Recognition

​Dr. Arch. Alexander Pedevilla / Dr. Arch. Armin Pedevilla / faktorgruen Landschaftsarchitekten bdla Beratende Ingenieure Partnerschaftsgesellschaft mbB, Dipl-Ing. Landschaftsarchitekt Martin Schedlbauer

Bruneck / Bruneck / Freiburg

Overview of submitted design briefs

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

Competition project team:

• Alexander Pedevilla
• Jonathan Brügmann
• Michael Rollmann
• Armin Pedevilla
• Martin Schedlbauer
• Ricardo Patings

Participating consultants:

• gbd ZT GmbH
• Ingenieurbüro Pratzner Ges.m.b.H.
• ING-B Ingenieurbüro GmbH

Jury evaluation

The project showed initial promise as an interesting contribution to the discourse on memorial sites, especially in the first stage of the competition. The choice of formal and structural themes, as well as the relatively consistent use of charred wood, were particularly persuasive.

Unfortunately, the revisions and clarifications of the proposed solutions did not meet expectations.

The restrained design approach remains fundamentally commendable. However, it must be noted that even in the revised version, provisions of the existing master plan have not been taken into account to the required extent. There is no consideration of the necessary excavation and conservation of the historical stone walls. The new location for the ‘Room of Silence’, close to the stone crusher, is still unconvincing. Its dimensions remain unchanged.

No clear reason is given for the unnecessary overlapping of different functions in the ‘Room of Silence’. This creates an uncomfortable spatial rivalry with the stone crusher.

The jury also takes a critical view of the wooden visitor walkways, which hinder fluid visitor circulation. In addition, the project does not create the necessary visual relationships across the terrain.

The solutions proposed for the Memorial and St. Georgen an der Gusen sites are viewed positively. The right tone has been struck here.

Architectural and artistic solution

The choice of materials is promising and the project's overall structure, which remains simple, is also convincing. Interesting spatial configurations are conceivable.

Several design and construction aspects remain unclear or unconvincing in the concrete proposal submitted in the second stage. The fundamentally pleasing restraint in the architectural language is counteracted by an overemphasis on rigid concepts.

Urban planning solution

The arrival building blends well into the overall landscape. The spatial relation to the former SS barracks is clearly evident.

The comparatively large size of the ‘Room of Silence’ puts it in direct competition with the stone crusher.

Functional solution

The varying floor levels in the arrival building are seen as questionable and make little sense. The aforementioned overlapping of functions in the ‘Room of Silence’ is also seen as questionable.

Sustainability and energy efficiency

The plans and texts contain no statement on sustainability.

Cost estimate

The submitted cost estimate is plausible and transparent. The costs fall below the specified budget. Since the estimated costs are close to the upper budget limit, an in-depth cost review would be required.

Implementation stages

As presented, the implementation phases for the Langenstein I construction site do not correspond to the actual construction sequence (from the stone crusher to the arrival area).