Training on Display
WKO – Center of Excellence
The "Center of Excellence" is presented as a self-confident educational facility of the future. The urban planning solution establishes connections with the existing buildings in the complex, while the architecture highlights the importance of training as a core process.
The new educational hotspot in Graz
By remodeling the WKO complex and constructing a new technical training facility, the Styria Economic Chamber is underlining its efforts to prepare for the future. The objective of the new "Center of Excellence" is to provide an optimal setting for its training operations. In our prizewinning concept, the respectful approach of the self-confident building complex underlines its productive symbiosis with the existing surroundings. This ensures that the entire complex has a suitably urban appearance and provides an open communication structure that supports its wide range of training courses.
Exhibition character
The construction of a highly-flexible base along Bergmanngasse/Grabenstraße enables the new building to be integrated into the park-like character of the complex. Penetrated by atria, this base guarantees short distances, good logistics, and easy adaptability, while the broad openings of its glass and steel facade look like a series of streetfront display windows. These "exhibit" the core processes themselves: education and manual skills.
Just as the technical nature of the educational facility is seen in its glass, steel, and timber facade, the varied contents of the training and teaching program can be recognized in the generous 'exhibition formats' of the facade of the base.
Paul Ohnmacht
Architect, Head of Design in Innsbruck
Our concept for the open spaces rigorously continues the urban structure by proposing clearly structured spatial relationships and a large square with a richly varied design in the heart of the complex. This creates not only meeting places with a high quality of visitor experience but also connections between all buildings - including those that have yet to be built.
The upper building and the layout of the base are very simple. And the ability of such simplicity to outlive most short-term trends and developments means that this is a highly flexible building for the future.
Paul Ohnmacht
Architect, Head of Design in Innsbruck
In the presentation base
The majority of the spaces are workshops that are located in the base for functional reasons. The building above this base is subtly positioned at the junction and reinforces the location without countering the existing presence of the WKO complex. The recessed glazed joint above the base also creates the sense that the building is floating.
