{"id":45593,"date":"2014-07-01T11:55:18","date_gmt":"2014-07-01T09:55:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.area-arch.it\/en\/city-lounge\/"},"modified":"2017-09-20T15:40:22","modified_gmt":"2017-09-20T13:40:22","slug":"city-lounge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.area-arch.it\/en\/city-lounge\/","title":{"rendered":"city lounge"},"content":{"rendered":"

Once you enter the area between the Vadianstrasse, Schreinerstrasse, Gartenstrasse and Kornhausstrasse, the redesigned Raiffeisen quarter reveals one of the main objectives of its concept before you have even set foot in it: a blazing red, surprisingly soft floor covering made of granulated rubber boldly attracts the visitor\u2019s attention, embodying the welcoming gesture of breaking up the introverted, heterogeneous character of the district. The perception of the Raiffeisen quarter as a once fissured conglomerate of leftover areas and traffic functionalities has undergone a lasting change, with the new flooring unifying every square and spared spot into a homogeneous whole whose inviting extension goes as far as the pedestrian zone. A particularly identity-building feature is its function as a haptically pleasant, cosy carpet, which allows the covering to create a convivial atmosphere. In this light, the idea of a publicly accessible \u2018lounge\u2019 forms the underlying leitmotif, with the aim of establishing harmony and consistency as well as duly assuring the quality of the quarter as a visitor-friendly place close to downtown. Furnishing elements such as seats, banks and tables emerge from the carpet covering as free forms. The uniform surface of the flooring resembles a cloth that unfolds over the entire furniture and that, despite its resilience, is smooth and charming to every single touch. With its soft, pleasing material haptics, the amorphous silhouettes of the furniture present a deliberate contrast to the hard precision of the built surroundings. The carpet conveys the idea of a lounge, carrying its ambiance as far as the fa\u00e7ades of the buildings.<\/p>\n

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photo by Pipilotti Rist & Carlos Martinez<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The relation between interior and exterior seems to be inverted since the external fronts of the buildings may at the same time be understood as internal fa\u00e7ades or wallpapers of the lounge. At this point at the latest, the concept breaks with common notions of public space \u2013 which are all too often limited to graspable categories such as \u2018street\u2019, \u2018square\u2019 and \u2018park\u2019 -by blurring them with a homogeneous covering. The refining effect and the feigned impression that the firmly anchored signposts have been set up provisionally does not only ironise the existing jungle of signs, but also makes it an overall acceptable part of the lounge. It has been opted for reduced planting with four tall Ginkgo trees on philosophical grounds and because of the clear-coloured leafage of this tree species. In summer, the leaves show themselves in an even, beautiful green, whereas in autumn, they turn bright yellow virtually in the twinkling of an eye and fall off almost at the same time. Oversized, shapeless luminous elements generate both the indispensable and scenic light within the quarter. Suspended on steel cables hanging above the streets, they appear to float like light sculptures that capture the upward space. In a way, these elements, which are recurrent throughout the quarter, form a counter-level to the uniformity of the floor covering. Far beyond the different angles of view and street axes of the quarter, the Stadtlounge (urban lounge) is bathed in a scenic, unusual light. In fact, the lounge offers several light scenarios according to daytimes and seasons, which may also be adjusted to events and streams of visitors and passers-by in the area. Finally, these \u2018bubbles\u2019 shine in a sky-like colour spectrum, which does not include green.<\/p>\n