Competition Austrian Museum of Social and Economic History
Vienna, 5th District
1978
TEXTPHOTOSPLANS
GMMK , Gert M. MAYR-KEBER ZT-GmbH. Wettbewerb österr. Gesellschafts- und Wirtschaftsmuseum  1978

The objective of this competition was to render more attractive and optimally usable rooms in a classicist school building in Vienna which were largely unsuitable for the operation of a museum.

In addition to the changed entrance situation, the spatial emphasis of the project architecturally lay in the newly-conceived internal access routes in the existing stairway and corridor areas. The necessary connections between the storeys are accommodated in a room which can be entered and at the same time used as exhibition area in its totality. The negotiation of the stairs becomes a spatial experience and the whole establishment can be readily comprehended. The identity of the floors is provided by the spatial concept. The in part two-storey-high walls permit the hanging of large exhibition objects.

An underlying concept for a visual identity for the museum was created with the help of a leitmotiv, which is employed in various combinations; in this case the red-white-red (Austrian) flag was chosen as an unambiguous symbol which is closely connected with this institution.