Walter Stelzhammer: High Density, the Future of Housing?
im Rahmen der Vortragsreihe "Architecture after Tomorrow"
veranstaltet vom Institut für Kunst und Architektur
Considering the limited land reserves that we have left in middle Europe, density with all its consequences is certainly going to be the leading factor in new developments in housing design.
Housing design cannot be pursued isolated from the realities of ones surroundings.
The notion of density has acquired a central position in all questions concerning the search for appropriate housing forms for the present and the future. Thus density has become the cardinal point of this development.
Density is still the guiding principle and the prerequisite in suggestions concerning new housing development forms independent of the specific conditions of the specific task at hand. This is partially due to ecology; economical use of estate preserves the already limited resources, a compact building structure saves energy. It is also an economical decision; the costly infrastructure is used more intensively and efficiently. This reduces traffic; a minimal use of estate makes it possible for more people to become homeowners.
Especially in the area of town extension, new innovative city models and exemplary solutions for housing developments are aspired.
Walter Stelzhammer
was born in Vöcklabruck, Upper Austria in 1950. He studied architecture at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna with Prof. E.A. Plischke and Prof. Gustav Peichl. Walter Stelzhammer was employed in the Studio of E. A. Plischke before founding his own studio in Vienna in 1978. Since 1982 he had continuos teaching assignments at the Technical University of Vienna. Since 2004 he is lecturer for architecture at the FH (College of higher education) in Vienna.
In 1983 he married Emine Stelzhammer, from 1984-97 he build his own private house in self-construction, „Maison Turquoise“ in Fethiye-Turky.
Walter Stelzhammer is winner of numerous competitions and awards, among which are city revitalisation prices (1985/89), Adolf Loos medals (1992/96), Otto Wagner urban planning award (1996/98), Architectureaward of the City of Vienna (2004).
http://www.architekt-stelzhammer.at/