Vienna’s Karlsplatzpassage and Opernpassage in the 1st district have been redesigned in keeping with the times. The project of the Austrian architects ARGE Kunstpassage Karlsplatz (garner°gernerplus, Ritter + Ritter, Vasko + Partner) emerged as winner of an international architectural competition. The redesign turned the passageways into modern, well-lighted areas, provided more room, and improved orientation based on a new spatial design.
In addition to the architectural competition, an invited competition was held for the conversion of the main passage of the Karlsplatz subway station into “Kunst Passage Karlsplatz”—a project that was to ensure that Karlsplatz as a venue of art would also be given a presence underground. The solution was to emphasize the transitory character of the site and its history. In accordance with the principle of art for all, pedestrians should be able to understand the work in passing by and yet go their way with a lasting impression.
Ernst Caramelle’s project Untitled emerged as winner of the competition.
Location
Karlsplatz subway station, Kunstpassage, 1040 Wien
Gallery
Further Information
Competition
draft for the artistic design of the Kunstpassage Karlsplatz
Awarding authorities
Kunst im öffentlichen Raum GmbH in cooperation with WIENER LINIEN
Invited artists
Lee Bul (KR), Ernst Caramelle (AT), Barbara Kruger (US), Sarah Morris (GB), Jorge Pardo (CU), Gerwald Rockenschaub (AT), Markus Schinwald (AT), Sam Taylor-Wood (GB), Cerith Wyn Evans (GB)
Jury
Danilo Eccher, Director of the Galleria Civica d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea (GAM), Turin
Gerda Maria Gerner, gerner°gerner plus architects Wien
Norbert Kettner, Director Wien Tourismus
Adolf Krischanitz, head of jury, architect (2007–2010 member of the KÖR-jury)
Bettina Leidl, 2007–2011 Managing Director, Kunst im öffentlichen Raum GmbH
Susanne Lettner, Municipal Directorate – Executive Office for Urban Planning, Development and Construction, Infrastructure and Urban Renewal
Gerald Matt, 1996–2012 Director Kunsthalle Wien and 2007–2011 Managing Director, Kunst im öffentlichen Raum GmbH
Eva Schlegel, artist
Günter Steinbauer, CEO, WIENER LINIEN
Christoph Thun-Hohenstein, Director MAK – Austrian Museum of Applied Arts/ Contemporary Art, Vienna
Artistic consultants
Lilli Hollein, curator and journalist (2010–2013 member of the KÖR-jury)
Christoph Grunenberg, Director Kunsthalle Bremen
Axel Huber, curator and artist
Expert consultants
Harald Bertha, Structural and Civil Engineering, WIENER LINIEN
Bertram Chiba, formerly of Hans Lechner ZT GmbH competition office
Johann Hodl, Commercial Services and Controlling, WIENER LINIEN
Johann Loreth, Department B67, New Construction, Subway Planning, WIENER LINIEN
Monika Trimmel, Technical Preliminary and Feasibility Testing, werkraum wien ingenieure zt gmbh
Curatorial mentoring
Catherine Hug, former curator of the Kunsthalle Wien
Competition winner
Ernst Caramelle
*1952 in Hall in Tirol (AT), lives and works in Karlsruhe (DE), Frankfurt am Main (DE) and New York (US)