Zaha Hadid Architects wins competition for the Library and Learning Centre at the University of Economics & Business, Vienna, Austria
Zaha Hadid Architects have been selected as the architects of the Library and Learning Centre (LLC) at the University of Economics & Business, Vienna. The new Library and Learning Centre will be the centerpiece of the University’s new campus and provide a significant upgrade to the University’s services. In addition to the new library, the LLC will also provide a language laboratory, tutorial rooms, administration offices, student centre, book shop, cafeteria, clubrooms and event space.

The new Library and Learning Centre rises as a polygonal block from the centre of the new university campus. The LLC’s design takes the form of a cube with both inclined and straight edges. The straight lines of the building’s exterior separate as they move inward, becoming curvilinear and fluid, generating a free-formed interior canyon that serves as the central public plaza. All the other facilities of the LLC are housed within a single volume that also divides, becoming two separate ribbons that wind around each other to enclose this glazed gathering space.

“I am delighted to be working in Vienna as I have a close affiliation with the city. As a centre of research, the Library and Learning Centre is forum for the exchange of ideas. It is very exciting for us to be part of the University’s expansion.” states Zaha Hadid.

Rector of the University of Economics & Business, Christoph Badelt said “A library and learning center should be more than a mere library in the classical sense: it is a research and a service facility, a workplace and lounge, a place of communication and a traffic hub, at one and the same time. With its breathtaking architecture, the design by Zaha Hadid manages to combine all the key functions of study in a most wonderful way. It is a vision that embodies this innovative concept of a university.”

LIBRARY AND LEARNING CENTER (LLC)
UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS & BUSINESS, VIENNA, AUSTRIA
ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS

The University of Economics & Business, Vienna will build a new campus, (masterplan: BUSarchitecture) with the Library and Learning Center (LLC) in the centre of the campus.

Program
The LLC provides a significant upgrade to the university’s services with workplaces, lounges and cloakrooms, library, language laboratory, training classrooms, administration offices, study services and central supporting services, copy shop, book shop, data center, cafeteria, event area, clubroom and auditorium.
In total, the LLC is approximately 28,000m² (net) / 42.000m² (gross). The maximum dimensions of the building are 136m length, 76m width and 30m height (5 floors)

Design
The new Library and Learning Centre rises as a polygonal block from the centre of the new university campus. The LLC’s design takes the form of a cube with both inclined and straight edges. The straight lines of the building’s exterior separate as they move inward, becoming curvilinear and fluid, generating a free‐formed interior canyon that serves as the central public plaza. All the other facilities of the LLC are housed within a single volume that also divides, becoming two separate ribbons that wind around each other to enclose this glazed gathering space.

Competiton
Two phase competition with six competitors in the first phase and three in the second phase.
1st prize Zaha Hadid Architects
2nd prize Morphosis
3rd prize Prof. Hans Hollein
Other competitors: Studio Massimiliano Fuksas, Kada Wittfeld Studio

Start first phase: August 2008
Start second phase: October 2008
Decision: November 2008
Jury: Wolf D. Prix (head of jury, Dietmar Eberle, Laura P. Spinadel (BUS Architekten, new campus masterplanner), Peter Ehrenberger, Sepp Frank, Brian Cody

Zaha Hadid Architects
Design Zaha Hadid with Patrik Schumacher
Project Architect Cornelius Schlotthauer
Project Team Marc‐Philipp Nieberg, Kristoph Nowak, Enrico Kleinke, Stefan Rinnebach, Niels Kespohl, Jan Hübener, Romy Heiland, Richard Baumgartner
Consultants
Structural Engineers: Arup Berlin
M&E Engineers: Arup Berlin
Façade Engineers: Arup Berlin Cost Consultant: ATP Wien
Fire protection: HHP West, Bielefeld
Render Studio: Vectorvision, Leipzig