Children’s Art Laboratory St. Pölten

When we started working on the design, we were not aware of any “Children's Art Laboratory” typology. We therefore had a wide range of conceptual possibilities to develop one. Essentially, it is a cultural building for contemporary art. At the same time, the program pursues a cultural-political-educational mission: children and young people are to be taught about art and culture. They are also given the opportunity to work creatively in the “laboratory,” i.e. a workshop, and to get involved creatively.

We consistently explored this space of possibility and also questioned our own creative processes. This ultimately led to us designing radically in the physical working model right from the start. We believe that this approach can be seen in the building today.

We conceived the project as a built landscape that develops out of the park: The helix staircase moves along the facade in the field of tension between interior and exterior space. The shadow of the mighty trees in the neighborhood is intended to overlay the shadow play of the precise wooden slats. The spatial boundaries are deliberately blurred. Along this alley-like staircase, one winds upwards and ends up in the treetops. The design idea is accompanied by the narrative of an artificial landscape and natural vegetation. At the center of the triangulated floor plan geometry, a polygonal, tree-like support takes on the loads. The supporting structure spans the exhibition spaces like an umbrella.

The Children's Art Laboratory has a highly symbolic character and thus acts as a landmark on the way from St. Pölten's old town to the cultural district. The changing shell of wooden slats acts as a filter, offering latent views into the building and pointing to the processional character of the building. The contiguous surfaces and the wooden supporting structure offer maximum flexibility for innovative art and cultural mediation. The cross-space structure is open, inviting, transparent, and flooded with light. It triggers motivation and enthusiasm for playful discovery. The spacious, communicative staircase serves as a forum for events and thus becomes a meeting place — it is the heart of the KinderKunstLabor.

The competition brief was based on a manifesto from the users, which described what the Children's Art Laboratory could be. It was clear that a house of possibilities was to be created. In addition to the newly formed user institution KinderKunstLabor, the children's advisory boards were part of this process from the very beginning. A project culture with vision was developed in workshops. This open, dynamic process is still ongoing. With its completion, the next phase of appropriation and use has begun.

The design idea was explored and sharpened in a stimulating discussion. Cost pressures triggered by the crises of recent years have put the project to the test. It has been shown that the robust spatial and structural starting position allows for a great deal. The simplicity of the details and the directness of the materials are good for the atmosphere, and the building has lost none of its functionality.

The Children’s Art Laboratory certainly represents a milestone in our work. The creative process mentioned has fueled our design method. Since then, we have had the privilege of working with our team on very strong spatial concepts on different scales and typologies, such as the Belvedere Museum in Salzburg and the Balloon Hall for the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. This gives us pleasure and opens up new horizons.

The octagonal support in the center of the ground plan figure is the emotional and constructive focal point. Together with the haunched beams, it transfers the forces into the three solid concrete slabs. The chosen supporting structure creates an umbrella. The support is an analogy to the surrounding trees and thus shapes the identity and spatial structure.

The inner structural core is made of simply crafted exposed concrete. The concrete ceiling slabs are supported by square wooden columns along the facade. The helix staircase spans between the inner and outer timber facade as a precast concrete element. The materials are visible and porous. Visitors should be able to see and recognize how the house is built. Cladding has been avoided as far as possible and the pipes are visible on the plaster. The wood and concrete materials reinforce the spatial quality of the building, while at the same time they are very tactile and, in turn, support the architectural idea.