JKU Science Park 1

  • Location

    Linz, Austria

  • Architect

    Caramel Architects

  • Client

    BIG Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft m.b.H.

  • Co-Planer

    • Max Mustermann
  • Typology

    • Public buildings
  • Award

    • 2014 Aluminium architecture award, Commendatory mention
  • Competition

    2005

  • Planning

    2006 - 2008

  • Execution

    2007 - 2009

  • Scopes

    • LPH1 Basic analysis construction planning
    • LPH2 Preliminary draft
    • LPH3 Preliminary structural draft
    • LPH4 Submission planning
    • LPH5 Execution planning
    • LPH6 Collaboration in tender procedures
    • LPH7 Support of the construction work
    • LPH8 Collaboration in the local construction supervison
  • Materials

    • Concrete
    • Steel & metal

As part of the expansion of the Johannes Kepler University in Linz 71.000 m² GFA are created of which 19,000 m² are omitted to the underground garage. The individual buildings provide offices for various institutions and their workshops, and lecture halls for student use. Through a newly constructed underpass the existing university tract is connected with the new part. Over spacious foyers of the individual components and the design of fasteners, such as reinforced concrete roofs whose side surfaces are glazed, the buildings are combined.

The component “mechatronics” BA01 of the Science Park Linz is a five-storey building, with a longitudinal extension of nearly 150m and a variable width of 20-26m. The standard height of the upper floors is 3,22m, in the laboratory (ground floor) 6,80m and in the garage under the laboratory area 3,00m.

A special feature is the column-free floor in the western part of the building. This is realized through the hanging truss of steel. The columns are suspended in both the longitudinal and transverse direction.

The floors are executed as flat ceilings and are in a grid point supported in intervals of approximately 6.3 m to 10m. With the exception of the bottom plate, underground garage roof and false ceiling – these are 26cm (roof 28cm) thick.

Along the upper floor slab edges, in elevation different high, 16 cm thick parapets were disposed to control the slab(relative)deformation in this area. Furthermore for the facade design, in some areas parapets are suspended with steel swords on the ceiling or lintel lower edge.

All supports are made of spun concrete and vary in diameter – depending on load – between 30cm and 60cm.

For horizontal bracing serve four reinforced concrete cores, two are located in the west-side part and the other two in the garage.

Because of the low carrying of the upper layers of the surrounding soil and to reduce the differential settlement between the free-standing western core (4) and the rest of the buildings, the building is founded by a combined pile-raft foundation. There were used a 30cm thick base plate with local haunches on to 110cm and large bored piles with a diameter of 90cm or 120cm.