any case, it raises significant concerns from a heritage conservation perspective.

Urban planning solution

The jury still considers that the memorial site is overly sealed off from its surroundings, especially the nearby residential area. This creates an inaccurate impression of the historical circumstances.

Functional solution

Obliging visitors to follow the route via the elevated pergola makes group tours difficult, especially when several groups are visiting the site at the same time.

The removal of existing vegetation is view negatively.

Locating toilet facilities right by the semantic link in Langenstein I, Langenstein II and St. Georgen an der Gusen is not considered appropriate.

Sustainability and energy efficiency

The plans and texts contain no statement on sustainability.

Cost estimate

The submitted cost estimate is plausible and transparent. The estimated costs fall below the specified budget.

Implementation stages

The implementation phases were set out in a plausible manner and are within the specified time frame.