The Austrian Pavilion - Places
for People
Commissioner/Curator: Elk
Elke Delugan-Meissl with Liquid Frontiers
Exhibitors: Caramel
architects, EOOS, the next ENTERprise architects
Austria.
Due to the refugee crisis, this contribution to the 2016
Architecture Biennale is not limited to the pavilion in Venice but also
includes three ongoing projects in Vienna. More
concretely, three teams were commissioned to work together with NGOs not only
to design the conversion of empty buildings into temporary accommodation for
people whose asylum claims are being processed but also to accompany these
buildings in the longer term. The objectives of these
interventions are to subject the social responsibility of architecture to a
reality check, to provide humane places to live for those affected and to
present the results in Venice to a broader public.
Above. On the concrete platform in
front of the pavilion which can be used by visitors in a variety of ways.
Austria. One
special feature of Austria’s Contribution to the 2016 Architecture Biennale is
the fact that the eponymous “Places for People” are real places in Vienna. In
this sense, the pavilion in Venice is primarily a display space. At the same
time, however, this exhibition space is also a further “Place for People” in
the sense that it offers an opportunity to experience those same special
spatial and social qualities, which lie at the heart of the entire project. A concrete platform in front of the pavilion
can be used by visitors in a variety of ways fully in keeping with the
programmatic title while a second display inside the building presents a
selection of 20 photographs in the form of posters, which can be taken away.
The images feature the development process of the three interventions, which
was documented photographically by Paul Kranzler during a period of almost five
months. A third display presents the
projects. Here, one can take a free newspaper, which contains comprehensive
information about the entire project.
