ArchShowcase Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination. Meeting Halls Old Stock Exchange Vienna in Austria by ALLESWIRDGUT ARCHITEKTUR ZT GMBHMay 25th, 2018 by Sumit Singhal
Article source: ALLESWIRDGUT ARCHITEKTUR ZT GMBH A homage to the 1960s A reduced shell holding, in its center, art—this is what presents itself as the result of a cooperation between AllesWirdGut and the Austrian Bankers’ Association.
Perfectly tuned together, an artwork by Johannes Deutsch and the interior design by AllesWirdGut translate boardrooms from the 1960s into a contemporary design language and also pay homage to the architectural heritage of the Vienna Stock Exchange. Built between 1847 and ’77 in the style of Neorenaissance, the Vienna Stock Exchange Building was reconstructed after destruction by a fire in the 1960s, with the boardrooms being redecorated quite in the spirit of the era. Clad in timeless materials with subdued contrasts, they convey a sense of simple elegance. Low suspended ceilings and all-around dark wood paneling contributed to an atmosphere of distinctly stately classicity, as did the lamps by designer Motoko Ishii and Hans J. Wegener’s teak and black leather chair JH 713. In the recent refurbishment of the time-worn rooms from the 1960s, the client’s interest was not to create spaces of prestige. Rather, the redesigning of the boardrooms, which are mainly used for internal purposes, was considered as an investment with the highest demands made on the design, which was expected to be young and contemporary and yet timeless and not least able to meet the technical and functional requirements of today. Based on the design by AllesWirdGut, all three rooms were opened upward in a first step, and the wood-paneled walls were revamped in earthy tones. Aside from implementing a holistic concept of color, design, and functionality, the existing furniture was complemented with a modular table system as well as a settee and a sideboard. The result is an open and communicative meeting environment that is comprised of two boardrooms and a connecting foyer. Building on history The task of adapting premises from the 1960s to, and for, the zeitgeist of today is all in line with the general approach of AllesWirdGut: for the architects, the issue always is building on the built, whether it is interiors or urban spaces. “The point is seizing the (character) strengths of the space and sometimes even turning weak points into strong ones,” says Andreas Schmid, AllesWirdGut’s interior design expert. “This is never about taste, but always about telling a story and creating an atmosphere. The design objective was to find a contemporary translation of the 1960s without just going down retro lane. We’ve been known for taking on design tasks with a sense of humor and some tongue-in-cheek. So this project, too, is distinguished by a certain playful lightness,” Schmid says. Contact ALLESWIRDGUT ARCHITEKTUR ZT GMBH
Category: Meeting House |