Exhibition "Critical Care. Architecture for a Broken Planet", 25.04.–09.09.2019
© Foto: eSeL
Construction work is currently responsible for a large share of the consumption of resources globally. This is the bad news. The good news is that resource-conserving architecture provides powerful leverage in the climate crisis. In its programme, the Architekturzentrum Wien engages deeply with the contribution that architecture can make to repairing the future and keeping the planet and its inhabitants alive.
The Austrian Ecolabel
© VKI / Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology
Issues of sustainability and the conservation of resources, alternative energy concepts, measures to mitigate climate change and for climate adaptation, or even issues relating to the economical use of space in architecture and urban planning are topics that we engage with in the context of our exhibitions, research projects, symposiums, workshops, lectures, discussions, excursions in the city or even the guided tours of the exhibitions.
A Planetary Perspective
In 2019, the Az W conceived the exhibition ‘Critical Care. Architecture for a Broken Planet’, applying the concept of care to architecture and urbanism for the first time. It brings together and systematically compares 21 international case studies on environmental and social justice in building. For this exhibition, the backyard to the exhibition hall was also planted with greenery to create a pleasant, cooling climate inside the hall while also significantly improving the quality of using the courtyard itself. This successful exhibition is currently touring Europe.
The Az W exhibition ‘Land for Us All’ (2020-2022) shows the dramatic effects of the vast consumption of land on climate, food security and social cohesion while showing the prerequisites for the responsible use of land, which is a limited resource. This exhibition has also been touring Austria since May 2021, promoting discussion in smaller communities as well and showing alternative approaches.
On a pan-European level, for many years the Az W has been actively involved in the advisory board for and the jury of the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture — Mies van der Rohe Award. In this context, the Az W has made a significant contribution to increasing the focus on the most sustainable of architectural practices: adaptation and renovation.
The Architekturzentrum Wien takes advantage of every opportunity to open up a dialogue and to send signals. Since 2020, the Az W has been a member of #MuseumsForFuture as part of #FridaysForFuture, and it has been a participant since 2021 in the 17 Museums x 17 SDGs project, launched by ICOM and the Austrian Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport. Certification with the Austrian Eco-label is another logical step towards a truly green museum and emblematic of our commitment to sustainability.
Alongside the topics engaged with in the Az W Programme, sustainability and the conservation of resources are also prioritised in the management and day to day running of the museum. We use resources sparingly, whether these are water, energy, packaging or office supplies. Our motto is: Reduce, reuse, recycle — especially with regard to exhibition construction, where repair is the first option. When we make purchases, products with eco-labels are the first choice (Austrian Eco-label, Blue Angel, EU Ecolabel etc.) and we choose certified partners to work with.
Environmentally Friendly Travel
The Az W is centrally located, in the Museumsquartier, and easily accessible on foot, by bike or with public transport. The following public transport services have stops in the immediate vicinity of our museum:
U-Bahn: U2 to Museumsquartier, U2/U3 to Volkstheater Tram: 49 to Volkstheater Bus: 48A to Volkstheater, City Bus 2B to Museumsquartier
There are also plenty of bicycle stands in the Architekturzentrum Wien courtyard.
Barrier-free Access
The Architekturzentrum Wien would like to make visits to the museum as simple and as user-friendly as possible for people with special needs. All exhibition spaces are accessible without barriers, and there is a disabled W.C. in the Podium lecture room and one in the cafeteria. Visitors with special needs are eligible for reduction on the admission fee upon presentation of a disabled pass. Guide dogs are permitted. Disabled parking spaces are available directly on the premises next to the Az W. In addition, the Architekturzentrum Wien offers a special Learning programme for visitors with special needs.
Join us, become proactive by helping us to make our museum even more green. We look forward to your suggestions and feedback at: office@azw.at