The U2 subway station Aspern Nord, located in the northern part of the target area Seestadt Aspern of Vienna’s 22nd district, was integrated into an existing urban building with a thirty-meter-high façade. Plans include links with the S1 Vienna–Bratislava rail line and the Flugfeld Aspern Brace of the south-east ring road A23 (Südosttangente).
The competition was aimed at obtaining an artistic solution that would clearly upgrade the location. The permanent artwork was to increase the station’s attraction for its users, ensure a modern ambience, and lend the place an unmistakable identity.
Stephan Huber’s project Aspern Affairs emerged as winner of the competition.
Location
Aspern Nord, 1220 Wien, Österreich
Gallery
Further Information
Competition
artistic design of the glass surfaces (platform housing) and stone surfaces (ends of the subway platform) of the Aspern-Nord U2 subway station
Awarding authorities
Kunst im öffentlichen Raum GmbH in cooperation with WIENER LINIEN
Invited artists
Stephan Huber (DE), Herwig Kempinger (AT), Ulrike Lienbacher (AT), Ugo Rondinone (CH)
Jury
Birgit Brodner, 2006–2013 advisor at the municipal office of the administrative unit for Cultural Affairs and Science
Julie Hayward, artist
Lilli Hollein, curator and journalist (2010–2013 member of the KÖR-jury)
Paul Katzberger, architect
Norbert Scheed, Head of the Municipal District Office of the 22nd district
Günter Steinbauer, CEO, WIENER LINIEN
Expert consultants
Harald Bertha, Structural and Civil Engineering, WIENER LINIEN
Johann Hödl, Commercial Services and Controlling, WIENER LINIEN
Bettina Leidl, Managing Director, Kunst im öffentlichen Raum GmbH
Johann Loreth, Department B67 New Construction, Subway Planning, WIENER LINIEN
Technical realization
The Aspern-Nord U2 subway station has generous glass overhead lighting at the side. Each end of the central platform is formed by a ca. 10 x 6 m massive concrete wall. The overhead lighting and the concrete walls form the foundation for the work. Stephan Huber stuck the two maps (each 1000 x 600 cm) together in his studio like a collage on a 1:1 scale and scanned them. The text levels were added on the computer, the print-outs were on photographic paper and were then laminated behind white glass. The “lifelines” on the station windows were applied to the glass surfaces using stoveenameling. As well as the artistic aspect, the colored lines serve as protection against bird strikes.
Competition winner
Stephan Huber
*1952 in Lindenberg im Allgäu (DE), lives and works in Munich (DE) and Ostallgäu (DE).
stephanhuberkunst.de
