campus technology lienz

urban design concept
the starting point for the extension of the phtl / lfui-umit / poly / tfbs* campus in lienz is defined by a highly constrained site. the river isel flowing to the south, the steep slope to the north, and pfarrgasse street to the east significantly limit the potential for expanding the existing phtl and tfbs buildings. additionally, a stream — the zauchenbach — separates the two main structures, further restricting the buildable area. another major challenge is the insufficient parking situation.

architectural concept
a slender building volume elevated on columns directly above the river promenade creates the connection between all four schools as requested by the client. it accommodates rooms for lfui-umit and the extension of phtl. the distinctive structure along the isel establishes a strong identity for the new campus. by raising the new level slightly above the existing basement and parking area, a generous open plaza for gatherings and outdoor events is created — the new school courtyard, the forum. this plaza connects directly to the entrances of the campus and the existing tfbs.
the atrium, dining area, buffet, mechanical engineering laboratory, and the lecture halls with the learning center above form a continuous and open learning landscape — the campus. it provides space for various events and serves as a central meeting place for all pupils and students.
the spatial concept of the campus is designed to embody the spirit of contemporary learning environments: openness, clarity, orientation, connectivity, generosity, and daylight-filled friendliness. in the warmer months, the atrium can be opened towards the southern outdoor areas and the new courtyard. preservation of the extensive tree population along the left isel path is a key design consideration.

the two-storey campus forms the new central hub for all four future schools. two bridges connect the new structure to the existing buildings, linking all areas seamlessly.
beneath the slightly elevated new courtyard lies the parking deck for cars, naturally ventilated and lit. this solution frees up valuable surface space, ensuring that outdoor areas for students are no longer occupied by parked vehicles.

energy concept
the energy concept is based on the passive optimization of the building, avoiding suspended ceilings to make use of the available thermal mass. acoustic elements are designed to enable thermal activation of these masses. the entire southern façade is effectively shaded in summer by the dense and tall tree line along the river promenade.
the new building is conceived as a steel-frame skeleton structure. steel columns are positioned in response to the site’s constraints, supporting transverse trusses at the upper level. these extend to both longitudinal façades, where they carry the continuous façade trusses that wrap around the building. the structural concept of the slender, long-spanning volume with cantilevering ends is clearly legible: the façade trusses form the primary load-bearing system for the two floor slabs, while the transverse trusses transfer their loads to the recessed ground-floor columns. this creates sheltered outdoor areas along the promenade, including a covered entrance and shaded zones at ground level.

* phtl — private higher technical college for mechatronics
lfui-umit — leopold franzens university innsbruck / tyrolean private university innsbruck
poly — polytechnic preparatory course
tfbs — tyrolean vocational school