Repurposing Armoury, project competition, AR 2009
- Repurposing Armoury to House of Culture
- Competition contribution 2009
- Building: Armoury of the 18th century, Teufen AR
- Project handling: Anna Hotz Semadeni, Christine Hotz Steinemann, Luz Rigendinger
The Artillery Engine House was originally planned in the 18th century by the architect Felix Wilhelm Kubly in the Renaissance style. The requirement at the time for a column-free ground floor led to an unusual solution for the supporting structure. The wooden roof truss and the middle storey form a static composite, which is suspended in the masonry body of the façade and spans the entire ground floor.
In order to preserve this architectural monument, the municipality of Teufen has announced a competition for its renovation and conversion into a public cultural centre. The ground floor will now be used for events organised by clubs and organisations. The middle floor will be used for temporary exhibitions. A museum will be set up in the attic to document the works of the master builder Grubenmann. In order to guarantee the operation of the Kulturhaus, a larger number of infrastructure and ancillary rooms are necessary. Our intention was to strengthen the solitary character of the armoury without depriving the newly added room elements of their independence. The addition of a hull-like basement gives the Kulturhaus a new lease on life. It is, as it were, the motor for new activities in the house. The existing access is supplemented to form a closed circuit through the building, which makes the anatomy and dimensions of the structure tangible.
