Pablo Mahave, Petr Malasek and Helena Schenavsky
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2022/2023

The Westbahnhof area, divided by railway tracks, needs better integration into the city. Our project Climatic Pools and Restless Market blends the area into new public spaces using two key approaches: climatic infrastructure inspired by Philippe Rahm and dynamic flux inspired by Cedric Price.

From Philippe Rahm, we adopt ideas of working with microclimates and airflow to create ‘climate pools.’ These public spaces have modulated atmospheres shaped by the West Vienna Wind Corridor. By restricting car traffic, streets transform into comfortable areas for activities like playing, shopping or enjoying fresh air. Using windshields, solar chimneys, terrain modulations and water reservoirs, we direct airflow to create cooler, breezy areas and warmer, sheltered ones, influencing how the spaces are used.

From Cedric Price, we take inspiration for the second layer, which focuses on flexible, changing urban structures. This is reflected in the adaptable design of buildings, with attachable rooms that can be added or removed as needed, making the housing system more dynamic. We also rethink the market system by using mobile self-driving shelves that distribute goods efficiently, creating fluid marketplaces within the public spaces.

By combining Rahm’s climatic design principles and Price’s flexible infrastructure, this project reconnects the 15th district, transforming Westbahnhof into a dynamic urban area with modulated climates and flexible public spaces for living, working and shopping.
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Helena Schenavsky

2023
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We plant nature in grid structures and occupy the entire Westbahnhof, as well as the surrounding areas. The forest takes root in a relatively unused space, transforming it into a place where trees stand like exhibits, inviting admiration from the surrounding viewpoints.

The Westbahnhof, which divides north and south, becomes a vast sea of greenery. From Felberstraße, the station itself, and the new IKEA, the forest can be observed like a living, organic stadium. This forest is designed to be protected, allowing access to only certain parts, creating a sense of discovery. Upon arrival by train, passengers are immediately greeted by the forest, surrounded by its presence. The forest unfolds at the station’s entrance area, but access to some sections is restricted, as the layout is deliberately staged. The track level remains inaccessible, and observation is limited to small footbridges, offering panoramic views of the expansive Westbahnhof forest. Artificial spotlights emulate stadium lighting, adding to the unique atmosphere.

Six renderings have been created to showcase different perspectives of the forest from these footbridges. Additionally, a dedicated section for each of the 75 footbridges was made. Each section covers a 4-meter-wide area, highlighting the trees within its range.

The grid design accommodates a total of 3,582 trees, organized in three distinct configurations: the north side, south side, and the west station. The layout of the streets around the area guided the creation of these grids, which are not only rotated but also curved. Every 10 meters, a new tree is planted, although the overlapping grids allow for slightly less space in some areas.

As a result, this artificial forest acts as a "super forest," regulating the microclimate around it through its dense population of trees. This tree population helps reduce temperatures and serves as a windbreak, slowing and redirecting wind flows.

Additionally, the forest creates a new habitat for various animal species.In conclusion, the artificial forest offers multiple ways to experience its beauty. Footbridges provide views into the forest or of the tree canopies, while the entrance allows for more immersive exploration. From the rooftop terraces, one can enjoy a bird’s-eye view of this impressive forest.
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Helena Schenavsky

2023

Within the Westbahnhof area lies a vibrant cultural diversity, showcased by the highest migration rate of 48% in Vienna. An analysis of the locale reveals the presence of 17 distinct cultures, each establishing their own presence in various stores, restaurants, and workshops.
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Celebrating this rich cultural tapestry is the core objective of the project—a special festival at Westbahnhof that seamlessly combines traditional instruments from different cultures to form an orchestra. To achieve this, a semi-temporary structure is designed, allowing for flexible assembly and disassembly. Taking inspiration from President Hans Walter Müller, who effortlessly set up an inflatable church for 200 people within a mere 10 minutes in 1979, inflatable structures are chosen for their unique acoustic properties. Müller‘s innovative Resonanzkugel—a floating inflatable sphere held aloft by metal rods—perfectly exemplifies the desired sound. Another noteworthy creation by Müller is the „Pianodrom,“ a tent where 24 pianists performed for three days during the Beethovenfest 2016.
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The festival comprises two primary components: larger inflatable structures that serve as concert halls, and a collection of smaller individual elements within a metal framework. The latter provides temporary accommodations, practice spaces, and workshops for the orchestra‘s musicians. The individual inflatable structures mimic the shapes of musical instruments and other similar forms. Mobility is ensured by the wheeled metal framework, allowing for easy relocation as needed. Access to all the individual inflatable objects, including those at the very top, is ensured by boards and ladders. When the instruments unite in the orchestra, they unite to form a collaborative ensemble. The concert halls are spacious, encompassing entrance halls, seating areas, and backstage facilities. Metal ropes anchor the structures to the ground, ensuring stability. The structures of the concert hall will be inflated with a wind machine, incorporating the strong winds at Westbahnhof into the project.
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Ultimately, the project aims to foster an intercultural exchange and create a collaborative space where people come together to make music in unity.
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Lisa Prossegger, Sara Grace Enab and Helena Schenavsky
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Architecture Biennale Tallin, 2022

Garden of Conservation [The story of a laboratory] — Recipe

Conservation has always played a significant role in human food consumption. It's not just about seasonal availability; the preservation of food brings our constant demands for goods into question. In times of climate change, overfishing, and intense agricultural impacts, certain foods may not be available to future generations. Various machines are installed on the façades of urban residential units, encouraging neighborly exchange and collective action. Food is preserved together, and the resulting goods are shared or displayed. Using both century-old and modern techniques, conservation processes take place simultaneously. The prominent placement of the laboratory and the products generated catch the attention of the urban public. Is this a garden of conservation or conversation?
Nine preservation methods are available: High Pressure Pasteurising, Sugaring, Drying, Fermenting, Pulverising, Freeze-Drying, Smoking, Cooling, and Brining.

Ingredients
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• Urban space
• Neighbors willing to participate
• 2-12 connectable balconies or suitable urban areas
• Food for preservation
• Equipment and containers for chosen methods, such as:
  • Sugaring: Holder, food, pot, cloth, heating device, sugar, sealable jars
  • Pasteurizing: Holder, food, pot, sieve, bottles, vacuum or heating device

Steps
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• Gather interested neighbors
• Discuss and choose preservation methods
• Install machines on balconies or façades
• Prepare for the various preservation processes
  • Sugaring:
   • Mix fruit with sugar and water, boil
   • Separate liquid with cloth and sieve
   • Reheat with sugar and lemon juice
   • Fill into jars
 • Pasteurizing:
   • Peel, core, chop, and puree food
   • Bottle and cool puree
   • Heat at 72°C to 100°C for pasteurization
• Connect machines across balconies to create a visible structure
• Allow preservation processes to take place (hours to months)
• Show, share, and enjoy preserved products

This collaborative preservation setup, combining traditional and modern methods, questions our current food consumption and ensures today’s products are preserved for the future.

summer school UdK
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‍2022
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As part of the Hyper Comfort Summer School, hosted by the Berlin UdK at the Neue Nationalgalerie, I collaborated with international students to explore the boundaries of comfort in architecture. Under the guidance of UdK professors Stéphanie Bru and Eveline Jürgens, along with architect Hans-Walter Müller, we constructed vibrant, handcrafted inflatables using recycled materials. These structures, exhibited inside the iconic gallery designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, created a striking contrast with the surrounding space, offering a fresh interpretation of architectural design.

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