22

We live in times of constant change. We are changing - our habits need a change too. We need new ways of living and working - and new places where we can combine the two. I would like to address the potential of permanence on the basis of existing buildings worthy of preservation - and create space for living, working, the common by continuing to build.

Living in the city. Somehow together, so as not to become lonely. And yet alone and private, so as to retain a certain anonymity. Our cities and city life are diverse. Anonymous - although people live closer together than ever before. Colorful - although the energy is getting grayer. Historic - although more and more buildings with history are giving way to minimalistic buildings. And large - although the space of an individual is getting smaller and the city is getting denser. Urban living requires creation of space. Therefore new-build housing is not necessarily a go-to. There’s a big potential for contemporary architecture within repurposing existing structures. Facing the climate crisis problem and the fact that almost all global resources are being overused, we need to reconsider our way of building. Our Built Environment is responsible for a huge part of emissions and therefore it’s heavily to be blamed. To be part of the solution, the existing must be integrated into new buildings whenever there is an opportunity to do so. In this work, the existing architecture Rilkeweg 22 in the old town protection zone of Graz forms the basis of the design work. How the need for one‘s own home can be united with the desire for closeness and community - which has become increasingly strong in recent years - is addressed in the following architectural design. The optimal use of minimized living space forms its quality standard. It shows where the private ends, where the common begins and where both flow into each other.