BRIGDE OVER TROUBLED WATER

Academy of Fine Arts
1st Semester 2010/2011
Professors: Mag. Christina Condak & Nasrine Seraji, AA DIPL RIBA Assistant: Mag. Daniela Herold

Vertical Divider

The Danube Island in Vienna is an entirely artificial territory. It was made during the construction for regulating the Danube River. By widening the basin, and making a new channel, the dug out land was used to from an artificial island.
This project, which was realized in the 1970’s, was to cope, finally, after centuries of struggle, with nature’s wrath of flooding the city. The site is flooding area at the very southern end. It is the most playful and dynamic landscape element in this section. The irregular flooding at different times of the year ensures constant change.
When flooded, which happens for most of the year, this part of the Donauinsel transforms into two separate islands forming a very poetic and sensitive space in the landscape. This area consists of two essential elements - dense vegetation and a gravel beach.
The intervention is supposed to make the flooding area more accessible even during flooding, to connect the two separate islands, to give the observer the possibility of feeling the changes in the water level, and to experience the dialogue between the strong industrial element (the pipes) and nature itself.
It consists of three different structures. The first is a bridge hanging under the refinery pipes that go across to the other island. The second is a small bridge connecting the two higher parts of the small island in order to protect them from flooding. The final one is a long pier that juts out in between the two islands.
The studio was documented in a publication of the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. Also the work is shown and discussed in the documentary “Hoch Hinaus“ from Hannes Gellner dealing with Vienna’s highest skyscraper designed by Dominique Perrault.