Project Vienna, MAK, 30. 06 – 12. 09. 2010

Text: Edit Pálinkás

Upgrading Vienna, Very Architects / EX.IT-Architecture

The tender organized by MAK and departure, a creative agency of Vienna is primarily about the potentials of change in the language of design. The jury announced three winning projects. That of Klaus Stattmann (Büro für Architektur und Forschung) A.R.S.A #1 titled Architecture Saves Austria places a mirror outside the Parliament to reflect the magic „glimpse” of the sculpture of Pallas Athene, whilst targeting at the reformation of the political culture of Austria. Architects Gregor Hoffelner (VERY Architects) and Sebastian Schmid (ex.itarchitektur) with their design of UPgrading VIENNA wishes to place the city at a higher level (above that of highrise buildings) to preserve the protected historic centre whilst also reinforcing the presence of concept avantgarde in Europe. Citizen Evolution by Marei Wollersberger and Jessica Charlesworth is a provocative (with examples illustrating the parallel of animal husbandry and the „energy resources” of ongoing decay in the cemeteries): according to this concept city-dwellers of Vienna could manipulate and control the climate of their city equipped with self-sufficient equipment and open source-code biotechnologies.