TERRITORIAL SCALE: CONURBATION

Linz, capital of Upper Austria, is the centre of Austria´s second largest economic region: The river Danube has contributed to the development of a trade city with a strong industry. A lot of people commute, working in Linz but living outside. Recently, Linz has been promoting the image of a cultural city. Events such as “Bruckner Festival”, “Klangwolke” (“Cloud of Sound”), and Ars Electronica demonstrate this ambition. In 2009 Linz will be cultural capital of Europe and Europan 9 is seen as an important impact to this cultural event.

URBAN SCALE: STUDY SITE
The ”Neue Welt-island” is close to the VOEST, Austria´s biggest steel industry, located at the other side of the railway line which marks a strong Eastern border. Within and around the island we can find an assemblage of different scales and uses: housing, red-light, car-dealers, senior citizen home, hotels, schools, small shops, important commercial enterprises. Surface parking on the island has led to an overall consumption of the ground. The city looks for a project which can negotiate between the logics of traffic-infrastructure, commercial development, and local attractions.

Programmatic intentions :
An urban strategy working shall establish guidelines for a comprehensive re-evaluation of the area, setting up attractive conditions for the coexistence of traffic, parking, public transport, commercial uses and housing. The uses should mediate between locals and passers by with the goal to re-establish an attractive public space.

PROXIMITY SCALE: SITE OF PROJECT
The project site is owned by the city and one private client. Being squeezed between the roads its northern tip is an inclined wedge which is heavily exposed to traffic, whereas the southern part offers more opportunities for different uses. The city cooperates with the private client in order to enable a high density development which shall trigger the future conversion of the whole island, spreading out to the southern part which actually suffers from a fragmented ownership situation.

Programmatic intentions :
Commercial uses (shopping centre), cultural programs and housing, including parking facilities for the new and existing, surrounding housing areas; High density shall make public space and facilities affordable. At the same time an “aesthetic relation” with the surrounding traffic flow has to be considered (entrance to the city).