Railway dispatcher tower Wien Süd-Ost

We focused on the development of an integrated structural system that will meet very diverse but highly specific requirements for a railway control center. Thanks to its modular character, the system is capable of adapting to a wide range of various spatial development and spatial programs. Complex technology with highly differentiated requirements will receive a common unified chassis that is able to sustain itself, despite or even because of its seemingly immaterial presence in a harsh environment. The metal shell emphasizes both the fact that the tower is part of the technical railway infrastructure and signals a certain independence. We consciously avoided any attempt at visual competition with the colorful accents of passing trains and the highly individualistic designs of new railway stations. Over time, the bronze coloration of the façades, exposed to the ubiquitous fine iron dust, will acquire a specific shade oscillating between silky sheen and matte, between cold and warmth. The technology of partition walls distributed in the cockpit allows for the omission of external shading; nevertheless, all workplaces, common spaces, and development stations will be richly covered with glazing. The combination of weather-responsive shading and a system sensitive to light deviations enhances the visual interplay of indoor and outdoor spaces, creating a seemingly impermeable character for the building. The construction is as open as it is closed.

This article was created in collaboration with GA Brno, where an exhibition on the work of Riepl Riepl Architekten titled Room to move is currently taking place.