med campus graz

urban spatial significance
riessplatz and the adjacent entrance to stiftingtal are currently degraded to a mere traffic distributor. the situation is highly sensitive in urban spatial terms, as it must meet both the traffic volume and the psychological conditions of the city within a very confined space. the "gateway to stiftingtal" and also the transition to the campus of the new med uni graz must be functionally disentangled and clearly defined in urban spatial terms.

urban development concept
the preservation of the green space along the stiftingbach is important as a symbolic transition to the green suburban area of stiftingtal. at the same time, the potential of this green space for the university campus must be utilized. the existing gentle slope is carefully transformed into an artificial landscape – the campus level – which repeatedly connects seamlessly with the surrounding natural landscape. in an unobtrusive manner, this artificial landscape, which simultaneously spans the distribution level and communication platform of the med uni, extends up to the entrance area at riessplatz. by bridging the new riesstraße, pedestrian flows and street traffic are disentangled. the research areas are embedded into the topography of stiftingtal. in several areas, the adjacent terrain and platform interlock. pedestrians, cyclists, university users, residents, and walkers can easily flow between the surroundings, the stiftingtal campus, and riessplatz. the characteristic and protected groups of trees are preserved. the riparian vegetation becomes a point of reference for the campus, research, and institutes.

building organization
the organization of research and institutes is structured efficiently and is easy to read.

the centers are structured in a vertical relationship and also in horizontal networking:
- on the campus level, the entrance and communication areas
- in the base, the research areas
- in the "knowledge towers," the institutes

following the course of the brook, the horizontal main connection of the research areas is positioned. the individual areas are arranged in a comb-like manner along green courtyards, organized into modular units that are easily changeable and adaptable. the institutes are lined up along the brook, permeable to wind and view. their internal organization follows a spatial openness across several levels. the floors are organized into clear and flexible standard room units with communication zones in between. zmf and cf are located at the intersection of teaching and research, at the center of the research areas.

identification of research units
the legibility of the research centers, the zwt and zmf, is restrained yet designed to be easily readable. color codes give the areas their identification. a few specific elements (e.g. elevator cabins and free-standing vertical h.t. shafts) adopt the color coding. through reflection, these color codes are also subtly perceived from the outside as a guidance system.

lecture hall center and general teaching
the lecture hall center and general teaching areas are located at the intersection of the clinical and preclinical areas – above the existing underground car park. the idea of the green campus level is continued in the teaching and lecture hall area. cafeteria, lecture halls, auditorium, and seminar areas are located in efficient spatial proximity.

traffic and infrastructure
in line with the campus concept, the surface of the area is dominated by pedestrians and cyclists. the arteries of infrastructure (logistics tunnel, supply, building services, cars) supply and interconnect the complex organizational units underground. in principle, no h.t. systems are placed on the green roofs. the h.t. areas of the administration and lecture hall center above the existing underground garage are integrated into the building structures and positioned where air and media supplies are required.

expandability
on a small scale, the knowledge towers can be expanded in height, as no building services installations are planned on the roofs that would hinder this. the campus level offers the possibility of positioning additional knowledge towers. in future expansion stages, adjacent plots can be developed within the same system.

structural concept underground garage superstructure
the superstructure above the underground garage is essentially two stories high. for this purpose, a load reserve of 28.75 kn/m2 is available according to the expert report. through a lightweight steel construction with composite slabs that transfer the loads directly into the columns and walls of the basement, this task can be accomplished economically and with time efficiency.

structural concept point building
the point-shaped laboratory/office buildings are constructed using a hollow-core slab/steel prefabricated system. the load-bearing structure consists of a core, which also provides bracing, and suspended full-story steel trusses in lightweight construction. into this structure, hollow-core slabs with a span of 10m to 12m are inserted and cast as the floor structure. through this design, load transfer can be reduced to the cores, which provides significant advantages for the underground garage. only minimal intervention in the existing structure is required here.