The Opera House Competition in Linz, Austria, 1997-1998

To Show and to Hide
being placed on the back of the mountain underneath the castle, crowded to the narrow river banks of the Danube the music theatre searches for a recognisable anchorage (tie) in the town plan.
The light-tower of the theatre builds up a visual triangle with the tower of the "Ars Electronica" building and the gate towers of the town square.

The Riverbank of the Danube:
The aim of the project is to create a special site in the now existing wasteland by the riverside. A site for theatre - a site of performance, meeting and contemplation.

The Site - the Mountain:
The theatre is hidden in the mountain. The visible parts that are pushing to the outside give an impression of the big hidden volume. The cut in the mountain and the visible parts of the building form a square underneath the castle. The square as a generous entrance area is at the same time a signal towards the Nibelungen-bridge and to the Eferdinger-highway.

Light Impulse:
Both "mouths" of the theatre shine when an event takes place. From far away you can read the message "Theatre today". This effect is supported by a light-installation in the facade of the narrow building. The pulse of the theatre is carried in light and colour to the outside.

The Audience:
The music theatre is accessible only from the north. The entrances for the public are located on the raised "theatre-plaza". The taxis and busses drive up in front of the big stairs. The way from the underground parking is connected with the pedestrian path from the city. Both access the theatre plaza via escalators.

The Path - the Catharsis
The access into the theatre is marked by entering the mountain. The space is continuously reduced and reaches the greatest density in front of the entrances to the theatre hall. From there the space expands to the north-west. Cantilevered over the street and visually the space continues over the valley of the Danube.

The Theatre Hall
The theatre hall is formed following the special demands for Opera. The parquet offers place for 700 guests. 2 u-shaped balconies offer another 300 seats. The form and the proportions of the Opera hall meet the requirements for voice and orchestra without electronic acoustical support. With simple measures the acoustics can be adapted for musicals. The two balconies assure an intimate atmosphere in the audience even when the seats are only partly occupied.

The People in the Theatre
The stage entrance is clearly separated from the public entrance in the street level. The accesses to the changing rooms, the administration, the rehearsal rooms, the stage and the workshops are short. As a special compensation for working in the mountain the rehearsal rooms take advantage of a splendid view over the river and the town.

Technical Aspects: The Ventilation:
The main structural wall towards the mountain is formed as a two leaf concrete wall. The cells in the wall are used as airducts. By this means the supply air is cooled / preheated by earth temperature.

Technical Information:

Client
Land Oberösterreich Amt der o.ö. Landesregierung Landesbaudirektion

Project Team
Alfred Berger, Tiina Parkkinen, Peter Thalbauer, Ivan Zdenkovic, Kilian Mattitsch

Modell
Lukas Bramhas

Consultants
Structural Engineers: Ove Arup GmbH Berlin, Dipl.-Ing. Manfred Gmeiner Wien
Acoustics: Arup Acoustics London
Electrical and Mechanical Engineers: Ove Arup GmbH Berlin
Traffic Engineers: Arup Transportation London, Dipl-Ing. Sepp Snizek Wien
Financial Advisors: Drees & Sommer München



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