In Altoona Park, the KinderKunstLabor by Schenker Salvi Weber Architects is taking shape, creating a space dedicated to art and experimentation for children. The park's design features visitor-friendly pathways, a buffer from the main road through terrain modeling and textured walls fornoise reduction, and enhanced amenities including new equipment and water elements to improve the overall experience.
The Children's Art Lab (KinderKunstLabor) of the capital city St. Pölten is gently integrated into the Altona Park, with its magnificent tree population. A representative forecourt welcomes visitors while also handling deliveries and waste disposal. A tamped concrete wall shields the park from the busy main road.
On the park side of the Kikula building, there is a terrace for dining. The quality of sitting in the park is also reflected in the proximity to the building. A directly adjacent sand play area continues into the spacious play and park landscape.
A small park promenade, equipped with seating options and a water table, opens the park to the water of the Mühlbach stream, providing a car-free route for the nearby schools. The central park area is characterized by open meadows, which allow for flexible installation of playable exhibition objects. Inclusive and open, the park becomes a focal point for play, meeting, and discovery. It creates a multi-coded open space with high play value, seating, and recreational qualities for diverse user groups, thus establishing a new neighborhood park for St. Pölten.
The valuable tree population has been fully preserved and complemented by new plantings. It now forms the basis not only for a pleasant microclimate but also for an experiential space connected to the Children's Art Lab, with varied indoor-outdoor relationships across all floors.
In the terrace area, there is the much-loved prehistoric giant sequoia (Urweltmammutbaum), a large specimen that, with its low-branching growth form, is particularly well-suited for climbing. It serves as both a climbing tree and a source of shade in the play area.
The redesign of Altona Park offers the opportunity to create a multi-use neighborhood park in the heart of St. Pölten, providing both children and adults with a daily nature experience.
client: federal state of lower austria
size: 1,5 ha
costs: € 0,75 m
project stages: lph 2-9
cooperation: schenkersalviweber architects
award: bauherrinnenpreis 2024
external links: exhibition space kinderkunstlabor
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