Furth near Göttweig

CONCEPT

In the middle of Furth bei Göttweig a lively village centre with a variety of offers for young and old is being created. Through sensitive treatment of the historic building fabric and carefully considered extensions, additions and new buildings, a place is being created that enhances the existing connections within the centre and at the same time creates a high quality of public space for all generations to enjoy.

The core of the concept is the relocation of the church square from the north side to the south. By reflecting the church side entrance and the existing confessional as well as reactivating the historic entrance from the south, an exciting sequence of public spaces is created. These measures also free up space for a high-quality residential development to the north of the church. In order to respond to the fine scale of the surroundings, these new residential buildings are distributed across the development site.

The Meierhof forms a public meeting place with a focus on culture, gastronomy and interaction. The ensemble of buildings from different eras is carefully complemented by extensions, additions and conversions. The adaptation and extension of the existing primary school building provies for improvements to suit the needs of contemporary education.

EXTERNAL LANDSCAPE

The newly created village centre is intended as an extended living room with varied open spaces and different atmospheres. A wide range of play and exercise facilities for young and old, as well as places to linger and retreat invite people to actively participate in village life.

The new church square acts as a central meeting place and festival area. The circular paving design of the old church square is relocated /reproduced here and so forms a familiar identifying feature. A partially grassed natural grandstand with seating steps and ramps forms not only a barrier-free connection to the kindergarten, but also offers a good view of the colourful events on festival days.

The potential of the Fladnitz riverbank as a recreational area is exploited by an attractive shoreline design, several access points to the water and numerous seating options. The result is a place to stroll and linger, play and relax. In addition, there will be a varied connection to the public playground in the river meadow.

Throughout the development area, great emphasis is placed on an attractive connection and better infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists. Contributing to this are not only numerous bicycle parking facilities, but above all the new slender bridge over the Fladnitzbach.