BUILD February 2017

34 BUILD / February 2017 , Hofrichter-Ritter Architects: Building Brilliance Through Beautiful Buildings Hofrichter-Ritter Architects are an architectural firmbased in Graz, Austria. We caught up with Founder Gernot Ritter to learnmore about the company and the various projects it has undertaken over recent years. Hofrichter-Ritter Architects specialise in designing sports facilities, religious buildings and reside- ntial buildings. Gernot outlines the firm’s approach to design. “Architecture is an artistic fact an emotional phenomenon; it has nothing to do with pure design issues, through form, symbolism, expression and posture. Architecture is not only for the privileged, but the whole society. “In addition to the design architecture is the vision and commitment of the owners for the success of a building. There should be a synergy between architect and client. We see all kinds of structural intervention as object of architecture “In addition to the urban environment every place has a story. Its geographical location for millions of years. In order to deal respectfully is for us crucial. “As such we view the surrounding space and the quality of a building as a key part of our approach. The surrounding space is a kind of foyer, which prepares the user to the building. Working with this aspect is important for us in the drama of experiencing a building We are an office that very personally concerned with the builders. Each of us actually doing anything. We identify very personal with the client.” One of the firm’s latest projects is the three-section sports hall of BG/BORG Graz Liebenau – called Blue Box – should be seen as an additional module within the whole complex of the existing sports and school building, which functions, however, as a free- standing building as a result of the strong identity-forming effect of its external appearance. The divisible hall, whose interior is nine metres high, is sunk approx. 4 m into the ground, to bring the height of the building to a level compatible with the surrounding parts of the complex and with the local residents. The fixed stands area is designed for 300 people and an additional six wheelchair spaces. Three telescopic seating stands enable the capacity to be enlarged by 264 people to a total of 566 spectators. The unity of the hall and sports area is a significant element in urban spatial design: The facade of the hall has the same structured blue surface as the sports arena with its rubber coating. The design unity thus produced creates an entrance area in the school grounds, which already has strong associative references to sport. The horizontal caesura in the base, in the form of a glass band that can be illuminated, also makes the structure appear light. In the jointed, low structure connecting the existing building of the “old sports hall” and the new hall, the en-trances and the foyer with a small buffet area and adjoining rooms are located. Through the synergetic use of the existing – and now renovated and optimised – washrooms within the “old” sports hall, the direct connection can also be justified in terms of function for external use in the form of events. As an anti-glare measure, the sports hall itself is lit naturally from the north side. Additional dome rooflights, which serve the purpose of fume extraction, provide pleasant floor lighting. Access is designed in such a way that, on the one hand, a strict division is possible between school use and external use by clubs, for example, and on the other hand, between visitors to events and players: External users and organisers/players have access to the sports hall via the running track in the north of the grounds and enter the building from the new north-east forecourt, so that the existing school building is not used and lessons are not disturbed. Access for visitors to events is via the main, central axis of the school grounds and through the new main entrance, on the school side, into the foyer, from where the seating in the stands can be reached and is wheelchair accessible. Pupils and teachers have direct access from the existing building via the stairwell to only the changing rooms and sports halls. 1701BU02