Knowledge tower
The Wissensturm is an elliptical high-rise in the Volksgartenviertel in Linz and was opened on September 14, 2007. In addition to the adult education center , the Linz City Library is also located in the tower. It owes its name to the merging of these two institutions.
The construction of the building was unanimously decided on June 3, 2004 by the Linz City Council. The two main tenants offer the majority of their course and lecture program and their books and media inventory in the new building. The offer is complemented by a media workshop, a self-study center, a citizen service point, childcare facilities and a bistro.
architecture
The basic architectural concept consists of a 63 m high, elliptical tower with 15 upper floors and a 3-story base structure and was planned by the Linz architects Franz Kneidinger and Heinz Stögmüller . Architect Manfred Diessl further developed the plans to make them ready for construction. The city of Linz made around 28 million euros available for financing, thereby setting another cultural and educational policy sign on the way to becoming the European Capital of Culture 2009 in addition to the Lentos Art Museum, which opened in 2003 and the planned extension of the Ars Electronica Center .
Model (photo montage)
Construction site, April 2006
Street view in 2006, around a year before the opening
View from the Balzarekrondeau, 2010
Accessible facilities
When erecting the knowledge tower, great attention was paid to facilities for the disabled. Special guidance systems that guide people to the emergency exits in the event of a fire are part of the house's equipment. Technical aids such as induction loops for hearing aid wearers are also used. The barrier-free escape routes are a special feature: the safety staircase, the goods lift and the panorama lift group have a common area of approx. 40 m² which is pressurized in the event of a fire and is separated from the tower structure by automatically closing fire doors. The excess air pressure generated in the area in front of the building prevents smoke gases from entering the building during the opening phases of the fire protection doors. The closed doors can be opened manually or at the push of a button at any time. This enables the lifts to be available in the event of a fire.
architectural art
Current art finds its place at the Knowledge Tower. An exciting “genesis of art and architecture” is being realized as part of “Art in Architecture”. Two projects were selected from the more than 70 submitted artistic contributions: In the dynamic lift ride (Robert Schuster), the facade of the approximately 70 meter high lift tower is structured by the letters of the alphabet. Code - a matter of form (Claudia Märzendorfer) is designed as a room-dividing book wall for the foyer area. The list of books forms an encrypted text.
The “Education and Disability” project decided by the local council in 2002 also made it possible for people with disabilities to be involved in the design of “Art in Architecture”. The city of Linz invited KUNST FORMEN HARTHEIM, together with other care institutions, to artistically design eleven walls of the tower of knowledge.
Adult Education Center Linz
The adult education center (VHS) Linz was founded in 1947 with the task of making a contribution to overcoming National Socialist ideas. In a time of great need, the city of Linz has therefore taken on municipal responsibility for adult education. Right from the start, however, the VHS also endeavored to provide educational opportunities for better coping with everyday life, for expanding personal horizons and developing creativity. This diversity of content has grown over time, as has the general popularity of the population. The prerequisites for learning, encounter and personal development are created in around 2,100 courses. Around 24,500 course participants take advantage of this offer every year. The courses also take place decentrally, at 100 course locations across the entire city of Linz. Around 300 lectures are attended by around 12,000 lecture visitors each year. The VHS Linz is thus the largest Austrian adult education center.
Linz City Library
With more than 1 million borrowings annually in the main library with an attached media library and in the 10 branches, the city library is the largest public library in Upper Austria . In 2009 there are around 220,000 media in stock, including around 60,000 audiovisual media (including DVDs), 370 magazines, around 11,000 sheet music and around 4,000 games. There is public Internet access in all branches, and PCs are available in most for surfing.
One focus of the city library is promoting reading. The offer ranges from class tours, free class reading material and topic-related media boxes for compulsory schools in Linz to readings and the children's and youth book days in the New Town Hall. In addition, there are regular creative competitions, book flea markets with reading festivals, play days, children's theater, etc. Citizen services such as B. Active pass of the city of Linz, resident parking cards, VHS course registrations, registration, lost and found reports.
LeWis
The LeWis (learning center in the knowledge tower) is a self-learning center. The main offers are learning materials (e.g. language software), multimedia and computer workstations as well as advice on basic education, language acquisition and IT.
Web links
- Knowledge tower Linz
- Adult Education Center Linz
- Media workshop Linz
- Linz City Library
- LeWis Linz
- 360 ° photo with a view from the roof of the Wissensturm
Coordinates: 48 ° 17 ′ 26.7 ″ N , 14 ° 17 ′ 17.9 ″ E
Individual evidence
- ↑ City Library . Website of the city of Linz. Retrieved January 13, 2010.
- ↑ Offers from the city library . Website of the city of Linz. Retrieved January 13, 2010.