University of noise – spaces for music in a loud environment

Noise is one of the biggest environmental problems of our time with road traffic contributing as much as 75% of all emissions, making the problem especially relevant in urban regions. Vienna shows up to be among the three loudest European capital cities along with Luxembourg and Nicosia. Permanent exposure to high noise levels can lead to sleep disorder or ischaemic heart disease and is calculated to be responsible for about 12.000 premature deaths per year in Europe. This raises the need for quieter places within the city. To create an architectural concept with a wide range of acoustical properties a musical facility will be projected onto one of Vienna’s most trafficked areas – Gaudenzdorfer Gürtel. It has been shown that the city’s perimeter block development screens noise very well to the inside, but this has little effect on the streetscape. The introduction of fractal structures, particularly on the street side, shall help reduce reflections and absorb more ambient noise than it would be possible with conventional facades. In addition, fractals offer infinite aesthetic variety. The goal is to establish a building concept and design that can not only provide internal program but also helps to reduce street noise while maintaining the sites function as a stepping stone biotope.