park + ride puntigam

concept
the traffic concept of the city of graz aims for the greatest possible reduction of individual motorized traffic. nevertheless, the comfort of the city user should not suffer as a result. a park & ride facility at the interface between the surrounding area and the city supports this goal. the driver must be encouraged to use the park & ride facility willingly, through its distinctiveness, a certain generosity, and a good range of services. the office building takes advantage of the synergistic effect of the parking spaces and at the same time gives the facility an added emphasis, which lies in the interplay between the two interlocking building structures and typologies. however, the connection is not symbiotic, so that each element could exist independently of the other—though this would reduce the overall appeal of the facility.

core ideas
the park & ride facility follows the system of an efficient ramp garage. the office wing is designed with a strong presence along triesterstraße, serving as a visible address. the structure forms a cohesive building with a clear separation between parking decks and office spaces. even without the immediate construction of the office building, the park & ride facility with integrated commercial spaces functions as a self-contained and coherent architectural unit. accordingly, commercial spaces are spatially integrated with the park & ride facility.

park & ride, commercial spaces
by largely avoiding park & ride spaces on the ground floor, a spacious continuous area for shops is created beneath the first parking level. the commercial areas are independent of when the office spaces are developed.

a roughly 3-meter-wide atrium runs the full length and height of the parking deck and is located at the center of the facility. all vertical and horizontal circulation within the parking deck is organized around this atrium, offering several advantages: additional daylight for the parking areas, daylight in the circulation space in front of the ground-floor shops, clear orientation on all levels, visual orientation in the vertical dimension, and pedestrian walkways that allow elevator access without using the driving lanes.

access to the vertical circulation within the atrium leads directly past the shops, increasing their attractiveness. a translucent colored band, such as scobalit, runs around each level of the garage, providing protection from rain and snow. at night, it is backlit in various colors or used as an advertising surface. the angled rear wall of the office space also gives the parking deck additional spatial orientation and functions in the evening as a colorfully lit projection wall. since ceiling height is not a critical economic factor in multi-story garages, a user-friendly height of 2.40 meters was chosen, providing more daylight and a more pleasant spatial atmosphere.

the open central zone further enhances the impression of spaciousness and natural light. at night, the translucent plastic bands are lit with color-changing lights that follow the rhythm of nearby traffic lights. during the day, the bands recede visually and function as sun and rain protection. they create a bright and inviting atmosphere in the parking areas, reducing the reluctance often felt toward garages. the "spine" of the office wing—a sloped concrete wall—serves as an artificial projection surface that can be animated by various light artists and evokes the mood of a drive-in cinema.

office spaces
unlike the parking deck, which is primarily based on traffic and economic considerations, the office building has a distinctive form oriented toward triesterstraße, responding to the intersection and access directions as well as the connection to the europan site. the narrow four-story space between the office building and the parking deck provides the necessary separation between office space and car parking areas, while also establishing a ground-level connection to the europan site.

traffic concept
access to the park & ride facility and the europan site is provided via a new intersection at the southeast corner of the property, placed at a sufficient distance from the triesterstraße intersection and the planned adjacent intersections. a traffic signal may be required if the main flow of traffic on the new road is affected or if a backup would extend to the next intersection. the access road also serves the neighboring property. two entrance barriers and one exit barrier accommodate the typical daily pattern of park & ride use, which features a strong morning peak. a second exit is therefore not necessary. part of the parking deck is designed as a ramp garage, using gentle 4% gradients for both driving and parking. this eliminates the need for separate ramps and allows for an economical ratio of about 25 m² per vehicle. a complex electronic parking guidance system is also unnecessary, as there is only one clear route to available parking spaces. a single spiral exit ramp allows cars to leave the garage quickly from any level. this design enables one-way circulation without dead ends. internal traffic flow was optimized using turning radius analysis, and the one-way layout allows the driving lane width to be reduced to 6.00 meters, making parking easier and quicker. seven special-use parking spaces are located outside the park & ride garage, and access to a delivery area along the building is also provided here.