Unipark Nonntal

Salzburg is a university city. The new building of the Faculty of Cultural and Social Sciences represents the university in the best spirit with this new modern level. After long project preparations, it has replaced the provisional location of the faculty, which had been situated in deplorable conditions for almost forty years. The building offers more than current standards require. It is not only a stimulating place for teaching and work but also fulfills all the prerequisites to fully become an open university engaging in dialogue with the general public in both a figurative and literal sense. The object lies on the border between the center and the Nonntal district. It represents a distinctive solitary structure with an attractive square for students and local residents. In the given area, it quality blends the dense development of the old town with the green suburb. The connection between the scientific institution and the public occurs at several levels and unfolds from the bottom to the roof. The library represents a hidden treasure of knowledge, concentrated in the base of the building. An additional library workspace is located in a glazed cube emerging into the public space, created on the roof of the library in the form of an elevated square that continues across the entire building to the sports facilities and the Freisaal botanical garden located behind the building.
To achieve greater transparency and bidirectional permeability, internal skylights contribute, which also serve to improve orientation in the spacious building. Skylights and atriums are simultaneously symbols of the institution's overall openness and self-awareness within the university environment. On the roof, another publicly accessible place has been created, permeated by individual institutions. The arrangement of outdoor spaces with a café enhances the experience and offers a completely new horizontal level in the urban environment.
In addition to the arrangement of free, internal, and connecting spaces, the choice of materials and careful detailing also deserve attention, contributing to the quality image of the overall environment.