Art academy moves to larger space at Balloon Hall

The balloon hall in the Vienna Arsenal was constructed in 1916 as part of the military infrastructure. With its characteristic barrel roof and exposed brick masonry, it is a listed architectural building in the third district of Vienna. The Federal real estate company has decided to repurpose the balloon hall into a new location for the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. Construction will commence at the end of 2025, and the move for the Institute for Restoration and Conservation and the Institute for Natural Sciences and Technology in Art is planned for the winter semester of 2027.

The design by Schenker Salvi Weber Architects includes a box structure on stilts on the first floor of the balloon hall, housing seminar rooms for the institutes. This architectural solution allows for the preservation of the hall’s unique features while providing functional teaching spaces. The modern extension includes a one-story hall for workshops and studios, as well as a five-story front building for offices and laboratories.

The extension continues industrial architectural elements and incorporates sustainable features such as a sawtooth roof for natural lighting, photovoltaics on the south-facing roof for energy generation, and geothermal energy for heating and cooling. The building shell is highly insulated, with adaptable floor plans and reversible walls for future flexibility. The design also prioritizes the preservation of existing trees and the addition of new greenery.

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