Vaikuse Aed - The Garden of Silence

The key concept was to create not only a building but also a new meaningful city space connecting the people, the place, its history and their music. The building delimits the boundaries of the plot, enclosing an expanse of green at its core: a garden that is urban yet isolated from the hubbub of the city.

The garden is designed to be a magical and untouched space, a wild forest open to the people but protected by the building. This fairytale atmosphere is reinforced by scenic elements: by steps, trailing roses and hidden woodland paths. The garden also forms part of the life of the building, offering the flexibility to host performances of various sizes. The large staircase, reminiscent of the Malaparte house, leads from the garden up to roof level. It also provides a perfect place for sitting, relaxing or for seating people during open-air performances.

Flexibility of space is one of the major themes in the functional concept, responding to the challenging and varied programme of the building. More public areas—such as the concert halls—are oriented towards the street, while the music room and dormitory rooms benefit from the silence and tranquillity of the garden. The structure also allows new interior configurations, thus accommodating the school’s potential demands of the future. The spatial organization of the buildings emphasises the omnipresence of the garden, with glazed façades forging a strong connection between the interior and nature.

Design team: Thomas Pucher, Klaus Hohsner, Gustav Ibing, Daniel Kotrasch, Magdalena Kraska, Robert Lamprecht, Martin Mathy, Martin McLean, Dorota Nagowska, Erich Ranegger, Jan Schrader, Elisabeth Weber.